Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-02
DES MONIES GETS RELIEF
Continued from First Page)

interrupted, but its yards and depot in Des
Molnes are submerged by water and are
impossible The work of clearing the tracks
Is slow because laborers are in such demand
that offers Of IS and even $40 a day are
often declined.
The Milwaukee and st. Paul is running
an occasional train from the outskirts OF
the city and will be able TO run regularly
in twenty-four hours The Great Western
started a train northeast this morning
and also started one south from the south
city limits. The wlnterset branch OF the
Rock Island, the Abba branch of the Bur.
lington. the Osceola branch of the same
line and the Wabash cannot hope to
operate trains for several days, as their
tracks were badly torn up by the flood.
An ice and milk famine are the most seri-
Gus menaces now confronting Des Moines
people. Every Ice house has been carried
away and the only manufacturing ice plant
Is unable to supply one-tenth the demand.
Milk could scarcely be obtained this morn
ing at any price, but this difficulty will not
last more than twenty-four house.
The water is receding here at the rate OF
four inches an hour this afternoon. 1t is
exposing a deplorable condition in the
factory and wholesale districts. The loss
here will mount up close to million dol
lars. The Page Fence company's ware.
house collapsed this morning, entailing a
loss of $4,000
Free Use of Trains.
Governor Cumnns received a telegram
from the general Offices of the Chicago &
Northwestern railway this afternoon tend
ering the free use of trains or employees
for relief work.
Advices from Eddyvillc, fifty miles below
here, at o'clock stated that every house
in the town is actually under water and
that business houses are submerged from
one to six feet. Five hundred are home
less. Relief is being sent from Oskaioosa.
Governor Cummins announced this after
noon that he had decided to abandon his
contemplated trip with President Roose-
welt through Iowa tomorrow. as he feels
It his duty to remain here. where he can
be Of service to the flood sufferers.
ottumwn Under Water.
OTTUMWA, Ia, June with nearly
half of South Ottumwa under water, which
threatens to take out houses ana business
blocks, a large part of West and East OF
tumwa is flooded and railroad communica-
ton cut off, except on the main line of
the Burlington. Ottumwa is experiencing
the worst food in the history of the city.
The water has backed UP in several places,
flooding Easements of more than a score
of business blocks.
It is estimated that between COO and 800
people have been driven from their homes.
1t is impossible to estimate the property
loss All the people caught in the flooded
district have been rescued. with the excep-
ton of those in South ottumwa, where it
is believed 100 are in danger. unless there
is soon a fall in the river.
Many Destitute at Ottumwn.
CHICAGO, June Ia f. X. Hackett of
Fort Wayne, who arrived this morning
from Ottumwa. in an interview stated that
last night at o'clock the tracks at the
station were under water and thousands of
people were homeless. The citizens were
arranging to care for the families who
have lost their homes by the flood. In the
city hall and other buildings At Il mass
meeting 81. 700 was raised for the destitute.
The river was rising when he left and
no trains were running on the Burlington
vast of Ottumwa. The part of the city af-
feoted by the flood is the southern portion.
occupied by packing houses and factories.
The water supply Is shut on There had
been no deaths reported. Citizens generally
were throwing open their homes for the
use of the sufferers.
Flood Near keOkuk.
KEOKUK, Ia. June 1.-The crest of the
DeS Moines river flood reached the Mississ-
ippi Sunday night. breaking levees and
overhowing the lowlands The town of
Alexandria. Mo-. Is under water this
morning, but no loss of life has yet oc-
CURED. Hundreds OF houses are sur
rounded by three feet Of water. The gov
ernment boat was sent from here with
men and skiffs to rescue the people from
the housetops II is the worst flood from
the Des Moines ever known In this sec
tion.
ELDON. Ia, June l.-(Special. )-One ia
tality from the floods is reported from Ell
don. Henry Kuntz while trying to rescue
his family from the home surrounded by
water yesterday was swept down stream
together with his wagon and team. The
body has not been recovered. Kuntzs house
was submerged half way up the door when
he attempted to get his family to the home
Of a neighbor. In driving into the yard the
horse became tangled in the wire and ioun-
! dered in the water. In an effort to save
them Kuntz was drowned. Neighbors who
witnessed the accident came to the rescue
! OF the family in boats. Kuntz was a mar
ried man. 80 years OF age. He leaves a
wife and four children.