The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-28
IOWA
|LEYEES GIVE WAY
City Of Des Moines Threatened With
the Unprecedented Flood
Of Last Year.
Homes Of Many Hundreds Laid
Waste-Loss in Country Dis
tricts Incalculable.

Is les MONIES, Iowa, May 28.-f1unQTeuS
Of families were driven from their homes
by floods which to-day closely approached
the unprecedented record of last year
and continued to rise with such rapidity
as to make 1t apparent that last years
record would soon ebe surpassed.
At the Sixth street bridge In North
Des Moines the guage is within six
inches of last years record of 2l.4 feet.
In the heart of the city the guage indi-S
Gated approximately nineteen feet. The
water to-day is rising at the rate OF two
inches an hour. Reports from above
Des Moines indicate that last years
record has been surpassed and the water
Is rising at startling rate.
All night scores of men patrolled the
river banks, Strengthening the leVees.
while many more were employed In re-
moving Inhabitants and household goods
from the bottoms.
At O clock the levees on Maurice street
gave way before the floods of the Des
Moines river, swelled by those OF the
Raccoon, and $50 houses were Hooded
in incredibly. short. time, forcing the
inmates to run for their lives. The Rae
coon Is keeping pace with the Des MONIES
and has devastated many square miles
of territory in the southwest portion Of
the state. ~
Span Of New Bridge Carried OH.
AT 9:45 a. M the center span of the
$85, 900 Melan arch bridge, in process OF
construction on Sixth street, was carried
away and it was apparent the south span
could not long Withstand the mighty cur
rent. The wreckage was swept against
the street railway bridge, and that struc-
ture had a narrow escape. me loss 70
the bridge is estimated at $4,000
The damage in the state caused by the
| heavy rains is past all comprehension.
In the northern part of the state, vast
areas of fine farming country are trans
formed into 1akes.
| An OFFICIAL estimate on the loss caused
at the institution for feeble mined chill
dren at Glenwood by the recent tornado
has reached the board of control ofr1ce.
1T is from Superintendent Powell and
places the damage at SCI ,oOO
Special to The journal.
Spencer, Iowa May 2S.-Not since 1892
| has northwestern Iowa experienced such
excessive rain. In many sections tne
| downpour has amounted to cloudbursts.
The Little Sioux river at this place is
| over its banks and many dwellings on the
! south side are uninha bttable.
| The excessive rain has delayed corn
planting seriously, and many Of the farm
ers have been unable to prepare their
i ground. Small grain, however, Is gen.
/ orally in good condition, and with rea-
| sonably fair weather will be a large crop
The corn crop, however, Is matter o.
serious speculation.
\ Special to The Journal.
Sioux Rapids, Iowa, May 2S.-The
Sioux river at this place, has risen sever
feet above Its normal level and has flood.
: ed the lower portion Of town: The cit.
water station and the electric light plan
are shut down. The tracks of the. Chi
cago & Northwestern suffered severe
damage by a landslide east OF town. Fo
! $50 feet the earth fell away beneath thu
track and men have resorted to log cabin
ing old ties to support the rails.
Special to The Journal.
Cedar Falls Iowa, May 28-The Ceda
river reached the highest point IN thirt,
| years to-day. Cedar City is flooded an
the residents have escaped in boats. : Th
river is mile wide at this point. Tn
. Great Western station is reached only b
boat. No trains are running. faa