The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-06-11
LIVES IN DANGER.
Hundred and Fifty Men Imprisoned
on a Section of Levee.

Hundred and Fifty Men Imprisoned
on a Section of Levee.
st. Louis, June 9.-Word has been
received here that at / o'clock a levee
near Madison, on which gangs of men
were working, gave way and fifteen
men, employees of the American Car
and Foundry works, lost their lives.
About $50 men, il is reported, are i'm.
prisoned on a section of the levee that
is slowly crumbling and all means of
escape has been cut off. Word has
been sent to the St Louis side to rush
the private yacht Annie Russell to the
rescue. The Annie Russell started to
Black Walnut yesterday afternoon and
could not force her way against the
current, and 1t is feared she cannot
make her way to Madison.
Like Mill Race.
St Louis, June 9-Like a mill race
the swollen Mississippi is surging
past st. Louis with a stage of $50
feet, making a rise Of one and one-half
feet in the last twenty-four hours. The
government forecast is that the rise
will continue rapid until after mid
night, and then for the next two days
the stage will creep up slowly, prob
ably reach 3S feet and begin to re-
cede.
No word was received yesterday
from the 200 people imprisoned on
low island at Black Walnut, twenty
FIVE miles northwest from st. Louis,
and in peril of their lives from the ris-
ing waters of The Missouri river. Word
was received Saturday night that the
rescue must be received Immediately
or they would be swept away bymorn-
ing. The river has spread out around
the island with a swift current, and
although every effort has been made
to reach them nothing was accom-
plished yesterday, and there has been
no means of communicating with
them.
The Spread Eagle, moored at Alton,
H., above st, Louis. was hurriedly
manned and storted for the
ImperiIed Colony
late Saturday night, but was forced to
turn back at the Bellfoataire bridge.
A small steamer from ST Charles
succeeded in reaching Black Walnut
this morning and the 200 imperilIed
persons, terrified and in great distress
for food and shelter, we're taken from
the island in safety. All were res
cued.
Black Walnut is located In a broad
and fertile valley of the Missouri, and
the land surrounding it is said TO be
the richest wheat land in the state.
Aside from loss of life, if such catas-
trOphe shall occur, the property loss
will be very heavy, as the entire valley
is under water, homes have been
washed away, farms depleted and
stock drowned.
The food stage has broken all high
water stages at st. Louis since May
2S, 1853, when the high water mark
was 37.5 feet. The highest mark
known here was reached by the great
flood of June q. 1914, when Ala feet
was attained.
Just below st. Louis and in the vi
cinity of the River Des Peres. is the
Hllle HSHGTulGu . SelliGuitnL VI HAPPY
Hollow. The denizens live in fat
boats for the most part, and until yes
terday had been beyond the ravages of
the flood. But the advancing waters
invaded the tract yesterday and the
inhabitants had to move out hurriedly.
The Missouri is doing great damage
at st. Charles and vicinity, twenty-five
miles west of ST. Louis. Several deaths
are reported. The big passenger depot
at the end of the suburban electric
line is surrounded by water and tot
tering. The tracks for more than two
miles are deep under water. So swift
a current is washing through the ball
park that it is believed the river is
cutting a new channel.
Most of the farm houses have been
swept away. All day people in skiffs
were busy trying to save property.