The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-08

the force of the water remarkably we'll. The
efforts of the people whose salvation de-
ponds on their resistance may keep them
irtact.
1t was some trouble to get workers on &C
count of the WORKOUT condition of those
who have been laboring for two days. and
because some had become discouraged on
account of some small breaks that had &C.
Cured in the levee during the day.
There was accordingly talk in the morn
ing of abandoning further attempts to
strengthen the embankment and stem the
tide of the water. a Committee of 1nvesti-
CATION was appointed to determine whether
1t was useless to continue work. A. W.
Norris real estate dealer: w. W. Famiin,
superintendent of the rolling mills. and A.
c. Stelcel. all of Granite City, composed the
committee. The committee investigated the
weak points in the levees and decided that
the fight should be kept up.
CONTINUING HARD FIGHT
TO SAVE THE LEVEES.
The levee at Granite City looked bad last
night in the vicinity OF the pumping station.
To strengthen it 2o,OOO bags of sand have
been placed there. Still with this enormous
prove the victor.
At Beckman, above Granite City, Is an
other bad place in the embankment. Beds
of quicksand are located there, and the
water has begun TO seep under the Ievee.
Hundreds of bags of sand have been thrown
at the base of the embankment but the
auicksand has greedily swallowed ALL and
not one of the sand bags is in sight.
All Madison, whether above or below
water, is in darkness. The Venice and
Granite City Electric Light Company is IN
der water, no street cars are running and
the flood Is in evidence everywhere. The
machinery of the electric light has been
raised above the water and will not be
damaged to any extent
p. w. Reynolds. an employee of the Helm
bacher Rolling Mills. who has been looking
after the interests of his company at Gran
lite City. said late last night that the re-
ports of the numerous drownings at Madi-
son and in that vicinity were exaggerated
AS far as he knows only two fatalities
have occurred. that Of the baby of Mrs.
Anon and man. Reynolds also said that
the water had washed away most of the
houses in what is known as West Madison
On State street. in Madison proper. the wa
ter Is two feet deep. II the people stay in
their houses. Reynolds thinks. they will be
In danger.
The viaduct over the street car tracks in
the approach to the Merchants bridge has
collapsed. The water gradually ate in be-
hind the abutments and the structure sue
cumbed. All that now hangs over the
abyss are the plain rails held by the fish
plates. The banks are still holding fairly
we'll and 1t is possible they may not COL
lapse.
BUILDING BARGES
TO ESCAPE FROM FLOOD.
The flood rushing north has almost sur
rounded Granite City and the latter will
be practically an island before morning.
In the dry part of Granite City every
family is working to build boats. Scows
and homemade craft Of every description
are now plying in the streets which few
hours ago were dry land
Distress in the flooded district Is evident
and reports OF drownings continue to
spread.
Two men. apparently greatly terrified,
ran through Granite City. saying that five
men who had walked down on the Terminal
Railway Association tracks to view the
flood, had been caught and washed away.
Investigation does not show that anybody
knows the names of these men, and the
probability is that IL men were caught they
were not drowned, since the water. though
1t advances with great speed, gains in
depth slowly.
Work upon the levees became more
dangerous momentarily. The water was
within six inches of the tops of the dikes.
The back water coming w from Venice
and Madison threatened to leave the levee
workers isolated on their dixie. with the
II to 20 feet deep on
either side. Work accordingly was aban-
doned and those who had battled on the
dikes ran for their lives to Granite City.
Train service last night includes only
locals north on the Chicago and Alton and
Big Four, the former to East Alton and
Springfield and the latter to Nation. Ill.
More than 800 persons were at the station
awaiting this mode of exit from Granite
City. This was the only escape from the
flooded territory. and refugees were taking
advantage to the fullest. Granite City was
as dark as pitch save for lanterns.
Rumors Of the conditions at Madison have
.aused the most widespread fear, though,
according to the flood record Of 1892, the
highest portions Of Granite City have six
feet to spare. and accordingly no vital dan
ger exists