Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-06-16
FLOOD SWEEPS CITY.
RIVER BREAKS EMBANKMENTS AT
EAST ST. LOUIS.
Thirty to Fifty People Are Reported
Observation-Disclosures Aroused in the
Night by Bells and Whistles Flee
from Their Homes in Panic.


result of the breaking of the embank
ments which had stood between the Mis-
sissippi food and the busy town on the
eastern bank of the river, and Wednes-
day afternoon fully fourth of the city
was submerged
Factory whistles and men shouting
through megaphones awakened people in
the southern section of East St. Louis in
the middle of the night, and they fed TO
the north end, leaving homes and goods
behind. Before noon break was re-
ported in the Baltimore and Ohio South
western levee at the north, and the whole
city was in danger.
A long procession of disheartened.
homeless residents whose houses are
from two to five feet under water wend-
ed their way across the great Eads
bridge, seeking safety on the Missouri
side. Others, panic-stricken, ran about
the streets knowing not whittier to CO.
The river rose to 37.9 feet, and the
army of levee builders no longer could
heal the breaks. Business was suspend
ed and the city hail. filed with flood vic
tins, was entered by the water.
Bridge the Only Way Ont.
Women with children in arms, men car
rying household furniture, horses, dogs
and cats were in the streets At sunrise
the Eads bridge was virtually the only
means of crossing the river open to the
throng. Traffic. to East st. Louis from
the west side was suspended and police
men turned back all who attempted the
trip. The southern half of East ST
Louis was deepest in the food, and $500
men fell back On Missouri avenue in the
attempt to save the remainder of the
city, menaced by swelling waters from
three sides.
A few hours before the break in the
levee Ned Roberts, negro employed as
a levee builder, was killed by members
of the levee patrol for attempting TO tear
down a part of the dixie. His act was
the result of anger because he was not
allowed to draw his pay at once.
An appeal from Mayor Cook to Lieut..
Gov. Northcott for State troops to aid in
guarding property was answered with
the promise that details of militia would
be sent to East st. Louis at once.
Relief boats started from St. Louis
for East st. Louis early Wednesday
morning. BY order of Park Commission
err Aull the skiffs used for recreation on
the park lake We're collected, to be sent
to the east side on a ferryboat.
During the forenoon the water was
threatening the north and east sides, pre-
served temporarily by the Baltimore and
Ohio Southwestern Railroad embank
ment, and had reached the yiaduct only
seven blocks east of the city hail. In
the city hall foot and a half of water
had collected. 1t is believed many fami-
lies in frst-story cottages awoke when
it was too late to escape. Levee work
ers who lay down to rest on the embank
ment. worn out with hard labor were
caught by the food and drowned like
rats. 1t may never be learned how many
died in this way.
Messengers Arouse People.
When the break occurred warnings
were sent first through the Dexter addi-
ton by messengers who discharged fire.
arms, blew horns and shouted in stento-
rian tones. Lights cleaned in houses
where the occupants had retired, conf
dent that the embankment would hold.
Persons scantily attired emerged from
their homes, and in few moments the
whole populace of the low district were
fleeing to higher ground.
AS the noise of the approaching flood
was heard, the fight, at first rapid re-
treat with a semblance of order, became
a panic. All efforts to assure the people
that there was time to escape unless a
gap was washed through the embank-
ment failed, and most of them fed with
out making an effort to save property.
Messengers were sent to the main sec
ton of the city telling of the danger from
the new point of attack AS the bottoms
filled and the river gained a larger en-
trance the terror in the business section
grew intense 1t was all the greater
because of the darkness and the fear
that while guard was maintained in one
direction the torrent would break through
at another point and engulf the luckless
inhabitants. BY the thousands people
deserted their homes and ran up and
down the streets seeking a place of sue
cor.
Hundreds of families from the resi-
dence district. carrying trunks, grips,
bundles of clothing and valuables, began
to cross Eads bridge toward st. Louis.
Most of the refugees were scantily clad
Strong men carried aged women in their
arms, followed by women with babies.
Barefooted children were in the process
sion over the bridge. In the city hall
scant belongings they had been able to
seize on short notice, were assembled.
Water Breaks Through.
Seven miles of water, pressing from
the south and southeast, overcame the
city's line of defense shortly before /
o'clock in the morning, and 5000 persons
were driven from their homes. One thou
sand men were working on the part of
the levae which broke. For several hours
before the final break they had the assist
ance of hundreds of women and chill
dren.
The crevasse appeared at the st. Louis
Valley crossing of the Illinois Central
embankment, two miles south of the Re
lay station. While as many men, women
and children as could stand on the en-
bankment were heaping sandbags be-
tween the rails 10 prevent the n'e-.ea"ing
waters from going over the top. the re
sistless current broke through the lower
part of the wall of earth and spurted in
rivulets into the faces of those who were
carrying sandbags up the bank. Bags
thrown into the openings by dozens of
men were tossed aside BY the water ike
feathers. The workers fed from their
useless task and the alarm was given by
ringing of bells and blowing of whistles
in every part of the city A few of the
workers on the embankment remained at
their posts until the current compelled
them to swim for their lives.
Awakened families saw the water in
the streets and when they were ready
to leave the food was at their window
siUs. All fled to the north.
From, Far and Near.