Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-09

OlXLSSIlIH anu hOVSbds Ot9
Quincy, the Big -Four, the Louisville e.
Nashville, the Chicago & Alton and the
Toledo, ST. Louis & Kansas City are suf-
fering heavily. ALI trains on the Glover
Leaf have been annulled.
The Big Four and Chicago & Alton are
carrying passengers to Alton by boat,
where connection is made for northern and
eastern points.
Information is not available as TO the
st. Louis Valley road, as all wires along
that line are down, None of the trains
can be operated between st. Louis and
Cairo. The Illinois Central was the only
Chicago train to make st. Louis today, 1t
arrived at Union Station three hours late.
The Southern railway managed to hold
its own pretty well until Sunday night,
when It encountered difficulties at East st.
Louis. where a number Of It's cars are now
tied up.
The western roads are experiencing
similar hardships. The Wabash, Chicago
& Alton and Burlington nave practically
ceased operations between here and Kan
sas City.
The Missouri Pacific and the Frisco are
the only lines actively operating between
the two cities. The Missouri Pacific is
handling westbound business for its Grip
pied competitors. Freight tonnage has
been reduced to a minimum and only the
most imperative shipments can, be made.
The suspension OF business at the packing
houses indicates that the meat supply Of
st. Louis. which comes. through these
yards, will be cut of until the river falls
considerably.
some of the Dead.
AS far as known the casualties are;
JOHN -CRITTENDEN. aged 10, drowned
near the Merchants bridge in Venice.
A WOMAN AND. SEVEN CHILDREN.
swept from a fence by the flood in sight Of
the Terminal railway operator at Madison,
who was attempting to save. them,
A WOMAN, drowned in Madison, near
the American Car works.
A WOMAN AND BABY, seen clingipg to
a. telegraph pole in Madison, The pole
turned in the water and both disappeared,
Manager shipley of the Madison Car
works reports seeing nine employees OF the
car works and foundry drown.
HENRY EDMUNDS, farmer, drowned
near Granite City. His wife was rescued.
Fo1r boys. ranging in age from II to IA
years. were drowned in the freight yards
OF the st. Louis Valley railroad on the
island, East st. Louis. near the eastern.
end of Eads bridge, this afternoon. They
were playing on a raft at the time.
Three of the boys were Harry Schreibsr,
Willie King and Eddie Amyx. and lived in
st. Louis.
iaduc is Unsafe. str-~
This afternoon the viaduct connecting
East st. Louis with the Fades bridge was
condemned as unsafe. The street cars were
stopped and not allowed to cross the bridge.
Tko ww,N. % ~ ~ n
washing against the viaduct for several
days and it has been strained to its utmost
by sightseers who used it as a vantage
point to jiew the flood. 'F'H'"'
Five hundred persons, driven from their
homes in Calhoun. ILL.,, and Missouri points,
have taken refuge in Alton. Ill. The Alton
city council held a special meeting this
afternoon to device means for caring for
them. The business houses and factories
on the lower streets of West Alton are
submerged. Passengers between Alton ana
St. Louis are compelled to make their
daily trips by boat. The damage caused
by the flood in the vicinity of Alton is
estimated at $4,000. This includes loss Of
stock. '.
Twenty Deaths Reported.
Information obtained from the tri-cities
is to the effect that Granite City is the
lCdSl llJuI6u OI the three winch Ielt the
effects of yesterdays break in the Ieveo.
Both Madison and Venice are entirely under
water, while in Granite City a space OF one
mile square, containing the postofice,
American Steel words and the st. Louis
Stamping works, was still uncovered at
moon, Twenty drownings are reported from
several sources, all but one being at Mad
ison and Venice. The work OF rescue was
carried on today by means Of skins.
\Relief boats were TODAY sent to Venice.
Ill. Only the roofs of houses are visible
and the 500 inhabitants are homeless. Dur
ing the day 100 persons were rescued. Their
stories of the disaster are thrilling and
pathetic. In their hurry to escape many
persons were Obliged to race from tbs
flood only partially clad. None of then
was able to save any household goods
Most of the Venice houses are frame stru !,
lures and yielded readily to the force OF
the flood. The Methodist church was lifted
from its foundation and carried three
blocks. Only the steeple is now visible. II
the schoolhouse. which is of brick, 200 men
women and children have found refuge
Until there Is a further rise Of a foot o.
so they are safe, but they have no foo
supply.
Several business houses were carrie.
away by the terrific current and stock val
uSu d I thouSanus OF dollars was DESTROYED
No estimate can be formed OF the damag
but it will probably amount to several hun
dred thousand dollars for Madison ant
Venice.
John crittenien, aged 10 years. wal
drowned near the Merchants bridge Will,
e~ndeavoring to sNt shelter on the roof o
a house which was floating down stream
At one house a man was seen to crawl OF
to the roof bearing a child in his arms
There he remained the greater part of IN,
night. Clinging 20 high fences, rooftops an,
trees, a score of families were found. Som,
had remained IN the water hfteenf hour
and were weak and exhausted.
camped at the r~oundhouse OF the Terml
nal association. midway betWeen the Mec
chants bridge and Venice. are 200 person
who got out Of the flooded city Ia the mic
OF time. The refugees are badly In rec,
OF food and clothing. In some parts o
Venice the water is from twenty 10 twenty
1--WE feet deep.
Word was received tonight that the leve
at Kemper's Landing. thirty-ive miles be
low st. Louis. had broken. flooding thou
sands OF acres OF me Illinois farmin
land. Mayor Cook OF East st. Louis to
Infuht. faeuaa q afo faunapN 40 fba aF..t a..