The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-06-12
EAST ST. LOUIS ! .
UNDER WATER.
THE RIVER RISES SUDDENLY WITHOUT
WARNING.
People Take Refuge In Second Stories and
On Roofs, But 0ne-Story Cottages
.,...s.., ,..,r.. Are Covered.

'. . ...,Ft 3 = =.
St. Louis, Mo-, June 10. AAl-
most two-thirds of the territory of
East St. Louis, Ills.,. is under
from two to fifteen feet of water.
Between sunset last night and
dawn today eleven lives were sac
rificed to the waters and damage
which no man today attempted to
estimate has been done to- the prop
erty.
Probably never before in the his
tory OF the country has a more val
liant fight been made by brave men
with defeat staring them in the
face to protect lives and property
than has been made by the cit
izens of East St. Louis. When
the rising Mississippi river began
to threaten the city last Thursday
morning Mayor Silas Cook ordered
men to work to construct sand bag
ievees at once. The river rose
higher and more men were en-
ployed. Citizens of the best classes
worked side by side with the labor
ers. Since Thursday morning five
thousand men, under the leadership
of Mayor Silas Cook, without sleep,
with little rest and food snatched at
intervals, have toiled INCREASINGLY to
strengthen levees and to do every
thing possible to save the city. Not
wheel of industry is turning in
East st. Louis. The smokeless
chlmneys of manufacturing plants
stand lifeless while the flood whirls
at the foundations.
The vast railroad yards are out
lined by hundreds of half sub
merged cars, and here and there
stand locomotives only half visi-
BILE.
Huge grain elevators stand sur
rounded by veritable sea.
10 the south, beyond the railway
yard, are thousands of homes, main
ly humble cottages, owned by the
laborers and containing their all,
submerged to the caves.
In Northern East St. Louis the
description is repeated, but not on
such large scale.
.'. THE BUSINESS PORTION
of the city and the district contain
ing the better residences is still in
tact; "but for how long?" is the
question tonight.
When boats were rowed along
side homes where the occupants
MARooNED IN SECOND STORIES
and on roofs, in the great majority
of cases the occupants could not be
induced to leave. They said to
leave meant that their belongings
would be left to the mercy of river
thieves and; they would remain and
stand guard. Strangely the women
were those most UNIV illing to be
rescued, although some of them
wept in terror. They were assured
that a thorough boat patrol would
be established, with orders to kill
river thieves on sight, and finally
the unwilling householders were
persuaded to go to land: : AS wives
entered boats that were too full TO
carry, husbands and children and
were sent ahead they wept and
clasped each otker in abjcct fear
that some farther calamity might
separate them forever. ...
AT the landings weeping women
were assisted from the boats md
throughout the day scores of
boats rescued hundreds of refu.
gees.
Attorney II. f. Dempcy, who
has charge of Camp Refugee, said
tonight: -
GIVE MUST HAVE FOOD.
East St. Louis is cut off from
sources of supply and what she had
has been largely drawn upon dur.
ing the past week. Large amounts
of food were destroyed by the water
last night, and we are in need Of
additional food to care for the suf-
fering people. The viaduct is un.