Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-19
FARMERS LOSE MILLIONS
LOwlandS Along Mississippi River Flooded
ard Crops Are Ruined.
INDICATIONS OF STILL HIGHER WATER
Farmers between Keokuk and Han,
niBai VIII Lose Years work for
Corn is Made and wheat
IL In the Shock.

KEoKUK, Ia, July 1s.-Heavy rains in
central Iowa yesterday and today are send
ing a flood down upon prosperous Missouri
farmers which will ruin many Of them, and
cause losses, ageregating at q conservative
estimate, ST. 900. There seems TO be no
hope tonight for the country beyond the
Mississippi river and its Missouri bluffs
between Keokuk and Hannibal, 800 square
miles, mostly in corn, and thousands Of
acres Of wheat In the shock. The food
had touched the danger lire the first Of
the week and had began to recede when
heavy floods started again in the Des
Moines, Skunk and Iowa rivers. With a
stage in the Des Moines river only three
feet below the tops Of the great levees
the river began to rise three inches an
hour at its mouth here today. The factor
OF safety was wiped out this afternoon.
A rise OF one and a half feet this morning
at Ottawa, and a further rise throughout
its length below the capital city was pre-
vented from running out freely by a rise
Of a foot and a half at Davenport last
hight, increasing and coming down rapidly.
This afternoon the observer OF the
weather bureau at Keokuk sent telegraphic
warnings to all points south to prepare
for danger. The crest Is expected here
Saturday or Sunday. The Egyptian levee,
which stood the food Just receding after
strenuous efforts to hold II, including the
destruction of farm houses to secure lum-
Der for strengthening the dixie, is only
slightly above the water now and the com
ing food In the Des Moines will certainly
top It. This will let the water into hum
dreds Of square miles, including the town
of Alexandria, Mo. The Inhabitants there
are preparing for an overflow Of the river.
Farmers Lose Year's work.
The corn crop In the flooded district Is all
made and wheat is in the shock. and as a
result the farmers will lose all their years
work. Grain men say the foregoing esti-
mate of value is too low and put the figure
of the loss from the overflow at near $4,-
100000 between Keokuk and Hannibal. 1t is
believed the Illinois levees will hold and
the damage there is likely to be only $40, 900
to $4,000 between Keokuk and Quincy.
Heavy rains are reported in southeastern
Iowa today and tonight there are indlca-
tions OF still higher water. Lowland farm
ers. rivermen and the weather bureau OBJ
server alike predict the greatest damage
ever known from flood on the upper river.
Reports late this evening show tremen-
dous rains along the Des Moines river and
tributaries. Six inches at Corydon and
nearly that much at Ottumwa. Rains all
over this section continue tonight, with two
inches as a general minimum rainfall, and
many reporting Ave inches. These rains
will reach the lower river and flooded dis
tricts by Sunday and there will be a still
further rise and devastation. Both the Des
Moines and Mississippi rivers are rising
faster as night progresses. Late reports
shows that half the country for a distance
of thirty miles between Lagrange and Han
nibal was already under water long before
the crest of the food arrived.
Flood Grows. Alarming, ,
HANNIBAL. Mo-, July 1s.-The flood
conditions on Bay Island and the bottom
lands between Hannibal and West Quincy
are alarming. Bay Island contains about
10000 acres Of cultivated land, upon which
were the finest crops Of wheat and corn
but the entire island is now submerged
except a few elevated spots, to the depth
OF from one to six feet.
II is believed that the entire crop OF
corn is ruined and the wheat, which was
in shock, is a total loss. The estimated
loss on this island alone is S25, 900. In
fact. the whole area OF land from the
island to West Quincy is one continuous
lake and hardly a dry spot Is to be found.
"a oNo6O - II NANGA hi6h 10 lO0IlCCu
feet and six inches, one foot and six inches
above the danger line. The river has
continued to rise slowly all day and, ac-
cordlng to the oficial report sent out by
the Weather bureau. there is to be a fur
Their rise Of two feet. which Will inundate
all the lowlands in the Mississippi bottom
and will even test the Sni levee.
Farmers have been busy for the last
three days getting their stock on the
bottoms and driving II to the highlands.
They have about abandoned all their crops
and many Of the renters have lost every
thing.
The damage by the high water cannot be
estimated, but 1t will probably reach $500, :
900.
According to telegraph reports, there
were heavy rains today at Dubuque and
Davenport and tonight 1t Is raining in
Hannibal.
Des MOines Gets More Rain.
DIES MONIES. July 1s.-(special. )-Last
night a total Of 1877 inches OF ralp fell in
Des Moines and some rain fell during the
day. This rain has retarded the falling OF
the rivers Of this part OF the state and the
water iB still very high. 1t has been neces-
sary for ten days to keep portable pumps
at work at several Of the business houses
In the city 20 keep the cellars clear OF
water. The filthy condition Of that part OF
Des Molnes which was flooded has become
such that the city oficials have forbidden
residents to return to their homes until
there is some cleaning up. The constant
rains retard this work and are causing dis
tress. The Board OF Supervisors today al
lowed q bill In the sum OF $3.50 for food
furnished food sufferers last week.
EDDYVILLE. Ia, July 1s.-(special)-
Four and a half inches OF rain fell here last
night. amounting almost to a oloudburst. II
raised the Des Moines river eighteen inches
and it continued to rise all forenoon at the
rate Of two inches an hour Al 10 o'clock
It was within q few inches of the top Of the
levee and II It overnows this 1t Will food
the town.
oTTUMwA, Ia. July 1s.-(Special.)-The
Des Moines river has risen two and one
half feet since midnight. Four and a quar-
ter inches Of rain fell within twenty four
hours. 'Trafhc on the Burlington west OF
the city has been stopped by the food.
BURLINGTON, Ia. July 1s.-Adviees just
received report the breaking OF the yellow
Springs dam, north Of here. Fifteen hun
dred acres have been submerged. The
water is the highest in years.
At Columbus Junction the recent rains
sent the Iowa and Cedar rivers up again,
running oats that were being harvested
l and hnnNraAa - - a.-