The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-09
SEVERAL CITIES UNDER WATER
LEVEES GIVE WAY IN ILLINOIS;
20 or MORE LIVES LOST.

At Venice, Madison rni Granite CITY
Others Cling to House Tops and
Escapc-iit,zens Volunteer 10 Work
on tinbaniinents 10 Save Fast ST. Louis
ST. LOUIS, Mo-. June S.-The food stu
alton on the east side of the Mississippi
isappalling, Six Illinois cities, with popu-
lation of over 60 900, are wholly or partially
submerged. These are Fast st. Louis,
Venice, Madison, Brooklyn, Newport and
Granite City. Venice and Madison are
completely submerged, while Newport and
Brooklyn are practically wiped off the map.
The widest rumors are ahoat as 10 the
loss of life, ranging from twenty to sixty
persons The probability is that it will
not greatly exceed the former figure,
though many persons are missing who
may have left the inundated country for
points Of safety, either on the west bank
of the Mississippi or back to the bluffs in
Illinois. Until the waters subside so that
searching parties can work the number
of deaths will not be definitely known.
THE LEvEEs GIVE WAY.
Before daylight tho great levees pro-
tecting Granite City, Madison and Venice
broke under the pressure of the waters OF
the Missouri and the Mississippi, submerg-
ing these places. The Madison county
levee, Just west of the town of Madison,
was the first to GO Three hours later
second breach was made mile north.
Then the waters attacked the embank-
ment on which are the Chicago and Alton
Railroad tracks and which were the main
dependence of Venice and soon poured
over its top six feet deep. Then came
break in the cross levee, which brought
with it the greatest flood of all. The water
came from the north and swept over the
three cities The current from the breaks
on the west met the greater current from
the north and formed a whirlpool.
The water soon reached depth OF from
six to ten feet. Granite City, being on
higher ground suffered least, space .
half mile square, containing the post office.
the American Steel Works and the st. Louis
Stamping Works. being above the flood.
Every protection for Madison Venice and
water spread everywhere.
WORKING TO SAVE EAST BIT. LOUIS.
This morning Mayor Cook of East st.
Louis issued the following proclamation:
All business is ordered suspended to-
day and every male citizen Of East st.
Louis is hereby requested to render SER
vice in keeping the water out OF the city,
Merchants and business men promptly
responded to the call, and seizing pick
and shovel waded, ofttimes waist deep, In
water, working like beavers to save the
entertainments, the breaking Of which
meant the submergence of the city. Teams
and wagons were seized by the authorities
and pressed into service, hauling material
to aid In Strengthening the levees or clos
ing breaks wherever possible.
By the breaking Of the railway embank-
ment south of East st. Louis and the break
in the embankment near Cone sta
ton, half mile north Of the relay station,
a large strip Of low-lying ground in East
st. Louis was inundated. The Cahokja
viaduct has been ordered closed, the abut-
ments being weakened by the pressure Of
water. Cahokia Creek is sending resist
less tide upstream and threatening great
damage.
As yet the business part of East st. Louis
is free from the flood, but the homes Of
hundreds Of working people have been
rendered uninhabitable. Unless the river
begins to recede by morning it is feared that
tIle IcNcC, cIShtSOh Ao'es
will give way, in which event the mainland
on which East st. Louis is situated would be
submerged back to the bluffs, distance
of six miles.
In recent years the principal streets and
business houses Of the city have been raised
four feet and over to guard against such
situation as prevails to-day. This fore
sight will save the city hundreds OF thou
sands Of dollars.
At 4 O'Clock this afternoon Mayor Cook
issued another order closing every saloon
in the city The Illinois Central was or
dered to cease operating its trains through
East st. Louis this morning. Shortly
after the order was issued switching
crew attempted to move a string OF box
cars south of Broadway. A policeman
saw the train coming and, drawing his
pistol, ran into the middle OF the track
and signalled the engineer. The engineer
brought the train to standstil under
threat of being shot, and after dumping
the engine fire the crew abandoned the
train.
Four boys were drowned in the railroad
yards OF East st. Louis this afternoon.
They were Harry Schroeder Willie King,
Eddie Amyx and James Mckenzie. Thsir,
raft was caught in the current and carried
into pile of wire, which wound around
the feet and legs of the boys. holding them
like so many serpents. while the raft was
swept from under them, and the boys went
down in twenty feet of water.
RIVER PIRA TIES AT WORK.
When the levees broke, homes in the
Illinois towns were swept away or flooded
in a twinkling, people were knocked of
their feet in the streets, houses were flooded
to the second stories, forcing the occupants
to climb to the roofs, while others were
caught like rats in a trap and drowned
before assist ance could reach them.
River pirates are looting everything they
can get their hands on, while many 60
padding about in boats refusing to rescue
people who have taliea refuge on the roof
trees OF houses or other points above the
flood until they receive their price.
With rifle Patrick Rogen, a Venice store
keeper brought one of these leeches to terms
this morning. Rcgon and his wife had
spent the night astride the roofiree OF their
house. Boats could he seen everywhere
bu, none came to their rescue. Rogen