Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-06-13
EAST ST. LOUIS INUNDATED
River Breaks Through Barriers and
Almost Whole of the Illinois
Town Is Submerged.
NUMEROUS DRoWNIEGS ARE REPORTED.
Utmost Confusion Reigns and Reports
Are Not Confirmed Part of CITY
Already Abandoned to the Flood
Workers on Levee Swim for Life
Troops Ordered to Scene.


Workers on Levee Swim for Life
Troops Ordered to Scene.
St. Louis, June 11.-With the river
risen to 37.9 feet Wednesday morning,
the highest point reached during the
present flood, East St. Louis, a city op-
posite here, with a population of 3d.
900, having large manufacturing in
terests and the terminal point for rail-
roads from the north, east and south,
is partly under water and will probably
be totally submerged soon.
Seven miles of water, pressing from
the south and southeast, overcame the
city's line of defense shortly before
one o'clock Wednesday morning and
5000 persons were driven from their
homes Numerous reports of drown
1ngs have been received, but the East
st. Louis police have thus far learned
no names of victims.
Estimated Thirty Lives Lost.
At nine o'clock Congressman w. A.
Rodenburg estimated that 80 lives
were lost in the flooding of the lower
portion of East ST. Louis. While gen.
eral alarms were given by the police
and retreating levee workers with
shouts and pistols, there was not time
to call at every house in the thickly
settled district and it is believed many
families in first-story cottages awoke
only when it was too late to escape.
Levee workers who laid down to rest
| ho hor l- L
hard labor, were caught in the flood
and drowned like rats. 1t may never
be learned how many died in this way
Among the drowned Tuesday night
previous to the break in the Illinois
Central levee were D. H. Sherwood
and John Koolish and three children.
They lost their lives by the overturn-
ing of boat in the north part Of the
city. A negro was drowned in the
waters which were climbing up the
east side of the embankment support
ing Broadway. East ST. Louis. The MAJ
was trying to get his team to higher
ground and remained in the rising wa
ters until the swift current upset and
plunged him into the bottom. His
team was drowned
Work of Rescue.
Everything obtainable was used in
the rescue of hapless people from the
second stories of dwellings, in the sub
merged district. Rats are being built,
boats improvised and wagons even are
der around with only their heads above
water while on their errands of mercy.
The naval militia of St. Louis and AL
ton are on duty. The Alton contin-
| gent, in cutter, rendered valuable
| service, rescuing men, women and chill
dren and transporting them to places
of safety.
Lieut.. Gray, commanding the St.
| Louis naval militia has his force
| spread out along the entertainments,
| guarding against levee cutting and.
depredations by hordes of negroes and
buns. Arms are stacked at police
headquarters where reputable citizens
may obtain carbines and ammunition
to guard their property.
Broadway, running east and west
through East St. Louis divides the
city in two. 1t is built up in places,
standing IS feet above the surrounding
country. 1t was first thought this
street would serve as protection to
the northeast half of the city, but the
flood that covers the southern part has
broken through in a small stream be-
tween Eighth and Ninth streets
Should the embankment formed by
Broadway give way suddenly, as
threatened, it will send a wall of wa
ter Is feet high over the remainder of
the city.
The flooded district in East St. Louis
due to the breaking of the embank-
ments is one mile wide south from
Broadway and four miles long from
east to west. It comprises about one
fourth of the city. That part of East
St. Louis known as the "Island'' was
| flooded several days ago.
The district that is inundated in
cludes the Second and Third wards,
which are known as Illinois Town and,
Denverside. Alta Sta, the suburb
east of Denverside, was still above wa
ter at nine o'clock Wednesday morn
| ing. The population of that district
is about $500, all of whom have
abandoned their homes and fed to
higher ground.
Alta Sta, Denverside and southern
East St. Louis are devoted to manu-
featuring plants and the residences of
their employees.
The Tudor iron works, the Malle-
able iron works, the WiegraftJTebb
Manufacturing company, the St. Louis
| strip refinery, the Elliott frog and
switch works, the Central Brewery
| company. the Pittsburg reduction
works, the Oeters Bread company, and
other large manufacturing plants, are
under water.
Breaking of the Levee. :;
One thousand men were working on
the part of the levee which broke For
several hours before the final break
they had the active assistance of hun
dreds of women and children. The
break came at the St. Louis Valley