Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-06-01
SOME RAILROADS TIED UP
Rock Island kbandOns Service in Iowa
Nebraska and Kansas
BURLINGTON LOSES OTTUMWA BRIDGE
Union PacIac Main Line tn Good
shape and Presidents Train
Probably VIII Come to
Omaha safely.

speeding toward Omaha In their special
! train anxiety over the continued rains ana
! floods which have subjected railroads to
| supreme test increases. While the Union
Pacific, over which the president is now
| travelling, has thus far been spared ser
ious hardship. apprehension cannot alto-
gether be allayed in view of the threaten
Ing situation that continues and the grave
results that already have befalen some OF
the roads. Only yesterday reports reached
Omaha that the big Burlington bridge over
the Des Moines river at ottumwa had gone
out and that the Missouri Pacific bridge
spanning the Platte river at La Platte had
! shared the same fate. None Of the Omaha
roads has thus far had to report any loss
| of life, but the property loss Is already
| significant The most vigtlant efforts are
being exerted by all the local railroad men
to avert more serious disaster 1t is un-
fortunately not a question, however, Of
| what the railroads can do. but of what the
raging waters may do.
The Burlington, Missouri Pacific and
Rock Island are the greatest sufferers up
to this time. The Rock Island for two
days has been so completely at the mercy
of the floods to have practically aband-
oned its service. 1t is still running trains
between Omaha and Des Moines, but is not
attempting 1t east beyond Des Moines, nor
| west beyond Omaha. Its Chicago-Denver
business is being handled by the North
western and Union Pacific and the B. &
NJ Is still hauling it's trains from this
city to Lincoln. The Rock Island tracks
at Fairbury and other places are under
water. In the state of Iowa it is submerged
also.
Big Bridge Goes Out.
The b. & M, while crippled somewhat by
high water at Plattsmouth and in that
vicinity. is managing to run its trains be-
tween here and Lincoln without serious
difficulty and is maintaining its service
west to Denver. In fact the b. & NJ. is
not among the worst sufferers, but the
Chicago. Burlington & Quincy is. 1t is
practically at the mercy of the raging
Des Moines river in Iowa, and therefore
unable TO pull It's trains through from Chi
cago except by roundabout route. Yes
terday afternoon the turbulent Des Moines,
which has been on the rampage for several
days, is reported to have swept
away the big bridge which spans
1t at Ottumwa. The train for Omaha
had evidently just passed over the bridge
when 1t went out A passenger who ar
rived at the local Burlington station said
he saw the big structure gradually yielding
to the tremendous forces that were press
ing Il on all sides.
Il saw timbers and spikes fall from the
bridge and knew * was dpomed.--I did
not see Il go out entirely, but saw enough
to convince me that 1t was going and tc
make me feel glad that was over It. There
! was some talk of running a heavy freight
train out on the bridge to hold 1t In place
but this idea was dropped when II wal
: seen with what force tho river was beatinf
, against the bridge"
; This was a double track steel bridge
] half a mile long and very valuable struc
ture.
Telegraph dispatches from Ottumwa, how
ever, make no mention OF the loss of tn,
bridge.
= Has to Change Its Route.
The Burlington has had to change II
route to st. Louis and Kansas City. Omaha
st. Louis trains now have to go by wa,
of Charlton and Creston and down through
: ReolSuk, while those running from here L
Kansas City must travel east over the 20
as far as Charlton and then drop down b.
. way of Leon, striking the regular rout
. again at st. Joseph. The chief obstacles Of
: this line are in the vicinity of Hamburg
" and Bigelow and near Forest City hiEl
waters obstruct the Kansas City trains
> The B. & M. reports freedom from seriou
iOOAhiNiOh at IldllSulOuln, dlInOuEn tn
water was said to have been gradua:r
rising there last night
The Missouri Pacific had a train int
I Omaha yesterday. but was compelled Z
abandon Its night train out because of III
/. destruction of the bridge crossing the Plat
river at La Platte The Platte is reporte
to be steadily rising and the situation /
being watched with considerable appre
hension.
q The Wabash trains yesterday were nearI
u on time. arriving and departing. but a
h night report stated that the same foo
A which submerged the Burlington tracl,s a
= Harlem, Mo-, had put the Wabash ,'na1
a water and IL was thought that trains vvo,,I
be unable to get past that point.
d Four Fortunate Roads.
The Milwaukee. Illinois Central. Nortt
western and Elkhorn have thus far hsa
fortunate. The two former report no ar
noyance except the necessity in soms % !.
TO slow up slightly because of threat ter
d ing conditions, but both are running =
good time. The Northwestern has 81
m countered some high waters near Sion
CITY that made II necessary yesterday
run the Twin City train on the west a.
OF the river instead OF the east side :
usual The Elkhorn has had a IandsI,I
II somewhere on the BonesteeI route. hut !
to serious results are reported at local qua,
he ters.
ic AS for the Union Pacific, Il Is PRACTICAL
rs free from trouble except on its Rams,
OF Pacific branch. which is of course /,
Is undated in many places by the floods IN,
es are raging in Kansas. 1t Is abandoned ar
r the trafhc is being sent through Omal
ic on the main line. AS TO its ability 70 r
OF the president and party safely throus
from the west to Omaha, officials OF n
company express doubt so far as IN,
G can speak from conditions now. The pre,
Dental train, which does not stop
- Omaha any length of time, Is due he
Tuesday morning at o'clock. Oficials
the company last night said their repor
OF 1t were all right and that It would z
into Omaha safely unless some very n
-. expected misfortune arose In the mea
time.
=. Yesterday was a trying time for dep
- oficials. At the three stations these M
y. had their woes. People seemed to ha
80 lost sight OF the fact that the distort
y. rivers and raging floods had got Gle
beyond the control OF even depot oficia
Appeal 40 Civic Federation.
ST. LOUIS. May a.-At an executi
'p- meeting OF the Civic Federation. which W
by held al the Mercantile club. at which Raj