Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-06-12
mo- RELIEF At ST. LOUIS.
Mississippi River at a Standstill,
But Shows No Tendency to
Recede.
THOUSANDS OF LIVES ARE IN PERIL.
Mem. Women and Children on the Illinois
Side Cannot Be Rescued from Trees and
Housetops and Starvation May Oyertake
MISUNDERSTANDING Refugees In Towns
as Far North as Litchheld.

ST. Louis, June 10.-The official
guage of the Mississippi river regis
tiers 37.4 feet The tendency of the
river seems to be to rise, but the
great volume of water coming from
above is spreading out and does not
make itself apparent ON the guage
by added inches.
| In the tri-cities, Madison, Venice
and Granite City, it Is estimated that
at least 1000 men. women and chill
dren are in precarious condition.
They are awaiting rescue, many in
the second stories and on tops of
houses and other points above the
flood, less in danger of death than
starvation. Immediate steps are be-
ing taken to romoye these people
to places of safety and comparative
comfort. In East St. Louis, where
the railroad yards and that part
along the river on both sides of the
Eads bridge is flooded, the condi-
tions are the same. All of last night
men were at work Strengthening the
levee that is keeping the water back
from the business and residence sec
tons of the city. The railroad sit
uation shows no improvement.
Four boys, messengers in the
freight Offices of the Big Four rail-
road company, in East ST. Louis, were
drowned while amusing themselves
on raft, heating about the freight
yards, east of the depot. which are
flooded in some places between tracks
to depth of 80 feet.
There are 1900 refugees in Ed
wardsville, ILL.,, from the tri-cities and
Newport. Because of the congestion
it was found necessary to distribute
the sufferers in the cities and vii
lagos along the Wabash as far north
at Litchfield. Four-fifths of the 5000
inhabitants of Granite City remain
within the limits of the town. One.
half of them are homeless. The Off
Gals of Granite City and those who
have been most active in relief work
believe that no deaths have followed
the flood there. Reports of drown
ings have not been verified, and there
is said to be no sickness due to the.
flood.
No passenger trains are crossing
the Eads bridge or the Merchants
bridge and union station is tempo
rari1y abandoned as a terminal point
for all eastern traffic, both incoming
and southbound. Passenger business
is Frustrated. Relief from present
conditions is not expected before
Thursday and it will be several days
before some of the lines can resume
their regular facilities. 1T is thought
that all of the railroads combined
have thus far suffered a total loss of
IS, 100000.
Water has weakened the piers and
the viaduct leading to the approach
to the Eads bridge and was ordered
closed to all persons. The viaduct is
the only present connection between
East ST. Louis and ST. Louis The clos
ing of the. viaduct means entire sepa-
ration except by wire, of East ST.
Louis from this city, and the shut
ting off of supplies from this side.
The situation in East ST. Louis is
| critical but Mayor Cook and his as
sociates are confident that the flood
will be kept out. Two thousand five
hundred men are at work on mile
| and half of levee behind which the
| water is from IS inches to five feet
above the level of the. city's streets.
These workers are paid 80 cents an
hour and their food is furnished free.
| A report that has not been con-
| firmed tells of the drowning of 1t
| woman, her baby and seven men on
! Third street, near the railroad station
| in Madison.
J. r. Melahan. of Granite City,
wired to Edwardsyille as follows:
'Known drownings in tricities, L.
This is the most conservative state
ment."