The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-07-20
Des MOines River is Rapidly Rising and Farms Are
 in Danger
WATERS ARE VIOLENTLY
 ATTACKING THE LEVEES
Mississippi Continues to Rise and This Checks the Current In the Des Moines-Alexandrla Is
 Threatened.

Keokuk, Ia, July 19.-A hard battle was fought all day today and has reached it's crisis tonight in which the Missouri farmers fought the waters of combined Mississippi and Des Moines rivers at the Egyptian levee. few miles south of here Once the attacking river succeeded in making a break in the strong break water but the farmers rallied and drove it back. They were fighting for their homes, many square miles of corn fields and the safety of the town of Alexan- dria-
 The Des Moines at its mouth rose eo- day six inches higher than during the flood of the first week. Tonight 1t lacks bare half foot of topping the Egyptian levee and is still steadily rising. The Mississippi is coming up faster, rising a foot and half today. This checks the current in the Des Moines liver and turns the flood against the great levees The crest of the flood of both rivers is due to arrive at noon Sunday and set..e the question whether Alexandria and the best corn acres shall go with the crest, add ing another $1OO.oOO to the damage al- ready done
 Conditions Much Worse. The conditions are much worse today than yesterday and the Mississippi river is from two to ten miles wide for 75 miles below Keokuk and rising rapidly. The | flood Is reaching outlying farms hitherto missed and farmers in the 1owlands on l the Missouri side have lost everything but ! their citadols on high knolls and a few | fields behind the highest levees. Damage Is also ct ctcurrihg on the Illinois side be- tween here and Quincy, where there are many thousands of acres on the river side leyees, and the levees themselves not be- ing entirely efficient the water Is working thu ough at the site of the flood gate The Lima and Hunt levees opposite Canton. Mo-, the most dangerous places and which protect many square miles of corn in Illinois, ere being constantly patrolled and hopes are entertained that they may possible hold. The greatest damage is on the Missouri side of the Mississippi river | between KeclSuk and Hannibal, territory covering 300 miles and oil which the corn was estircated at SO bushels to the acre | few days ago.
 Hundreds Are Tenants.
 Hundreds of farmers are tenants who lost crops by last years drouth in the uplands and moved to the lowlands this years. Reports today are that in the territory indicated the loss will be over $4,000000. chiefly to corn land by and in splendid condition previously
 The damage done up the Mississippi river Is greater than expected or at first reported. One township in this country | Green Bay, is six or seven feet under water. It contains over 11,000 acres of crops. These families were driven out hurriedly and some cattle drowned. Corn fhofaa | tion of the country last week The levee eight miles north of Burlington, broke, inundating three miles that had 1 been considered safe.
 | The Skunk river, the most damaging | tributary of the Mississippi. Is raging down with flood reached but twice in 1 the history of the state, in 1851 and 1892 The water topped the record of 1892 and touched the highest record of 1851. This river rises in the center of Iowa and empties into the Mississippi twenty-five miles north of Keokuk and greatly in- creases the flood at points below.
 Interior towns in Iowa. on the Des Moines and Skunk rivers were surprised | by the rapid rise ana there is much ex- citement.V
 | Eddyville, Ottumwa and Coppock are among the heaviest losers.
 Railroads in Iowa vii be put to great cost in the maintenance of tracks and | safety of trains.
 Great Loss In Illinois. | La Salle Ill.,. July 19-A heavy down | pour of rain in this region for thirty six hours caused the Illinois and Yer million rivers and tributaries to send 8 | flood down the valley that has ruined many of the bottom land farmers and | caused losses to the country between here and Ottawa aggregating more than | s100.00O.
 Strausburg, a. hamlet on the vermillion river has been almost entirely washed away. During the night the flood came upon the villagers and they were forced to fee to the hills.
 Four residences were torn from their foundations and swept down the river to the Rock bridge. where they were dashed to pieces. Seventy families are left practically penniless.
 Utica, village of six hundred inhab- itants, five miles east, is entirely under water. The Illinois river and canal, one mile apart ordinarily. are now one body of water.