The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-06-08
CANNOT REACH
THEM BY BOAT
Effort to Save zoe Lives Near
st. Louis Proved FruitIess.
IMPRISONED ON AN ISLAND
MISSISSIPPI HAS REACHED A
STAGE OF NEARLY 81 FEET.

= l. LUIS, June Like a Illll race
the swollen Mississippi is surging
past st. Louis with stage Of
$50 feet at O'Clock tonight. making a.
rise OF one and one-half feet since the
same hour last night.
No word was received today from
the 200 people imprisoned on a low ISL
and at Black Walnut. northwest from
St. Louis about twenty-five miles. and
in peril Of their lives from the rising
waters Of the Mississippi river. Word
was received last night that at that
time their rescue must be effected i'm
mediately or they probably would be
swept away by morning. The river
has spread out around the island until
II is a Veritable sea with a swift cur
rent, and although every effort has
been made to reach them. nothing was
accomplished today and there has been
/ no means Of communicating with them.
Between Black Walnut and st. Louis
I the Belle FOntaine bridge stretches
/ across the Missouri. and the high
/ stage Of the river preCludes any large
steamer passing underneath. No
/ steamer is available at St. Charles to
go down the river to them. The
/ Spread Eagle, mOOred at Alton, Ills.
/ above St Louis. was huTriedly manned
( and started for the imperiled colony
| late last night but was forced to turn
n -
/ private yacht here was manned by
/ company of policemen today and start
Z ed for Black Walnut. All steam was
/ turned on, but the yacht made no
: Roadway against the current. and after
/ vainly stemming the flood for several
/ hours without making 100 yards, the
/ yacht returned to shore and the ven
/ ture was abandoned.
/ Black Walnut is located in a broad
and fertile valley of the Missouri, and
/ the lands surrounding it are said TO
/ be the richest wheat lands in the
/ state
Aside from loss of life, if such ca
! tastrOphe shall occur. the property loss
! win be very heavy. as the entire valley
! is under water and homes have been
/ washed away. farms destroyed and
! stock drowned.
Damage Already Enormous.
All Venice, Madison, portions Of era
: mite City and Is 900 acres of rich bottom
I 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 damage already
done is enormous. and hourly the flood
reaches farther inland, more and more
Gripping railroad triffic and enguIfjng
additional homes. farms and factories.
The east approach TO Merchants bridge
is reported severely damaged. Reports
/ who were viewing the flood from the
bridge approach told of having seen q
man on the roof of a floating house.
The house was overturned by the cur
rent during the afternoon and the man
disappeared.
Near Madison a dyke broke this after
noon and a wall of water rushed
through Three women. endeavOring to
I escape, were seen to crouch beWildered-
" behind board fence The wall of
water. three feet high, swept the fence
away, and only after a strenuous ef-
fort were two Of the women saved. The
third, Mrs. Antoine. wife of a saloon
keeper, clasping her infant in her arms,
was, according to witnesses, swept
away and drowned.
There are reports of five employees Of
the American Car & Foundry works
from the advancing deIuge. but think
ing to save their tools, went back into
the plant and did not return
Men Refused to Work
Tonight a small steamboat with q
powerful propeller was secured and
hastily prepared for ID trip TO Black
Walnut to rescue the people impeTiled
there. AS the steamer swung out into
the current and at once began to make
Roadway, cheer of encOura cement
arose from the spectators. East St
/ to work on the levee today Men ap-
! parently needy refused offers Of so cents
an hour 20 pile sandbags on the levee.
r Levee officials and even prominent men
Sprang into the breach and worked with
2 a viii to keep the water out of the city,
I While crowds OF men apparently needing
employment stood about and refused all
r offers of work. Policemen invaded Sa-
1 looms to secure wOrkmeu, but although
the saloons were crowded. a very small
percentage OF the patrons were willing
to help protect the city.
$ Several Deaths Reported.
/ The turbulent Missouri is doing great
a damaee at St. Charles and vicinity,
: twenty-five miles west Of st. Louis
Several deaths are reported
/, All the farm houses and barns OCCu-
I pying the lOwlands across the river
from St. Charles have been swept away
with but few exceptions All day peo-
pie in Skiffs were busy trying TO save
property Three women in one farm
house refused to leave until they had
q / ripped a new carpet from the floor The
men in rescue boats. obliged to so ia
the assistance of others, left them, and
before they could return the swirling
q current was eddying about the house SC
: swiftly that the boat could not reaca It
Il and the women were left TO their taIe
d From a clump of willows a house tor
n and some pIanks drifted out, and there
was a distinct sound of a wouan's voice
IS / calling for help, but when boa
% reached the spot the hOUsetop had
y turned over and was floating away, and
s ali was silent
= Escape Cut Of.
Word has been received here at
O'Clock that Ievee near Madison OF
which gangs of men were working gave
At way and fifteen men employees Of TIT
u American Car & Foundry works los
/ their lives. About $50 men, it is report
ed. are imprisoned on a section Of TIT
levee that is slowly crumbling, and al
means eff escape hss been cut on Wore
~ has been sent to the St. Louis side e
ID rush the private yacht Annie Russel
p to the rescue The Annie Russell start
y ed TO Black Walnut last evening, bu
- lcould not force her way against tn
e current 1t is feared she cannot max
n her way to Madison
8 A steamer from St Charles succeed
ed in reaching Black Walnut tonight
s. and the 200 imperiled people terrific
1e and in great distress for food and She
ter. were taken from the island in safe
~. All were rescued