Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-02
DES MONIES GETS RELIEF
Worst Of the Flood in That State is Now on
the Lower River.
-lIMWA AMONG TOWNS STRICKEN
Railway Trnnc In the Entire East
ern and Southern Portion of
the state is De-
mOralized.
tFrom a star Correspondent

F'rom a STAFF Correspondent)
DES MONIES, June 1.-(Special THE |
flood situation has steadily improved. The |
Des Moines river has been lowering at the |
rate of about two feet day, and the Coon
river is about stationary. The bridges |
leading to East Des Moines were reopened
this morning and the water had so far
receded that traffic could be resumed with
comfort on Grand avenue leading eastward.
All the bridges are intact and the abut-
ments have held we'll, though it is evident
that some of them have been partially
undermined. The railroad bridges cannot
be used for a day or two, as the embank-
ments leading to them have been washed
away. In the flooded districts of East Des
Moines the water has receded so that only
few business houses are surrounded. None
of the residences have as yet become APP
proachable. There is nothing to do but
wait for the water to get out of the way
so that cleaning may be commenced. On
the great embankment of the Chicago Great
Western road running diagonally through
the southeast part of the city there is q
great sight, the houses and fences being
piled UP promiscuously along the grade in
confusion and the carcasses of domestic
animals freely intermingled The Des
Moines packing house is located on an
island far to the southeast and all around
this island similar conditions prevail Moth
ing has been done today looking to the
removal of furniture and household goods
in any part of the city. The relief work is
being handled splendidly, and all the COM
Inittees are thoroughly organized. The city
and county officials are furnishing all that
they can and private funds are being
raised.
Health PrecautiOn.
Extreme cold continues and the flood
victims are still without sufficient clothing.
Pitiful appeals are made for dry garments
for women and children. The most alarm
Ing reports were received this morning
concerning the epidemic of pneumonia and
kindred disorders. Doctors are unable to
get sleep, so numerous are the calls, and
scores of fatalities resulting from exposure
seem inevitable.
The smallpox hospital was surrounded
by water and the coal and food supply
was cut of for two days, but the anxious
inmates have been reassured by the de-
clining of the water. The food and fuel
famine that was threatened yesterday is
now believed to have been averted. as
teams and boats have succeeded in reaching
| freight cars that were stranded at the
outskirts when they arrived.
| The street car system managed to get a
| temporary engine Installed and a dynamo
at work and was able to start few of it's
cars again on the west side, much to the
relief of persons living in the suburbs
The railroads running through Des Moines
are still paralyzed. The Northwestern
alone was able to keep its trains going.
but the Rock Island is doing business west
and north. The Rock Island suffered a
heavy loss near Harvey, twenty miles down
I 4
out The Wabash has had passenger
train on a siding east of the city for three
days, unable to go on or come back. Much
of the trackage of all the roads in East
Des Moines is gone.
No Deaths in Des MOines.
The reports Of death by drowning have
proved erroneous or at least none of them
have been verified.
A steam fire engine arrived in the city
today with crew from Chicago, to be
used in case Of fire and in anticipation
of the shutting down of the waterworks
station. But happily the waterworks were
saved and good water in abundance has
been furnished the people. The water,
although drawn from beneath the Coon
river, is not even discolored.
The Musgrave Fence company sustained
a serious loss at its large warehouse on
Second street just below Court avenue.
The basement had filled with water and
this weakened the foundation. Sometime
during last night the middle wall under
the building crumbled and fell and the
floors of the building went down, while the
outside walls were left standing The en-
tire stock Of the company's goods was
precipitated into the basement and lies IN
the mud and water a mass of ruins
FTNl, N,Nl ,-g,,.
Seventh street was broken into and robbed
last night. The discovery was made this
morning and the proprietors went to work
} at once to determine how much was lost.
Many ladies' skirts and other goods were
taken.
The Northwestern, Minneapolis &, St
Louis and Rock Island are operating trains
irregularly. boats and hacks being en-
ployed to transport passengers to and from
the train beyond the flood district Other
} railways are stil tied up. The river has
begun to decline at Ottumwa and Eddy
vile, below here, leaving a terrible trail
of ruin. Conditions at these places are
exactly as they were here thirty-six hours
ago.
The food situation in Iowa is improvip1
and the Des Moines river has been falling
rapidly, eight feet being reported at Boone
In twelve hours In Des Moines 5000 are
l homeless and are being cared for by the
local committees Provisions and clothing
have been contributed in large quantities
and II is believed by all here that the worst
has passed and that no further trouble
will be experienced. From ten miles UT
! the river the bottoms are covered and
: frequently homes are under water. Nc
lives have been lost and no fires reported.
Moves TO the Southeast.
, The crest of Iowa floods is RAPIDLY NOV.
Ing southeast. Two weeks ago extreme
I northwest Iowa was visited by the greates
| flood in its history. Today southeastern
1 Iowa is experiencing similar conditions
, The Cedar river at Cedar Rapids was tn,
highest in history this morning. but is declin
ting. The Iowa, Skunk and tributary river.
emptying into the Mississippi in tn,
: vicinity OF Keokuk, are spread out over &
: vast territory. Railways in that section
i, Of the state are badly tied up. The BurI
ington has lost nearly a mile OF doubl,
track on its main line west OF Ottumws
aud is unable TO move a train. The fas
mail trains on the Burlington and Rocl
. Island, as well as their limited trains, ar,
: tied up. washOut east OF Des Moine.
!, has held Rock Island westbound trains a
. Newton, forty miles east of here. for thre,
days. Westbound trains have been operate,