Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-06-01
Bakers Are Unable 10 Furnish Enough
Bread for the Refugees.
)AL FAMINE is ALSO THREATENED
Water Works Company Likely to Be Forced
TO Close at Any Time.
LEVEE BREAKS AND FLOODS COMMONS
About Evening the River Commences
TO Recede and Gives the stricken
Ones n Ray of Hope of
Relief.

| DIES MONIES, Ia. May S.--Late this AZ.
Iternoon the relief authorities announced
| that they were confronted with food
and fuel famine Meat markets all over
| the city declare :hey have but two or
| three days stock on hand. There is no train
entering the city and no prospect OF get
ting a shipment of freight into Des Moines
| in less than three or four days. Bakeries
are over-taxed as result OF the demand
OF the 5000 food refugees through the re-
| lief association.
The temperature of the past three days
has been such to cause great suffering
and to threaten great loss of life through
exposure. Now it transpires that there
is but a meager coal supply and that the
light and power plant and the waterworks
have an insufficient supply, Roads are i'm
| passable for team hauling and no coal can
| be shipped In. At the water company's
| Office this afternoon II was stated that the
! situation was alarming. Notice was sent
| to every resident in the city TO draw
extra supply of water TO provide against
/ the closing of the plant.
! Owing to the breaking of another levee.
the commons on which sixty tents were
placed for flood refugees was Hooded, COM
pletely submerging the tents The oc-
cupants escaped.
/ seven Fatalities.
Once more hope has oeen inspired in
the breasts of the 5000 flood refugees by
the report that the river had begun slowly
to decline. After rising all night. fall OF
two inches was noted between 8 o'clock
and noon. The condition Of the sufferers
has been slightly alleviated by the bettor
organization of the relief forces. But
isolated instances OF extreme need Of food
have been discovered and those who were
living in tents have nearly all been re-
: moved to places OF comfort in public build
, ings. The need of bed covering is still
imperative. Not wheel is turning in the
! factory district and no effort is made to
open any business houses Doats AFFORD the
only means OF communication ,betWeen
North South and East pes Moines. and
" the main part osttin city. This ls extremely
! periious So far as Is known but seven
r authenticated fatalities have occurred. Re-
9 ports of score more have been received
! from that section of the city that is cut
on from communication. but cannot be
verified.
e The Northwestern operated one train out
a of the city limits today. mall being con-
: veyed to it in boat The Rock Island Is
4 trying to get trains through to the west.
a Tho main line east is tied up The Mil
h waukee is also making spasmodie attempts
: to operate trains The Great Western,
: Wabash and Burlington roads have com
pletely abandoned their lines in this city.
r The water and electric light and power
Q plants still running, but Il is only by
n the employment OF several hundred men to
/ man pumps and work on the levees
. For over two days II has rained con-
o stantly and the mercury has stood close to
: the freezing point. Scores OF men. women
, and children have spent hours at a time
, in soaking wet garments, sitting on the
o roofs of their homes awaiting the arrival
9 of the rescuers. The last OF these was
removed at 10 o'clock. More fatalities will
result from exposure than from drowning
The property loss will mount up into the
y millions. The situation at Ottumwa and
9 other points on the Des Moines river be-
d low here is little better.
Thieves Are Busy.
!. At o'clock tonight the water in the
q Des Moines river had declined fourteen
4 inches from its maximum height OF twenty
a four feet, attained carly this morning
r Notwithstnn nnding the steady rain that has
e fallen for three days, II is believed danger
of further rise II past as reports from
3 points above Des Moines are 10 the effect
n that the river has been falling for twenty
y four hours
The extent OF suffering among the sew
n eraI thousand food refugees has been re-
d duced 10 a minimum by the better oreaniza-
y tion OF relief work The few remaining
IS levees will hold. The water plant reports
a that 81 will be able to continue in operation
? and the Edison light and power plant gives
= a similar report.
n The river continues 10 be from a halt
Ia mile 20 two miles wide, however effectuaIly
d cutting on communication between the
" main part OF Des Moines from East, North
,r and South Des Moines, and covers thou
le sands of homes and business houses. The
al water is hlled with debris and boating Il
to perilous. Railway traflc continues TO he
ID tied up and 1t will be several days befor,
ls the steam railways viii resume schedules
- or the street railway can be operated
The police report that thieves in boat,
are plundering stocks OF merchandise in the
business district TO an alarming extent an(
e several arrests have been made. One oficei
te had battle with a robber who escaped.
~ Beats Record at Ottumwa.
n. oTTUMwA Ia. May S.-All records fol
or high water were broken today with wate
rs in the Des Moines river standing n feet 81
inches. Hundreds OF homes in the ives
q and south part OF Ottumwa are hooded
le The work of resculng victims occupied tn,
no entire day. II is reported that all sufferer
he have been saved. Nearly 10000 for relie
st has been subscribed by the inhabitants o
ed ottumwa. Churches. public buildings an,
IL many private houses were opened 20 suf
is ferers No deaths are reported. Railroa,
he traffic is cut off on all roads except on tn
d. Chicago. Burlington q Quincy.
BALL TEAMS NOT DROWNED