The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-06-18
CITY UNDER WATER
East St. Louis in. Mighty
Grasp of Flood.
MANY REPORTED DR0WED
Known Fatality List Is EleVen-D'sas-
ter Result of Broken Levee.
Gang of Looters Reported
Shot by Guards.

A special from It. Louis, MO-, says
Almost two-thirds of the territory en-
braced by East st. Louis, Ills, is un-
der from two to fifteen feet of water
Between twilight tuesday night and
dawn Wednesday eleven lives were
sacrificed to the angry waters and
damage which no one has attempted
to estimate has been done to property.
Not a wheel of industry is turning
in East St. Louis, but the flooded wa
ters whirl and suck at the foundations
cf many great buildings that have
been deserted. The vast railroad
wards can be located only by hundreds
of half-submerged cars and locomo-
tives. Huge grain elevators stand
surrounded by running water.
To the south beyond the railway
ward are thousands Of cottages owned
nv lsborers and containing their all'
submerged to the caves.
In northern East st. Louis the con-
QltiCQ is not So Udu.
The business portion of the city and
the district containing the better resi-
dences is still intact, but for how long
is not known. Broadway, running
from Eads bridge east to the city linn
it's a wide street built OF sand and
walled with stone Is feet high, divides
the city in halves. Over Zen feet OF
water is pressing against Broadway
from the south and in many places IS
seeping through in streams as thick as
a mans body, Traffic over certain
portions of the thoroughfare has been
prohibited. If Broadway breaks, the
water will rush over much of the city
until Missouri avenue, running paral-
lei one block north, is encountered.
How the Flood Came.
Along the river front to the west a
levee of sand bags from 2 to feet
high and two miles long keeps the rlV-
er out. Tuesday night the river sud-
denly began to rise. Tired men work
ed with energy to strengthen the SAND
bag leyees. The city was made safe
along the river front, but word was
received that the Illinois Central en-
bankment skirting the river along the
southern boundary of the city, was
about to give way. Couriers were sent
to shout warnings to the inhabitants
of the southern half of the city, and
hundreds CT laborers and citizens has
tened to strengthen the embankment.
| Locomotives rushed car loads of sand
bags to the place and work was hur-
riedly begun.
Accustomed by this time to warn
ings of impending danger, the inhaoi'
tants did not leave their homes. High
er and higher erept the water until a
thick stream began to pour over the
embankment and suddenly 1t broke.
The break occurred at l1:40 o'clock
Tuesday night. A section OF the en-
bankment was torn out and stream
25 feet wide rushed through. Another
| section Of the embankment went out a
few minutes later and then that por'
ton standing between the two streams
| went down and the river poured
| through.
The alarm spread like wild fire, and
| whistles were blown, bells rung, shots
fred and cries of warning were sound
ed but even with all this pandemo'
mum many of the inhabitants failed to
leave their homes. Within an hour the
houses stood in water hat reached 10
the roofs of the one-story cottages
Many fed to large brick buildings
Rescue boats Wednesday found many
people in second stories and on house
tops, but there is grave fear that many
dead will later be found in the Hooded
cottages and the desolated quarter.
In the turmoil it has been impossi
BILE to verify reported deaths. but from
apparently reliable sources the Asso
ciated Press gathered that the follow
ing eleven persons were. drowned
Tuesday night:
John Koolish and three children
drowned on north side; unidentified