Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-06-04
Entire State Seems to Be
Affected By High
Waters.
DES MONIES HAS GREAT LOSS
Thousands of People Are Homeless,
and the Property Loss Is Almost
a Million Dollars ttumwa Is Also
Suffering.

year. A total of twenty-four feet
was reached by the river at o'clock
in the afternoon, and during the early
evening an additional three inches
took the water above that mark on
the gauge at Locust street. The last
official measurement was 1925 at 1880
o'clock in the evening. Last year the
official maximum was 21.90 and the
actual measurement was 21.30.
The excessive height to which the
flood went added new terrirtoy to its
field of operation. For the first time
since 1851 the water extended from
the east river bank to the Northwest
ern tracks and traffic over the main
city bridges was totally suspended.
All of the city bridges were closed to
travel
Business was totally suspended.
| The street car company was forced
| to abandon its power plant and the
street car service was wholly aband-
oned
More than 1000 homes were partial
ly submerged and 500 business houses
and factories were surrounded by the
water.
The churches and school houses
have been thrown open to the home
| less, and the public authorities fur
nished them food. From 1000 to
5000 people were chased from their
| homes by the flood.
Half the ice supply has gone out
and the remainder is expected to go
before the flood recedes.
All the railroads have ceased oper-
atoms.
The water last night covered the
following territory:
From Flint brick works around the
foot of the Highland Park hill to
| Thompson's bend and south to the
south bank of the channel.
All of Central Place, being a block
west of the Belt line railroad, east
to the river and south to the dam.
All Of East Des Moines from the
dam to Elm street and west TO the
river.
All of South West Des Moines from
the covered bridge to Eighteenth
street and as far north as Elm street
and the Rock Island tracks.
All OF South Des Moines to the foot
of the hills from Jefferson street to
| Avon.
All of South East Des Moines from
| the rivers north to the Rock Island
tracks and east as far as vision
reaches.
+ The damage will be not much less
than half a million dollars.
The following is the story of the
flood in brief:
Twenty-Five fatalities reported; two
certain, four believed to be authentic,
four reasonably authentic, the other
twelve doubtful.
Sixteen ice houses, half the city's
supply. gone, and half the remainder
in imminent danger.
Between 1000 and 5000 people
homeless. @
A money loss aggregating hundreds
of thousands.
The highest water in the history of
Des Moines, "a feet.
Power plant of the street car COM
pany abandoned and no car service
possible for several days.
Imminent danger of the water works
plant. the electric light plant and the
gas plant closing down.
Business suspended and the energy
of the people devoted to caring for
the homeless in the churches and
school houses and watching the
flood.
Larger area than last year covered
by the waters.
For the first time since 1856 the
east approaches TO the wagon bridges
cut off by four blocks of water.
Travel over the bridges prohibited.
All train service into and out of the
city abandoned.
Des Moines, June 1.-The water be-
| 30, af ar1u hnftr or
day morning II fell rapidly the en-
| tire day despite the heavy rain which
continued off and on throughout the
day and night The falling of the
waters lent security to the public SER
vice corporations which had continued
to run These were the gas. electric
light and waterworks companies. The
street car company had been forced to
abandon its plant on Saturday morn
ing and no cars we're possible even II
the power plant had been relieved Of
the surrounding flood on account of
the injury to the machinery. The city
will be without street car service for
a week, at least even If the food en-
tirely recedes tonight.
An epidemic of sickness threatens
to follow the other horrors of the
food which has made from 5000 to
5000 people homeless In this city
within the last three days. The I'M
seasonable cold which has accom-
panied the last two days rain is re-
sponsible for the sickness, more than
100 cases of which among those ex-
| posed in the food are being treated
| by the physicians. Former President
| A. M. Linn of the state board OF
health and several other doctors join
| in the prediction that there will be
several hundred cases of pneumonia
and kindred ailments among the chill
dren. especially, of the food sufferers,
and that the epidemic will begin to
show Itself quite plainly tomorrow.
| Arrangements are being made to care
for hundreds at the city hospitals.
| When the food, which was the high
\ est in the history of Iowa, began to re-
cede yesterday morning the extent Of
| the damage IL had done could be ap-
preciated though not accurately esti-
mated. That the damage exceeded
half million dollars was apparent.
Many business men believe that il will
exceed 100000
Committees appointed by Governor
Cummins established headquarters in
every part of tie flooded districts, as
early as Friday. and yesterday the
charitable people of the city had filed
large depots with clothing while the
city and county treasures were
thrown open for the purchase of food.
Between 5000 and 5000 persons are
homeless, and dependent upon the
public for food and lodging. They
are being housed In the churches and
school buildings until the water leaves
their homes.