Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-09
Tale of Woe From the Country Surrounding St.
Louis and East ST. Louis.
ALTHOUGH THE
Farm Lands Aggregatng 200, 900 Acres Flood
ed---Death Claims Many

St Louis, June 9.-The crest of the
food has passed ST. Louis, and any
further destruction wrought will be
from the possible crumbling of un-
dermined buildings. The water de-
clined tenth of foot since yester-
day, and will fall steadily from now
on. Steps are being taken to remove
the thousand men, women and chill
dren awaiting rescue in Madison, Ven
ice an,b Granite City to places of
safety.
Conditions in East st. Louis are the
same as yesterday. Men worked all
night strengthening the levees which
are keeping back the water from the
business and residence sections of
the city.
Below St. Louis for distance of
40 miles the Mississippi attained an
average width of four miles, doing
immense damage to farmers on the
Iowlands.
Fifteen hundred residents of Venice
have been brought over to the Mis-
souri, side today. Tugs from st. Louis
reached the flooded towns today with
plenty of provisions.
ST. Louis. June So great an ex-
tent of territory is covered by the
flood. so constantly changing are the
conditions as the water creeps higher
and renders the situation the more
chaotic. and so unreliable are the va
rious rumors of the devastation that
substantial summary of the losses OF
lives and property cannot be obtained,
but up to this writing information
from apparently the most reliable
sources showed the situation to be as
follows:
Details of the Havoc.
Twenty lives known to have been
lost. Over 100000 acres of rich farm
ing lands under water. All of Venice
and the greater parts of Madison and
Granite City under water. Twenty-Five
thousand people rendered homeless.
Freight traffic completely paralyZed
and passenger traffic pract cally so.
Ine SllDDlIS anu Ols-
trict of East st. Louis for three miles
along the river front under from two
to eight feet of water. Hundreds and
probably thousands, of head of stock
drowned East st. Louis threatened
with complete inundation. st. Louis
flooded only along the water front. En-
tire property loss, estimated, $1,000
600.
Breaking of the Granite City Levee.
The flood has probably reached the
zenith of it's devastating power, and
the situation is bad enough. The eli
max came when, by the breaking of
levee near Granite City a wall of wat
er six feet high rushed down upon
Madison and deeper engulfed the al
ready stricken town. sweeping houses
from their foundations and drowning
fifteen refugees who were vainly flee
ing for their lives The report was
current that fifteen workmen in the
St Louis Car and Foundry works had
been drowned but later it was found
that while seven employees had lost
their lives, thirteen others, men, wom-
en- and children, had perished.
st. Louis Asked for Help.
Hundre0S OF persons were IOrceu ~
the roofs of their floating houses, and
an appeal was sent to St Louis for
assistance. Every effort was made to
force steamers against the heavy cur
rent four miles north to the stricken
town, but it was noon before the
Mark Twain and Annie Russell, lashed
together and their engines working un-
der every ounce of steam, after five
hours of battle with the current, were
able to reach Madison. For the bal
ance of the day and into the night
the work of rescuing refugees from
floating houses, treetops and various
high places proceeded, and there being
no place to take them nearer than st.
Louis, they are pouring into the city
by hundreds-wet, hungry and disspir-
tied.