The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-06-12
BIG RIVER ON A BOOM
Rise at St Louis on Sunday Marked
Foot and q Half.
OVER SEVEN FEET ABOVE DANGER LINE
Two Hundred People Imprisoned on q
Nearby Island With No Hope of Res
cuc-steamers Unable to Pass Un-
der the Bridges, and Smaller
Crafts Can't Breast Current.

st. Louis, June Like a n1ill-race
the swollen Mississippi is surgine
past st. Louis, with a stage of 36.s
feet at o'clock tonight, q rise OF
one and one-half feet since the same
hour last night The government
forecast is that the rise will continue
rapid until midnight, and then for
the next two days the stage will
creep up slowly, probably reaching
3S feet, a1d begin to recede.
imprisoned on an Island.
No word was received today from
the 200 people imprisoned on a low
island at Black Walnut, northwest
from St Louis about twenty-five miles,
and in peril of their lives from the
rising waters of the Missouri river.
Word was received last night that
at that time rescue must be effected
Immediately or they would probably
be swept away by morning. The river
has spread out around the island un-
til it is a veritable sea with a swift
current, and, although every effort
ing was accomplished today, and there
has been no means of communicate
ing with them.
Forced to Turn Back.
Between Black Walnut and ST. Louis
the Bellefontaine bridge stretches
across the Missouri, and the high
stage of the river precludes any large
steamer passing underneath. No
Sfn ic 10 of
go down the river after them. The
Spread Eagle, moored at Alton, ILL.,,
above st. Louis, was hurriedly manned
and started for the imperiled colony
late last night, but was forced to turn
back at the Bellefontaine bridge. A
private yacht at st. Louis was manned
with a company of policemen today
and started for Black Walnut, as the
craft sat low enough in the water to
pass all bridges.
BaffIed by the Current.
But another factor had to be reck-
oned with, and that was the swift cur
rent. All steam was turned on and
the yachts screw churned the muddy
waters, but she made no headway
against the current, and after vainly
stemming the flood for several hours
without making 100 yards the yacht
returned to shore and the venture
was abandoned None of the large
river steamers in ST. Louis harbor ca
pable of forcing their way with their
powerful engines against the mill
race current can pass under Eads
bridge and Merchants bridge, and
if they could the Bellefontaine bridge,
which is lower, would prevent them
reaching Black Walnut.
Tal, t. 81 tn
and fertile valley of the Missouri, and
the land surrounding it is said to be
the richest land in the State Aside
from the loss of life if such catastro-
phe shall occur, the property loss
will be very heavy, as the entire val
ley is under water and homes have
been washed away, farms destroyed
and stock drowned.
Reported Drownings.
Reports of supposed loss of life
have been received saying that per-
sons have been seen to disappear,
but there is no proof that any one
was drowned. Near Madison a dixie
broke this afternoon and a wall Of
water rushed through. Mrs. Anton,
clasping an infant in her arms, was,
according to the story of witnesses,
swept away and drowned
There are reports of five employees
of the American Car and Foundry
works losing their lives.
Steamer for Black Walnut.
At 10 o'clock tonight a small steam
boat with powerful propeller was
secured and hastily prepared for
trip to Black Walnut to rescue the
people imperiled there. The steamer
swung out into the current and at
once began to make headway. The
steamer should have no difficulty in
reaching Black Walnut.
Levee Laborers Shy.
EasC ST. Louis was unable to secure
enough me1 to work on the levee to-
day. Men apparently needy refused
offers of 80 cents an hour to pile
sand bags on the levee. City officials,
citizens and even professional men,
sprang into the breach and worked
with a will to keep the water out
Of the city, while crowds of men ap-
pareatly needing employment stood
about and refused all offers of work.
Police officers temporarily became
agents and invaded sa-
looms to secure workmen, but, al
though the saloons were crowded,
small percentage of the patrons were
willing to help protect the city.
Breaking of Records.
The flood stage tonight has broken
all high water records at st. Louis
since May 10, 1858, when the high
water mark was 37.5 feet. The high
est mark known here was reached
by the great flood of June q, 1914,
when Ala was reached.
Earth to stem the threatened
breaks in railway levees in East ST.
Louis was taken from the Worlds
Fair site today and an army of men
with wagons hurried it across the
bridge to strengthen the water bar
'iers.