Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-31
)SS WILL RUN INTO HUNDRED THOUSAND
CFrom a Stan Correspondent

Prom Stan Correspondent
| DES MONIES. May 30-(Special 1.-THE
rejoicing of yesterday over the prospective
receding Of the Des Molnes river food was
| turned to wailng this morning, for after
| midnight the river rose rapidly and At 8
| o'clock this morning the people were
| aroused by warning whistles because of
| the fear that many would be lost II thsy
did not remove from their homes The
situation could not we'll be worse. The
river had marked 20.9 feet by the govern
ment gauge at the Walnut street bridge,
| where measurements have been kept for a
half century. This morning 1t was ms
and by this afternoon the gauge marked
22.S. Another slight rise will take Il 10
the high water mark of 1851, which was
| twenty-three feet. But the foot and a
half rise since yesterday was sufficient to
more than double the area of the city that
is inundated. The reports from up river
indicated that there was much water yet
| to come down. Yesterday at noon the rain
commenced falling. All afternoon and all
night and all day today there has been
! a steady downpour of rain. Not for fva
| minutes has there been any cessation in
this downpour. This water was compelled
to flow directly into the river for the
ground was saturated. This added volume
of water flowed quickly over the city and
| plieu lne water up IN rne DeS MOineB river
until the half dozen bridges were nearly
touched by the food The scene all day
today was appalling. Hundreds of resi-
dences were surrounded, every boat was
called into use to save the people and take
out their goods, women and children were
shouting from the upper stories and even
the roofs of houses. pumps were at work
in the business district draining cellars,
drays and all manner OF vehicles we're in
| d.. -
household goods, for large part of the
district inundated could be reached by
teams. Boats were in great demand and
men almost fought TO get them. And all
this was with the rain steadily falling upon
thousands of people Already water. soaksd.
and nearly Ill.
Part Heretofore Immune.
The FIRST great change In the situation
this morning came when the river flowed
over the east cmbankment of the Des
Moines river between the city hall and
library on the west side and the capitol
on the east All this district has been
free from floods for more than half CEN
tury and It is we'll built up. The stream
flowed into the streets and covered all the
territory to the Northwestern tracks East
, Grand avenue, East Locust and East Wal
nut streets were flooded from two to four
feet deep over the pavement. and on East
1 Court avenue there was such a food OF
water that the vehicles could scarce get
through All the bridges in the city for
wagons except the Court avenue bridge
were closed early in the day. as there
seemed to be danger of their destruction.
The Rock Island and Des Moines Union
railroad bridges over the Des Moines were
the only ones in use, all other railroad
bridges being abandoned. The Burlington.
Milwaukee and Great Western lines were
all abandoned, and only the main line of
the Rock Island and the line north, with
the Chicago & Northwestern, were being
used.
a The flooded districts in Des Moines are
q more than twice large as yesterday
q All OF the levees either broke or were
n overfiowed. The entire south side ia flooded
$ including the factory district south of the
e Rock Island railroad tracks. All of the
e south part OF East Des Moines and that
part lying along the river and back four
v and fve blocks is flooded, In the north
n part OF the city hundreds OF houses arc
n flooded. All the icehouses went out every
g factory OF any consequence In the city IA
k closed, the street car company completely
n abandoned its lines and it's plant, the cleo
Il trio light works were still operated nut
e the river bank Is washing away and II Is
o feared the whole plant will go in the river
n The water works plant is operated with
= difficulty, large portable pumps being used
3 to keep out the water. The plant of the
Il Daily Capital, evening newspaper was
o flooded and the paper suspended publica-
tion after getting out an early extra. The
"a Register and Leader press room is nIling
r, up but the water may be kept out Tele-
It phone communication was shut of from
l. large portions OF the city
Relief for Sufferers
Relief measures were taken early today
y, and the state capitol, the public school
), buildings and the churches were thrown
= open for the homeless people. II was esti-
mated that at least 5000 had been COM
PEELED 70 leave their homes. A majority
OF these merely abandoned their household
effects and trusted that the houses would
re- not be swept away. In fact, only few OF
ar the residences have been swept away and
ar these are in the northern part OF the city
s. But the homeless people were being gath.
~ cred all day in the public buildings OF
u taken 10 the homes of friends, where
IT, they could receive some care. Arrange
ID ments were made for the opening of :
hi coffee house under the auspices OF the A..
tn ISOLATED Charities and for the distributor
ar OF free rations to many families.
A pitiable story IL that OF Mrs. McNealy
d. who lived at the corner OF East Tenth and
LII Scott streets. Last night she gave birth
v. TO a child and this morning the house wal
II. surrounded with water, which later Hooded
o. the house. Her husband went by boat q
er the nearest telephone and summoned tn,
ambulance. When II arrived the water hat
a. entered the house and men were compelled
TO to wade In, removing the mother and bah,
so from their home. Mrs. McNealy was taker
ne TO the residence OF a relative whose hom,
re is in a more favored location.
II. Mrs. NJ. c. Trow, wife OF a baker. re
- siding at 1901 Ohio street. gave birth Fri
Is. DAY morning TO a nine-pound boy Abou
IN 2;3O last night IL became necessary for IN,
family to remove 70 another location, ant
ed Mrs. Trow and the infant. not yet da!
. old were carefully carried out OF the hous
and sent TO the homo OF George McNutt