Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-13

ST. LOUIS, June 1.-THE river continues
to fall steadily, but the weather bureau
reports that those who expect to see a
sudden decline will be disappointed. II
the river falls at the same rate that It
fell in 1892. when there was heavy nood,
the levee will be covered for a month yet.
Two teamsters today swan the swollen
Mississippi on a wager of 25 cents, made
with Gus Baum. The three were viewing
the river and the bet grew out of discus
sion as to the force of the current The
two gave most of their clothing to Baum.
who took a street car across the bridge
and met the winning teamsters on the
Illinois side The teamsters swan across
in an hour.
The heavy pressure Of water against
Broadway in East ST. Louis will probably
finally destroy a large section of that
street In some places portions Of the street
have caved in and tonight a large section
near Eighth street went down, but the
street car tracks still hold the street from
giving entirely away. Even II 1t does
break the result will be simply that the
water is let through to Missouri avenue
parallel street one block north. The water
is seeping through Broadway steadily and
in large quantities and must finally COM
pletely inundate all that portion of the city
south of Missouri avenue.
At Ia. m, when the official observation
was made, the river had fallen slightly.
more than an inch since midnight, and
stood at s7.6 on the gauge, since when 1t
has remained stationary.
The flood is declining slowly, but
with the falling river above and no indica-
tions of rain the prospects for RELIEF TO
the territory in this vicinity and north for
hundreds of miles, covered with great
body OF water, seems near.
I,ansdowne the northeast suburb of East
st. Louis, is flooded by water from the
! reservoir at Hunters Switch. At o'clock
this morning water was from six to twenty
inches deep all over the suburb and rising
\ rapidly. A swift torrent is running under
the trestle at Lake Station, meeting the
back water from the south and spreading
over Winstanley suburb, south of Rock
Road.
| At midnight last night the East St. Louis
and Suburban company abandoned its car
sheds at Rock Road and the terminal belt.
The cars there were taken to sheds at the
blufrs. At 1 o'clock this morning 200 men
and a supply of sacks were hurried out to
| the belt tracks at L5ahsdowne ~ 50 -
b. day6real levee of dirt bags three
I feet high and two feet wide extended along
/ the tracks for 300 yards opposite the flooded
| suburb. #.
/ II the water continues the rise at the
present rate the fight for the north part of
East st. Louis will be made at this point.
Water Seeks New Level.
The extent to which East St. Louis is 10
be submerged depends entirely upon the
| level which the water, coming in from the
| east and northeast will have to reach. 1t
is now flowing along the lines Of least re-
sistance. seeking its own level No effec-
tual resistance can be made to It. It will
continue to advance and submerge the
territory in its path as long as this terri
tory is lower than the level OF the water
at the point at which it pours through the
Vandalia and Baltimore & Ohio embank-
ments. west OF Caseyville.
The water has crossed the Louisville &
Nashville railroad two miles east of the
Belt Line. During the night 1t reached
the st. Clair turnpike over which runs the
East st. Louis and Suburban Electric Elec-
trio railway to Belleville.
This morning 1t had spread over the low
ground between Lake Bridge and the
Jerome farm house and was pouring
through a culvert a short distance west Of
Jerome, filing the space between the turn
pike and the Day Electric line and passing
through a trestle to the south OF the Day
line, where 1t Joined the water which has
been backing up to the south of Winstan-
ley park from Pittsburg lake at the foot of
the blufIs.
Car Service Abandoned.
At 10 o'clock oficial announcement was
made of the encroachment Of the water on
the plant and tracks OF the company and
that no cars would be run to Belleville,
where hundreds OF refugees are being
cared for, after II o'clock today.
The united waters are pressing west
along the south side Of the Day line, d.
rectiy toward East St. Louis. They menace
the power house OF the electric railway at
Winstanley park.
The water from the north is gradually
falling and covering the ground between
the Louisville & Nashville and augment
ing the flow toward East St. Louis along
both sides of the Day line. From the
northeast the water is steadily advancing
from Lansdowne through the suburban
residence district OF East St Louis
The shutting down OF the electric line
will cut on communication with BeleviIle
except by way OF the Illinois Central. A
train was run over the Illinois Central to-
day for the first time since the tracks were
| covered after the break on Wednesday II
had to run through water most of the way
from the bluffs. but got through ali right
The oficials wanted to run it on the via
duct to St. Louis, but police were sent
with strict orders to stop it.
In view OF the want and suffering caused
by the flood in East st. Louis. Mayor Cool
has issued an appeal to the public for aid
I No POstpOnement of sRenEerfest.
E on receiving assurances from the man
Z ayers OF all lines centering here that rail
I road trafhc to St. Louis would be resumed
next week the local committee In chargt
J. OF the arrangements for the national saen
5 gertsst announced that there would be n,
Q postponement OF the great musical festiva
h to be held In the Liberal Arts building OF
June II. Is and 49,
Nearly all the railroads could handl,
! the visitors today. but under difficulties
as the eastern hues have made their termi
: nails at or near East st. Louis. and thre,
of them. the Chicago & Alton. the Big Fou
ana the Burlington. at Alton. At the meet
ing OF the committee today the fnaI de
tails OF the saengerfest were arranged
l. Many Of the visitors are expected to ar
I rive here on Sunday evening.
8 PRINCETON. ILL.,, June i2.-Two privat
i coaches of oficials OF the Southern rail-