The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-21
SAY WORST IS OYER
Flood Lossss Along the Mississippi
Are Appalling, However.
DAMAGE OF OVER SIX MILLIONS
Towns Inundated and Immense
Fields Of Crops Devastated--
Missouri Suffers Most.

Keokuk, Iowa, July 21.-The flood sit
uation Is much brighter. The Mississippi
river shows a stage of water of 1914 feet,
the highest since 1897, and is still rising,
but not as fast as 1t was yesterday morn
ing. The crest Of the Mississippi rise
will probably pass here to-day. Great
damage has already been done, but the
worst is probably over.
+ The Egyptian levee is still several inch
es above the Des Moines river, which is
now stationary here. Reports from Ot-
tumwa show fall of two feet. Points
between also show fall.
Unless heavy rain shall occur, the Des
Moines will begin to tall here to-day. r
Loss of Over $o,OOO,OoO.
/ Careful estimates Of the territory COW
cred indicate that the loss up to yes
terday is about $S,000,000, with every
prospect of two or three millions addi-
tional by the rise above, not yet reaching
the lower stretches OF the river.
Most of this loss Is on the Missouri
side of the river between Keokuk and
Hannibal " s.
Passing the lumber yards of Keokuk
the mouth of the Des Moines river is
about two miles wide. Normally there
are two mouths, and delta covered with
farms, which are now under raging tor
rents. * 1~ -.
the Egyptian levee, the breaking of which
would send four feet of water over all the
town. ii. r ..
ALL but One Building Submerged.
Gregory is submerged, except the white
church, in which service was held yester-
day, the congregation from the country
reaching the church by the railroad track,
which is still above the food In a waste Of
fore x,f1 thn1s nd c$f
les on the islands are beyond the danger
line.
Immense fields are a great lake, with
the shore visible only with a glass, where
the high bluffs bound the bottoms. Islands
dotting the river at it's normal condition
have disappeared except for the tops OF
trees or fringe Of willows slightly pro-
truding like a circular green coral reef.
Occasionally a house on piles or stills
is seen, but generally only roofs pro-
trude to mark the center Of farms Of
| corn.
Shore lights for pilots are standing in
the midst Of a waste of waters, where
steam boats can run over them. The
river is five to ten miles wide and an
other great lake is added to the ge-
ography. All this territory was prac-
ticalIy covered with corn fortnight ago.
estimated to make seventy-flve to one
hundred bushels to the acre.
Previous estimates Of the loss have
been greatly increased by the prospective
yield being found much greater than ever
before, experts telling of many farms that
were good for 100 bushels to the acre be-
fore the flood. The loss is total. -
Experience is that If the water stays
forty eight hours even four inches under
the surface, it kills corn and every. stalk
wet by waves perislles from rotting roots.
The height of the flood is Indicated by
an incident at La Grange. The steam
boat warehouse was we'll back from the
river bank and sits high. ' strong
current and a gale caused the pilot to
nice Of the roof Of the WarehouseHwas torn
off by the forward guards of the Silver
Crescent. ~"'".~ =, : -
The Chief Flood.
The chief flood thus far is on the Mis-
souri, side from Keokuk to Louisiana, with
Canton and West Quincy as centers of the
country the most injured. .....
On the Illinois side are three continuous
levees for forty miles, from Warsaw to
Quincy above the waters, which are thus
| far SAFE but farmers are afraid of crew
asses from muskrat holes, and every rod
of the redoubt is watched day and night.
The breaking of these 1evees would flood
ITS square miles in Illinois and destroy
| 81, ,000, 900 to So, 0O0, 900 worth Of corn. The
levees below Quincy are in the same stu
alton except that they are lower and less
firm: - :-...-c-- II. :.
:, Ten Miles of Water. =
| Opposite Quincy, in Missouri, is still
another center Of special devastation,
which is appalling. North twelve miles
to La Grange and south to Ho1ton the
prafries are well under water, reaching
from the Illinois bluffs to the Missouri
h1uffs at 1aaSf ten miles. ... Q
around Lamotte, Silverton, Busch sta
tion, Clemons and Ashburn, north Of Han
nibal, there is more wheat than at other
places, and all in the shock Is mostly
washed away. The chief crop there Is
corn, however, and there Is the same ruin
as at other places.
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