Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-04-01
TWO LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST
Estimates Place the Damage to Prop
erty at Million Dollars-Rail-
roads Forced to Aban-
don Trains.

and was washed away, and boy who
was drowned in flooded street at
Uwosso. Reports from many places tell
of steady downpour of rain, with no
sign Of let-up.
All trains were abandoned on the
Michigan Central railroad between
Jackson and Saginaw. On the Michigan
Central's main line between Jackson
and Niles conditions were such at Bat,
tie Creek and Wheatfield that this part
OF the line was abandoned and through
trains are being run from Jackson to
Niles over the Air line division, cut
ting off Marshall, Battle Creek and
] Kalamazoo entirely for the present as
far as this road is concerned. Trains
between Jackson and Grand Rapids on
the Michigan Central have also been
abandoned. Officials Of the road state
that, with one or two exceptions, there
have been no washouts, and that traf-
fic will be resumed as soon as the wa
ter subsidies. The Pere Marquette ia
blocked at Flint and was blocked for
time near Lansing.
Worst in Many Years.
Grand Rapids, Mich, March 26-The
food situation in western Michigan is
the worst in 35 years. Grand river is
rising by leaps and the valley which it
drains resembles in many localities
large lakes, while at other points the
swollen stream is quite two miles
wide. All the large nearby towns
along it are practically under water,
while in this city the water gauge at
the dam at $3.50 o'clock Friday night
showed it three feet above the danger
line, the water standing at 1858 feet.
This is a rise of five feet in "a hours.
Over SO manufacturing firms along
the canals and river and in close prox-
unity are flooded and forced to shut
down, and 5000 men are out of employ
ment. A large portion of the western
part of the city is flooded, and scores
Of families have had to abandon their
dwellings. Train service and interur-
ban service on all lines except the
Grand Rapids & Indiana is interrupted,
the trouble ranging from a complete
tie-up of the Pere Marquette and Michi-
gan Central between here and Detroit
to late trains on the Pere Marquette's
Chicago branch Ionia is suffering
more from the flood than any of the
other smaller towns on the Grand
river.
Lowell Partly Under Water.
Towns further up Grand river report
unprecedented floods. At Lowell one
third of the town is under water. The
Grand and Flat rivers, which Join there,
are so swollen that they meet in Main
street, one mile from their regular con-
fuence. The trestlework of the Pere
Marquette bridge is under water, and
the old bridge is SO weakened that it is
probable that traffic will have to be sus-
pended over the Saginaw division Of
the Pere Marquette until the water re.
cedes.
At Battle Creek.
Battle Creek, Mich, March 26.-Flood
conditions here as result Of the unpre-
cedented rise of the Kalamazoo river
and Battle creek, both Of which run
through the town, are the most serious
in the history Of the city. ALI street
cars are stopped by the high water, the
barns being flooded: the three depots.
the Grand Trunk, Michigan Central and
Detroit, Toledo & Muskegon, are sur
rounded several inches deep with wa
ter, and one of the three bridges con-
Meeting the business and residence sec
lions Of the city has gone out. The
water is now within few inches OF the
Jefferson avenue north bridge Own
ers Of uptown stores are moving their
stocks ont of Easements and lower floors,
while many of the downtown stores
are already flooded and their owners are
getting about in the district with boats.
It is feared that the Kalamazoo river
and Battle Creek will continue over.
flowing their banks until the two
streams meet. There is much danger
of buildings along the river, built on
foundations of piles, going out with the
food Several small bridges over the
i, creek went out during the night.
In Wisconsin.
Milwaukee, March 26.-Belated re-
ports Of Thursday nights severe rain
and windstorm in southeastern Wis
consin are coming in, and indicate a
great deal of damage was wrought. In
Racine county the damage is estimated
at $4,000. In the city Of Burlington
lwest of Racine, the large brick smoke
stacks at the malthouse toppled over
and the dam in the center Of the city
was carried away.
i Appleton reports that Peter verbost
living near Wittle Chute. was killed by
lightning while crossing field near his
home. His right ear was torn from his
head and his scalp laid bare. The pa.
. per mills suffered heavy damages from
floods, there being seven feet Of water
in several mill Easements. In the bust.
} ness district the loss from flooded stores
ID estimated at $4,000. 49,,
Wasn't Quite Sure.
Passenger-Are your saudwiche
fresh?
Sandwich Boy-I don't know. mister
I've only been here three days,-Judre
NY