The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-15
LAYS FLOOD LOSS
To GAMBLING SPIRIT
The Rev. l.. III. Dorchester Says
East Side People Took
Great Chances.
ADVISES ERECTION OF DIKES.
Declares Recurrence of the Pres
ent Situation Would Great
ly Harm Worlds
Fair.
ADVISES ERECTION OF bikes.

/ The Reverend l.. Il. Dorchester preached
his sermon at the Lindell Avenue NJ L.
Church. on THE Floods and Greater ST.
Louis He said in part
These are sad days for St. Louis and
jewellers in the Missouri Valley Many vi
cur fellow citizens have seen their business
peremptorily stopped, their property swept
away and their houses laid desolate, while
some have been called to pass through the
valley of the shadow of death
"All hearts have been stirred by tn.
wrecks and wretchedness resulting from the
overtlowinS waters and the broad inland sea
flooding the 400 .quare miles of land east of
us.
In the midst of 50 much that is appal-
ling and heartrend ng rejoice, however.
to see the prompt and generous activities of
sympathetic men and women. busy in the
work of relief and rescue We also
breathe sigh of relief to fee! that
the worst of the flood IS over and better
days Will soon dawn. But while the sharp
ness CT this great calamity is still felt would
1t not he we'll for us to consider its s gniti-
canoe. and gather wisdom for future days?
Il trust you Will not object to new
conner already deeply Interested in St
l-puls modestly suggesting some lessons
Wh!ch have occurred to him. May We not
all OF US properly inquire of one another
what profit We should derive from the pres
ent disaster?
This is no thing which has taken
place in our midst. Floods visit our COM
munity every year, and great floods every
Few years. Indeed, this present aocd is not
disaster has come to more people low than
ever before. simply because the population
is greater. making this deluge more sig
niiicant. But we have no right to consider
thiriy-eigit feet of water strange VIXEN the
river has reached the height of fCrtyOne
feet within the memory of our oder citi-
zens.
I'VE all know that whatever has hap
pened may happen again. 1t cannot be re-
SardcI strange providence that such floods
have been let loose upon us: rather. it is Il
mark of mans strange improvidence that
we have not made adequate protection
against such foundations have taken
any year
PREPARE FOR FUTURE.
"a friend of mine once climbed vesuvius
after an eruption. to a point the noun
tain side where the hot lava actually burned
his shoes. and stopped his advance Some
years later. visiting the place again. he
found at this, very SPOT where he had for
merry been checked houses built and oc
cup!ed, so blind were the oeopie 10 The
dangers of the place. SO ruled We're they
by the gambling spirit which runs such Ter
Here was gambling. not merely with.
money money and , property but with life, with
OF the gambling spirit in all departments
Of life to-day-in business. in health and
in ch1aracter-isnorins, plainest. GINS and
warp,ng !, va a. defyng native fnnda-
soever man soweth that shall he also
reap"
know very well what prompts people to
settle on the east side of the Mississippi
Very naturally the advantages fer business
and for farming being very great. the dan
gers are regarded remote. SO the main
chance Is seized and the dangers risked.
Indeed in the very attractions of the rich
soil are the unnistakable evidences of dam
ger, for those deep bottom lands arc the
accumulated deposits of unrememoered
floods through the ages past. Yes, even
the present overflow which visits the peo-
pie and their crops with such loss will
have its agricultural compensa ion IN max
Ing richer seed-plots for years to come.
Thus it is. notwithstanding the periodic
losses to such adventures. that these lands
are always attractive. and probably will not
be deserted in the future. even though row
made so desolate. That is simply another
way of saying human nature is not easily
scared out of chance to get Livelihood.
But the present flood must raise seri-
Gus question with all citizens who take
large view of the present situation and
who properly have high ambitions for the
Greater st. Louis OF the future.
The development of our city and its sub
urbs across the river seems to require the
use of this flooded district either for agri-
cultural or for mercantile purposes. Sc
that such Gnu dangers and losses as are now
inevitable shall not continue. but. so far as
possible. they shall be eliminated. Cyclones
but not uncomfortable, because they are
not uncomfortable.
IF the Dutch can dixie the North Sea of
old ocean. so as to live in security below
its level year in and year out. it ought to
be a comparatively simple matter to dixie
the Mississippi's banks so that people could
live L.. rif.- ha1n he nj a w.
tiers in times of occasional floods.
COMMENTS ON FAIR.
Looking forward to the great functions
which will attract multitudes to our city
next year. what a sp zctacle We shall make
with flood upon like the present one.
with all the great railroads tied up. and a
general blockade of freight and passenger
traffic, And yet this is not unlikely. We
may well hope to be spared any such hui
utilization as well as any such setback TO
the great eXposit on: but the record of the
last twenty years should teach US some
thing.
For three years in succession. in May.
1881; July. 1882, and June. 1885. there Were
floods here, rising above the danger mark,
feet inches and "a feet 5 inches: nearly /,
reaching the present high-water record. The
same thing happened two years In success
81 feet inches. |
Now what scathiny sarcasm would be |
to us II next year witnessed 4 |
repetition Of this years flood experience. |
finding Us no better able to cope with the !
high waters. Especially humil ating would !
It be when We are celebrating the Centen- !
NAL of our requirement of the great Louisi- |
ana territory, when exhibiting our mastery !
and development of this great section OF our /
country, displaying all the signs ana ,okens
Of century's, progress. to show at the
same time how pitiably and how rniserably
we had failed in the mastery of transporta,
ton and safe-dwelling on the very initial
border Of this great western country.
THE people of East ST. Louis, represent
Ing all walks in life, all races and sects.
have worked day and night on the levees to
keep back the destructive waters from the
rity's blocks and homes. Without such CO.
operation undoubtedly the life and property
loss to that community would have been
far greater than that already sustained.
1.-The stimulus needed was furnished. 1t
was 4 question of property or poverty, of
homes or no homes, of life or death. Busi-
ness was suspended. The city worked as a
unit to this one end. What better example
could be had of the strength there is in
union. of the power there Is in commu-
nifty when duly aroused to its danger. and
when all citizens join hands to ward of i'm
pending disaster?''
One Eastern Line Open.