The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-06
GAP 500 YARDS WIDE
In the Madison County Leyee
Above st. Louis.

st. Louis. June 6.-The break in the
great Madison county levee. which gave
away yesterday. has widened and this
morning the water is rushing through
gap 500 yards wide covering 20,0ND
acres of fertile farm land and three
farm village -OIdenberg Mitchell ana
West Granite. About SEQ persons have
been driven from their homes by the
mood The roar of the water as It
pours through the break can be heard
a mis- and half. The break IS only
a mile from the head of this great bull
wark, which was regarded until this
morning as the principal barrier be-
tween the river and the east side cities
including East St Louis
Back Of the Madison laVee is another
mud embanlznent known LEGALLY as the
cross levee.' which today is three feet
aDoVe the Hooded wheat fields. This
ieNee runs from Mitchell southwest
forming junction with the Madison
ievee one mile north of the merchants
But while the Cross levee protects
lfanlte city, it does not protect East
81 LOUIS from the current which this
morning set in with terrific force
through Venice and it IS within one
root OF several railroad embanknents
winch are now holding back The water
IS within one foot Of the floor level Of
the relay depot in East St Louis. which
/ Is representative OF the altitude of the
principal business and residence see.
F tlOnS of East St Louis
Ahe island, that part of East St
Louis which lies between the river and
/ Cahol0ia. is under six feet of current,
/ With the large and rapidly widening
/ break in the Madison leVee lust south
OF OlaenbGrg, and another but smaller
bieak south and a third break at Chou
teau island, the conditions as to the pro-
leetlon or Madison, Venice and Grant
city, have changed, and it is only a
matter of the flood advancing above the
present stage until the current that is
now sweeping through the east trestles
OF the Merchants bridge win be rush
ing over the railroad embanlkments.
once that current is over the embank-
ments, the reinforcing work that has
been done by the railroads will go for
naught, and the embankments are ex-
the current
At the Merchants bridge this morn
ing Just south OF the junction Of the
+ cross and Madison levees and where
+ both terminated and the protection de-
wolves upon the railroad efnba nkments.
the water was within foot of the rail-
road tracks. In several places the water
was over the Big -Four tracks.
Since Wednesday the Chicago & Alton
railroad has had big force of men
working to protect their embankment
below the Merchants bridge
II the flood crosses the Chicago & Al
ton tracks it viii cover also the passing
tracks of the Clover Leaf Burlington.
! between the tracks and Cahokiachek.
+ While but HttIe other business is trans
acted in ST Louis the National stock
yards is still open. The managers sta te
they VIII be able to continue SO long as
/ the terminal can handle freight. There
have been two drownings on the east
side-James Linton, Jr.. messenger
boy, whose body has been washed away
/ by the current and John Clark aged D.
/ who was drowned at Missouri avenue.
Louisiana. Mo. June 6.-The Missis-
sippi has fallen fifteen inches in the
past twenty hours, supposedly account
of the break opposite there in the Sny
levee. The break is now 800 yards wide
having grown steadily from the start
and it is believed the excavation made
there by the terrible forces of the wa
Ter is now SO feet deep. Another
break in the levee north of here is re-
ported.
This city is almost entirely cut off
! from communication WITH the world
The Chicago & Alton railroad IS wash
ed out at Glasgow by the Missouri river
and also by the break in the levee. Nc
trains are being run and all its wires arc
( down. The Burlington is flooded north
and south Of here and its track is wash
ed out at West Alton, Mo. That road
is attempting to run trains over the
i Wabash and St Peters branch anC
through water north and south of here
but its efforts have not resulted in get
ting a train through here since O'Clock
last night. The sun is shining and this
gives some hope for a better condition
of affairs.