Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-07

to those further south to run for their
lives. over a foot of water came rushing
down upon the embankment, sweeping 1t
away, and the water flowed ~unopposed into
the shops.
In Council Bluffs that day the water was
four feet deep in the lower part of town.
The fires at the transfer hotel had been
drowned out, and people went from town
to the Union Pacific transfe in boats.
April 10 the waters began to subside and
the inhabitants believed that the worst
was over. The following day nearly all of
the trains over the railroads were on time,
and there was talk Of resuming work at
the shops and smelters. April IA the
steamboat, c.. K. Peck. which had wintered
at Nebraska City, passed up stream, the
first boat up the river that year.
The Omaha Spirit.
Then Omaha showed the spirit that made
1t. Before normal conditions prevailed at
home the people turned their eyes in pity
upon their less fortunate brothers. A petit
ton signed by Bishop GARRISON, Edward
Rosewater and others was presented to
Mayor Boyd asking him to call a mass
meeting to raise money for the flood suf-
ferers in Dakota and northern Nebraska.
The meeting was held Saturday, April 16.
DR.. George L. Miller, Bishop Clarkson and
others spoke briefly, telling OF the damage
done TO people and property. Before the
meeting closed S956.50 had been subscribed.
The subscription was kept open five days
and $500 subscribed. Samuel ]. Tilden Of
New York gave $3.50 through DR.. Miller.
This money was sent to the acting gov
ernor of Dakota, who distributed 1t among
the people damaged by the waters.
The day before the subscription list was
closed Omaha saw that 1t had not COM
pleted its experience with the Missouri
river flood. Water again stood in the
Union Pacific shops and the smelter. In
twenty-four hours the danger line had been
passed. The lumber yards along the river,
which had generally escaped with slight
damage in the previous high water, were
now affected more than any other place.
for the smelter and the shops had reached
a point where a little more water would
not add to the injury.
When the piles of lumber began to float
booms were constructed of heavy timber
held together by cables, and hoated below
the lumber to be saved. As the lighter
boards foated down stream they were
caught by the booms and held. April p
the boom at Fosters lumber yard went
out, unable to hold the lumber pounding
against 1t. other booms gave way and II
was estimated the next day that within
twenty-four hours 100000 feet of lumber
had been washed from the Omaha yards
This day the water registered % feet
inches and was flowing over the floors al
Boyd's packing house.
Reporter in a skin.
April % a reporter for The Bee made a
personal inspection OF the flooded districts
In Omaha and Council BLUFFS I'm a kin
His first stop was at the smelter. which
was then completely cut on from any
other means Of communication From
there he crossed the river to the Unior
Pacific transfer, and then went up Il
Council Bluffs, rowing without interruption
from the transfer 10 the uptown depoti
Of the Union Pacific and NorthWester
roads. The ice had by this time passeC
out OF the river here and was forming
gorge further south, which caused the sec
Ond flood. The river was filled with float