Columbia courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1902-1905, 1903-06-12
LEVEE BROKE NEAR ST.LOU|S.
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER is s6 FEET
OVER AVERAGE.
Loss Of Life Will Reach Over a Hun.
dred-PeopIe Of Black Walnut Dis.
trict Rescued-Cities North of St.
Louis in Grip of the FIood-Men Can
Not Be Hired at Any Price.

st. Louis, June 9.-Word has been
received here that levee near Madi-
son, on which gangs of men were work
ing, gave way anu Is men, employees
lost their lives. About 150 men, 1t is
reported, are imprisoned on a section
of the levee that is slowly crumbling
and all means of escape has been cut
off. Word has been sent to the St.
Louis side to rush private yacht to
the rescue.
A steamer from st. Charles sue
ceeded in reaching Black Walnut, and
the 1000 imperiled people were taken
from the island in safety. All were
rescued.
Mississippi Still Rising.
St. Louis, June 9.-Like mill race
the swollen Mississippi is surging past
St. Louis with stage of 1863 feet,
making a rise of one and one half
feet in "a hours.
Black Walnut is located in broad
and fertile valley Of the Missouri and
the lands surrounding it are said to be
the richest wheat land in the state.
All Venice, Madison, portions of
Granite City and $4,000 acres of rich
bottom farming land are in the grip
Of the flood north of East st. Louis.
Houses have been swept from their
foundations and sent adrift. The dam
age already done is enormous and hour
ly the flood reaches farther inland,
more and more crippling railroad traf-
fic and engulfng additional homes,
farms and factories. The east approach
to. Merchants bridge is reported
severely damaged.
Reports of loss of life have been re-
ceived. Men who were viewing the
dcod from the bridge approach told
Of having seen a man on the roof of
a floating house. The house was over
turned by the current during this af-
ternoon and the man disappeared.
Near Madison dyke broke and
wall of water rushed through. Three
women, endeavoring to escape, were
seen to crouch bewilderedly behind a
fence. The wall of water three feet
high swept the fence away and only
after a strenuous effort were two OF
the women saved. The third, Mrs. An
tone, wife Of saloonkeeper, clasping
her infant in her arms, was according
to witnesses, swept away and drowned.
East St. Louis was unable to secure
enough men to work on the levee.
Men apparently needing work refused
offers of so cents an hour to pile sand
bags on the levee. Levee officials and
even prominent men sprang into the
breach and worked with will to keep
the water out of the city. while crowds
of men apparently needing employ
ment stood about and refused all Of
fers of work. Policemen invaded sa-
looms to secure workmen, but although
the saloons were crowded very small
percentage of the patrons were willing
to help protect the city.
The turbulent Missouri is doing
great damage at st. Charles and vi
cinity, 25 miles west of st. Louis. Sew
eral deaths are reported All the
farmhouses and barns occupying the
lowlands across the river from st.
Charles have been swept away with
but few exceptions. All day people in
skifrs we're busy trying to save prop
erty. Three women in one farm
house refused to leave until they had
ripped a new carpet from the floor. The
men in the rescue boats, left them,
and before they could return the cur
rent was eddying about the house
swiftly and the boat could not reach
1t. and the women were left to their
fate. From a clump of willows house
ton and some planks drifted out, and
there was distinct sound of a wo-
mans voice calling for help, but when
, hoat reached the spot the housetop
had turned over and was floating away
,,1 oil uae silent,