The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-06-06
RIVER CARRIES
ALL BEFORE, IT
Father of Waters threatens De-
struction to Life.
GREAT FLOOD AT ST. LOUIS
ILLINOIS FARMERS SUFFER
HEAVY LOSS IN CROPS.
GREAT FLOOD AT ST. LOUIS

Z 7. LOUIS. Mo, June 5.-The terrific
force and the destructive magni-
tude of the great aoOd that is
sweeping down the Mississippi, steadily
increasing in volume, surrounding and
demOlishing barriers Of protection and
greedily tapping at property and reach
ing for lives as it restlessly extends
farther and farther beyond the ordinary
river confines, is now being felt in st.
Louis and vicinity to a great extent. At
O'Clock tonight the stage has reached
54-2 feet, a. rise of Z foot since Z o'clock
this morning. Government FOrecaster
Bowie tonight ISSUED bulletin predict
ing a stage Of thirty-feet by tomorrow
noon, thirty-six feet by Sunday and
thirty-seven feet on Monday. The Mis-
sisSippi north of the mouth of the Mis-
souri, is rising still. but the rapidity of
the rise has been diminished because of
the breaks in levees.
Great Levee Broke.
The great Sny levee. which extends
for miles along the Illinois shore from
Hannibal nOTthward. broke today and
the angry waters went rushing through
the crevasse to devastate thousands Of
acres of fertile farming lands Possibly
of loss CT life have so far been received.
Later in the day the food forced a
passage through the levee at Madison,
Ills. just north Of St. Louis. This levee
is fifteen miles long and for days men
have ben hard at work endeavOring to
strengthen it. West Granite, a town
Of 1000 people. is located in a depres-
SIGN between the levee and railroad
embankment. Ample warning had been
sounded and the Inhabitants had sought
safety when the delUge came, It is be
lieved all escaped, but the town is I'M
der water
Like Ancient Venice.
Like the ancient city of Venice. the
streets Of Venice, Ills, almost opposite
st. Louis, are waterways and the in
habitants go about in boats.
In st. Louis the buildings along the
river front have practically been aban-
dOned as the first floors are over foot
under water, which stands tonight two
feet deep on the top of the steamboat
levee
In South St. Louis fully 100 families
living near the mouth Of the river Des
Peres were forced TO leave their houses
today by the advancing waters, and
many families living in house boats fed
to land for shelter. Men, and in some
cases even women, worked to their
ropes aRd- wire cables anchoring their
homes TO the railroad tracks and to the
trees on high gEOund. Wagons were
backed into the river up TO their beds
and furniture loaded in.
Men Swan Ashore.
A Burlington switch engine having on
/ board a switching crew Of four men,
toppled from the undermined track into
FIVE feet of water north of the Mer-
chants bridge today The men swan
ashore.
The interrupted train service has very
materially improved, although more or
less delay attends their running.
General Passenger Agent Townsend
of the Missouri Pacific tonight issued a.
circular to the effect that arrangements
have been completed for transferring
through passengers free of charge be-
tween Kansas City, Kan. by the steam4
er Columbia. Excepting that the diff
ferent roads are carrying passengers by
detOured routes regular service has
practically been resumed.
Another Break.
At midnight the river gauge regis
tered 34.6 feet, a rise of almost five
inches since o'clock. Another break
occurred at Midnight in the levee at
West Granite and fifty families living
in the vicinity were forced to flee for
their lives. The entire town is now in
undated.
The situation on the east side of the
river is now reported as very critical.
A small break occurred tonight in the
Chicago & Alton railroad .embankment
at Mitchell twelve miles above St.
Louis. and 1000 acres of land were
flooded.