Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-03
ST. LOUIS AWAITS ITS FATE
Rivers Are Fast Rising and Have
Gone Above the Danger
Point.

ST. LOUIS, June 2-Thirty feet the
danger point was reached today and
| passed by the flood that is coming down
| the Mississippi river The river continues
! to rise rapidly and a point considerably
higher than tairty-four feet, which
Weather Forecaster Bowie had predicted
would be reached by Thursday or Friday,
will be an accomplished fact.
The crest of the food from the Kansas
and Missouri rivers is yet to come and
when it shall reach here and find aug
mentation from the high water in the
Mississippi, some loss of life is feared and
| destruction to property must ensue.
Tonight Weather Forecaster Bowie is
sued the following:
Present indications point to thirty two
feet on the St. Louis gauge Wednesday
and thirty-four feet during Thursday and
Friday. 1t is impossible TO estimate the
effect OF a thirty-flve-foot stage at Kansas
City, but It is apparent that the thirty
four foot stage will be exceeded at St.
Louis. Measures to protect property sub
ject to damage from II stage of thirty-five
feet by Saturday or Sunday should be
taken"
The first loss of life attending the flood
in this vicinity was reported today in the
drowning of Mrs William Schmidt and her
fiatboat from Catfish island in the Mis-
souri river, seven miles southwest of St
Charles. Schmidt and his family of four
were compelled to abandon their home on
the island early this morning and loaded
a part of their household goods onto the
small boat on which they depended for
safety. In midstream the boat capsiZed
and Schmidt was able to save only one of
his children.
The effect of the flood already is being
felt here. as we'll as further up both the
Mississippi and Missouri rivers No real
danger has resulted here yet but the high
stage predicted will cause considerable loss
here and on the east side in East st.
Louis and the hamlets lying in the bot
toms along the Mississippi up as far north
as Alton.
! higher stage OF water will be disas-
trous to the railroad and other business
| interests on the least side as well as resi-
dents. many of whom have already been
compelled TO move to higher ground. In
some places between here and Alton the
| river is five to seven miles wide, covering
thousands of acres of farm land in the
| great American bottoms on the east SIDE
destroying crops and driving cut the farm
ers. The greatest damage yet reported is
at Missouri Point, at the confluence of the
Missouri and Mississippi river, where sew
| eral hundred farmers and their families
| have been driven from their fertile lands
| by che high water. Still greater damage
| in this section is feared during the coming
rise. All trains from the west and south
west are arriving from three to six hours
1 late and it is expected that this delay will
be overcome within the next twenty-four
hours. The departing time Is unchanged,
but traffic is .mpeded in the vicinity of
Kansas City and the southwestern part of
the state, None of :he trains between St.
Louis and interior Missouri points are as
yet affected by the flood.
The lowlands on the Illinois side OF the
Mississippi river from Cabaret Island to
East st. Louis are covered with water ana
the Tri-Cities. Granite City, Venice and
Madison and the smaller villages In that
vicinity are threatened from the fIont and
rear with the muddy water.
The river has risen to such a stage at
Alton, ILL., that steamers can pull near the
Chicago, Peoria G. st. Louis right OF way
and run their gang planks on tho tracks
to unload freight.
The approach to the Burlington bridge
Is being washed away
Two thousand sacks of sand have been
piled in front of che weakened spot and
a watch to prevent further damage Is being
maintained.
Altonian, a ferryboat, and dozens OF
small craft have been saving the household
effects and cattle of flood victims Hun
dreds of head Of cattle have been rescued
Two feet more rise and the Alton Glass
works win suspend, as the fires in the
boilers will be extinguished A suspension
will enforce the idleness of $500 men.