The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-04
DUBUQUE'S CAPTAIN
TELLS OF The
FLOOD
Says That Farms in Illinois
and Iowa Are Submerged
by the Mississippi and Pre-
sent a Desolate Picture
Business Suspended in
Many River Towns.

The water in the river is very high
and is causing great inconvenience and
damage at all points," said Capt. DOL
son, of the Diamond 10 steamer Du-
buque, which arrived at st. Paul last
night. 1.-THE farmers, especially, suffer
from the high water. Their lands along
the bottoms are completely inundated.
At many places on this trip we saw
whole farms completely covered, with
only the roofs Of the buildings above
the food.
In all such cases the farmers were
compelled to seek shelter and safety
on : the high lands away from the
stream. abandoning their household
goods and what stock they could not
remove. On the lower river, near ST.
Louis, this is more noticeable, but at
places farther up the same conditions
prevail.
Towns. also, are suffering greatly
from the flood. Our warehouses at all
down. river points are partly sub
merged, as well as the warehouses Of
business firms that are located on the
river bank or in low and unprotected
places.
Like the Streets of Venice.
I'm many towns the streets are
Veritable canals and the people go
about in row boats. Business in most
ONAOA P1cSCS ID Su0pSIOSO, GIIC dCISutIOA
of the inhabitants being devoted to
saving what they can from the water.
LAS we came higher up the river,
however, the results of the high water
were not SO noticeable. Towns are not
built SO frequently on the brink of the
stream, and in most cases they are
protected by high banks Down
through Illinois and Iowa, where the
torrents of rain that have fallen in the
north central states have made the
Mississippi appear twice its normal
size, the towns and bottom lands have
suffered greatly In many places the
inhabitants of the towns have extern
poriZed camps as near as possible to
their homes.
1.-The farmers, though, are the most
unfortunate, for their crops will prob
ably be ruined. The sight of a sub
merged farm is desolate picture. AT
some places the chimney Of the house
would be visible, at others part of the
house and outbuildings could be seen,
and the acres that should now be I'M
der cultivation are at the bottom Of
what seems to be lake.
These conditions are not however,
SO very unusual for this time Of the
year. I expect the water to subside
now at any time.
Pilots Must Be Cautious.
1gat1On with the water so nigh
presents many difficulties. The banks
are not in sight and the pilot has to be
familiar indeed with the river bed in
order to avoid running aground where
the waters are shallow. We made a
successful trip nevertheless and had
no accidents or unusual incidents.
Passenger business on the river Is
picking up well. This is our fourth
trip and Is by far the best we have
made so far this year. We left st.
Louis last Saturday and will leave here
tonight"
The river gained the twelve-foot
point yesterday morning about 10
o'clock and had sunk half a tenth last
night. Observer Oliver declares that
the river will not rise any higher and
that it is now due to recede. The ces-
sation of the heavy rains in the central
part of the state will cut off the
abundant supply Of water that has
created the flood.