The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1903-06-17
UNDER WATER.
Thousands Flee From East st. Louis
to Escape Flood.
THIRTY PEOPLE ARE DROWNED
The Widest Excitement Existed ir
All Parts of the City. Heavy
Loss of all Kinds of

All Parts Of the City. Heavy
Loss of all Kinds of
Property.
At st. Louis the river "Wednesday
morning reached stage of S7.9 feet,
highest point during the present flood
East st. Louis, with population of
$4,000, having large manufacturing
interests and the terminal point for
railroads from the north, east and
south, is partly under water and will
probably be totally submerged ay
noon.
The southern half of East st. Louis
is deep i'm the flood and the city's
,, 500 levee builders have fallen back
to Missouri avenue in the attempt TO
save the remainder OF the city, menac-
ed by swelling waters from three sides.
Broadway, the central east and west
thoroughfare, has been abandoned to
the Hood. Lee Harper, former city
attorney, says the water will be two
feet deep in front OF the city hall be-
fore 6 o'clock.
Seven miles OF water pressing from
the south and southeast overcame the
city'S line of defense Wednesday
morning and 5000 persons were driven
from their homes. Numerous reports
or drowning have been received, but
the East st. Louis police have thus
far learned no names OF victims. Ore
thousand men were working on the
lcvcc when 1t broke. Several hours
before the final break they had the
active assistance of hundreds OF women
and children. The break came ut the
st. Louis valley crossing of the Illi-
nois Central embankment two miles
south OF Relay depot.
WOMEN At WORK.
While as many men. women and
children rs could stand on the en-
bankment were packing sand bags to
the rails to prevent break, the re-
Sistless current broke through the
wall Of earth and spurted i'm rivulets
in the face OF those who were carrying
sandbags up the bank. Bags thrown
into the openings by dozens of men
were tossed 10y the waters like feathers
when the workers fled from their use
less task and the alarm was given by
the ringing OF bells and blowing OF
whistles In every part of the city.
a few of the workers i'm the embank-
ment remained at their posts until the
rushing waters made IT. necessary for
them TO swim for their lives. Then
they joined their companions i'm warn
Ing the residents OF the thickly settled
district OF their danger.
THE PEOPLE FLEE.
Awakened families saw the water i'm
the streets. When they were ready to
leave with their hurriedly collected
stock of necessities the flood was at
their door sillS. They fled to the
north. The Washington school was
the nearest point of safety Many
made for the high ground near the
Illinois Central tracks. Men from
Alta Sita and Denver side, who had
been working on the abandoned levee.
FASTENED TO those localities to tell
their neighbOrS of their danger. Every
locomotive and factory whistle Joined
in the clamor OF alarm.
The water is not expected to reach
its level in the Hooded part OF the city
before moor. Mayor Parker predicts
that when the level is reached the
water will be two feet higher than at
: o'clock Thursday morning.
DiSmayed by the defeat which has
come in their seven days battle with
the Hood, the greater part OF the levee
builders fell back to Broadway, where
at
water. a half hours work and sur
vey OF the prospect convinced those i'm
charge that it was useless to try to
keep the water from Broadway and
the Hood lighters fell back upon Mis-
souri, avenue, which runs east from
the Relay station.
NEGRO SHOT DEAD.
Here the scenes OF the past week
were repeated as the streets were
quickly tranSpuSed into dixie. An
appeal from Mayor Cook TO the cover
nor OF Illinois for state troops to aid
in guarding property was answered by
the promise that details OF militia
would he sent To East st. Louis at
once.
- "" 'i''in 'SipiI bllC III lIlt
levee Ned Roberts, negro employed
as levce builder was killed by mem
bcrS of the levcc patrol for attempting
10 tear down portion OF the dixie.
His act was caused by anger because
he was not allowed to draw his pay at
once.
Relief boats started from St Louis
for East st. Louis early Wednesday
morning. Congressman William a .
Rodenburg issued an appeal for aid
for the Hood sufferers. Food, he says
is mostly needed and means must he
had for delivering it to persons who
are I'm upper stories of their homes
and I'm box cars.
At o'clock water was threatening
the north and east sides, preserved
temporarily by the Baltimore ana
ohio railroad cmbankment and had
reached to the viaduct only seven
blocks east OF the city hall In this
public building u foot and half OF
side water had already collected. All
low points OF the city are under water.
EVERYBODY WARNED.
When the break occurred warnings