Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-09
UNDER WATER.
St. Louis So Far Sees No
Relief from the Flood.
About 20 Lives Lost and Property
Damage Of $3,0O0,000.
Kansas City and Vicinity Now Emerg-
ing from the Depths.

unreliable are the various rumors of
the devastation, that n substantiated
summary of the losses of lives and
property cannot be obtained, but, to-
night, information from apparently the
most reliable sources showed the Situa-
ton as follows:
River stage, 37.5 feet, stationary.
Probably a slight rise by morning
when the highest stages shall have
been reached.
Twenty lives known to have been
lost.
over 100000 acres of rich farming
lands under water.
All of Venice and the greater parts
of Madison and Granite City under
water.
Twenty-Five thousand people render
ed homeless.
Freight traffic completely paralyzed
and passenger traffic practically so.
The shipping and manufacturing dis
tricts of East st. Louis for three miles
along the river front, under from two
t. eight feet of water
Hundreds and probably thousands of
head of stock drowned.
East St Louis threatened with COM
plcte inundation.
ST. Louis flooded only along the wa
ter front.
Entire property loss estimated at So
600 0G0
The climax of the flood came, last
night. when, by the breaking of Il
lpvcc near Granite City,,a wall of water
six feet high rushed down upon Madi-
son, sweeping houses from their foun-
dations and drowning Is refugees who
ware vainly fleeing for their lives.
The report was current that II work
men in the St. Louis Car and Foundry
Works had been drowned, but later
is was found that while seven employees
had lost their lives. 3 others, men,
women and children, had persisted.
Hundreds of persons We're forced to
the roofs of their floating houses and
IN appeal was sent to st. Louis for
assistance.
Every effort was made to force
steamers against the heavy current
four miles north to the stricken town,
but it was noon before the steamers
Mark Twain and Annie Russell were
able to reach Madison.
For the balance of the day and into
the night the work of rescuing refugees
from floating or flooded houses. tree
tops and various high places proceeded
ana there being no place to take them
nearer than st. Louis they are, to-
night, pouring into the city by hun
drcdS. wet, hungry and dispirited.
1t is more thHn probable that The cS-
innate of 90 lives lost is far below the
actual number. John Arnold. vino es-
capcd from North Venice brought the
report that a house containing Is occu-
pants was swept away, last night, and
all were drowned. River thieves are
lottinw the various houses.
Mayor Cook of East St. Louis issued
a proclamation, today, ordering all
business SUSPENDED and calling upon
every male citizen to lay aside his en-
nloyment and render service in pre-
venting the inundating of the city.
Signs were posted Offering m"n 81
cents an hour to HELM build the l"Vees
but the offers of employment We're ig-
norcd by tn ma ority of the throngS
of unemployed negroes and white
Workmen that stood, idly about. Citi-
2cns. however. hurried to the work of
saving the city ana the inspiration
spread until idle Workmcn joined tn"
thrones on the IcVecs, The sand bags
wcr" piled higher and higher ~ fast as
freight cars could bring Them and, to-
night. the city is still dry but little
mcnaced by the food.
The entire group of east side cities
lying just north of East st. Louis ant
including Venice. Madison, West
Madison, Newport, brooklyn and Gran
itc City are under from 10 to is feet
of water which is still rising. and
deaths from drowning are varously cS-
tmatcd at from Is to 20. So far as
known the casualties are as follows:
John Crittenden, aged 10; drowned
near the Merchants bridge in Venice.
A woman and seven children swept
from a fence by the flood in sight OF the
terminal railway operator at Madison,
VINO was attempting to save them.
a woman drowned in Madison near
the American car works.
\ woman and baby seen c.inEing to
telegraph pole in Madison. The pol"
turned in the water and both disan-
pcared.
Manager Shipley of the Madison car
works reDorts seeing seven employees
of the American car and foundry COM
pany drowned.
The government officials say the
river will begin falling Tuesday even
ing or Wednesday.
With all east side terminal points
between Alton e st. Louis in the en-
brace Of the Hood and the merchants
and lIads bridges accessible to only a
few lines. St Louis passenger and
freight traffic both incoming and out
bound is temporarily paralyzed. No
attempt has been made to transport
freight from this city and East St
Louis and relief from this critical sit
uation is not expected within the next
"a hours. 1t is estimated that the flood
has already cost the railroad $4,000, 900.
The Nandalia was the only line which
started train to the east. today, but
there is no assurance that it will sue
coed in getting through East St.
Louis.
The Wabash, the Chicago, Burling-
ton & Quincy, the Big Four. the Louis
Vile & Nashville, the Chicago & AL
ton. and the Toledo, ST. Louis & Kan
sas City roads are suffering heavily.
The Missouri Pacific and the Frisco
are the only lines ao3;,oI..