The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-01
DEAD AT DIES MONIES
NUMBER EIGHT,
Loss to Property Will Mount Into
the Millions.

Loss to Property Will Mount Into
the Millions.
Des Moines, Ia, May Slight au-
thenticated fatalities have occurred in
and about this city from the food, and
the property loss will mount into the
millions.
At 6 o'clock the Des Moines river
had declined fourteen inches from it's
maximum hight of twenty-four feet
the steady rain that has fallen for three
days, it is believed danger of further
rise is past, as reports from points
above Des MoineS say the river has
been falling for twenty-four hours. The
extent of suffering among the several
thousand flood refugees has been re-
duced to minimum by the better or
ganization of relief work, and now they
are nearly all free from extreme suf-
fering.
The few remaining levees will hold
The river continues to be from half
mile to two miles wide, however, eff
fectually cutting off communication be-
tween the main part of Des Moines
from east, north and south.
The water is filled with debris, and
boating is perilous. 1t will be several
0oJo pOIOlC LAC dllh dyo Will ICSQlllc
schedules or the streets railway can
operate.
The police report that thieves in
boats are plundering stocks of mer-
chandise in the business district to an
alarming extent, and several arrests
have been made. One officer had bat
tie with robber, who escaped. Neither
was wounded.
Not Wheel Turns.
Not a wheel is turning in the factory
district, and no effort is made to open
business houses.
The Great Western, Wabash and
Burlington roads have completely
abandoned their lines in this city and
the Northwestern, Rock Island and
st. Paul roads are very badly crippled.
The water and electric light and
power plants are still running, but it
is only by the employment of several
hundred men to man pumps and work
on the levees.
For over two days it has rained
constantly and the mercury has stood
close to the freezing point. Scores of
men, women and children have spent
hours at a time in soaking wet gar
ments, sitting on the roofs of their
homes awaiting the arrival of res
cuers. The last of these was removed
at 10 o'clock. More fatalities will re-
suit from exposure than from drown
ing.
Food and Fuel Scarce.
This afternoon the relief authorities
announced that they were confronted
with food and fuel famine. Meat
markets all over the city declare they
have only two or three days stock on
hand. There is no train entering the
city and no prospect of getting ship
ment of freight into Des Moines in less
than three or four days.
There is only a meager coal supply,
and the light and power plant and
the water works have an insufficient
supply. Notice was sent to every resi-
dent in the city to draw an extra sup
ply of water to provide against the
closing of the plant.
Owing to the breaking of another
levee, the commons, on which sixty
tents were placed for flood refugees
was flooded. completely submerging
the tents. The occupants escaped.
At Ottumwa the situation is most
critical. The flood is two feet higher
than ever before, and the business dis
trict has been invaded with disastrous
effect. Railway traffic at Ottumwa is
completely tied up. Business is at a
standstill, and many hundreds are
homeless,