The Savannah morning news., 1902-07-20
FLOODS ARE WORSE
uprMENDoUs LOSSES IN IOWA AND
MISSOURI.
SKUNK RIVER ON A RAMPAGE.
TUE MISSISSIPPI TEN MILES WIDE
IN PLACES.

u.o Hundred Square Miles of Ter
ritorv in Missouri, Which Had
corn Estimated at so Bushels to
,ba Acre, Now Covered With
water-Levces Are Now Being
watched Anxiously-ShouId They
Give Way Illinois Farmers Would
sn0er GreatIy-Pe nniIess Farmers
Are Now Hunting~Work in Towns
and Cities-Much Damage to Rail-
roads.
K4ok,lk, Ia. July 19.-The flood con-
d,tions of yesterday were much worse
today and the Mississippi river is from
two 10 ten miles wide for rs miles be-
low Keokuk and is rising rapidly. The
Aood is reaching far into the outlying
farms. hitherto missed, and farmers
IN the lowlands on the Missouri side
have lost everything but their cita-
dels on high knobs. and few fields
behind the highest levees. Dam
age is also occurring on
the Illinois side between here
and Quincy, where there are many
thousand of acres of the riverside
levees, and where the levees them
selves are not entirely efficient the
water is working through at the site
of the flood gates. The Lima and
Hunt levees opposite Canton, Mo-, the
most dangerous places, and which pro-
tect many square miles of corn in IL
linois, are constantly patrolled, and
hopes are entertained that they may
possibly hold. The greatest damage is
on the Missouri side of the Mississippi
river, between Keokuk and Hannibal,
territory covering 300 square miles, and
on which the corn was estimated at
eighty bushels to- the acre
a few days ago. Hundreds of
farmers are tenants, who lost crops
by last years drought in the uplands
and moved to the lowlands this year.
They are now penniless and are hunt
ing work in towns and cities. Re-
ports to-day are that in the territory
indicated the loss will be over $4,-
100000, chiefly to corn land and in
splendid condition previously.
1ue udIAdBC AOltC dAOAlS LtA0 AtAASS3o~
sppi river is greater than was expect
ed or at first reported. One township
in this county, Green Bay, is six or
seven feet under water. 1t contains
more than II, 900 acres of crops. Fam
lilies there were driven out hurriedly
and some cattle were drowned. Corn
was the finest in this section Of the
county last week.
The levee eight miles north
of Burlington broke inundating
three square miles that had been con-
sidered safe.
skunk River on a Tear.
The Skunk river, the most damaging
tributary of the Mississippi, is roaring
down with a, flood approached but
twice in 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 % miles north of Keokuk
and greatly increases the flood at
points below.
In the interior Iowa towns on the
Des Moines and Skunk rivers were
surprised by the rapid rise and there
is much excitement. 1t was
believed that the recession
OF the flood of the first three days of
the week removed all danger and peo-
pie returned to ordinary conditions.
Inc surprise entailing lack of prep
aration caused much increased damage.
hddyvil;e, Ottumwa and Coppock are
among the heaviest losers tfrom this
cause.
Traffic Intcrfered With.
Railroads in Iowa will be put to
great expense in the maintenance of
tracks and the safety of trains. The
burlington and Rock Island systems
are closely patrolled by watchmen at
an bridges and culverts. No damage
mas occurred to them on account of
.he systematic prevention, but this
las been done at great cost.
me supervisors of Lee, Des-
1Iolnes, Washington, Henry, Jefferson,
,"apello and VanBuren counties
ndVe men at work trying to save wag-
on road bridges, many of which have
elIeady gone out. Losses from this
0ause viii be very considerable.
thousands of acres are submerged
~ Appanoose county, Iowa, and there
= much small grain caught in the
leiuS The crop in other places is
.niefy corn. A new element of loss
winch has appeared all over the drown
ca section of Iowa, is disease among
stDek from the conditions of pastures
Vt1ernowed slightly, and used after the
'enporary subsistence of the waters.