The Van Buren press., 1904-04-30
Waters RISING,
i But I MOI 50 FAST
1t is Not Thought Now That the
Crest Will Go Beyond Thirty
Four Feet at St. Louis.
The PEOPLE ON The EAST Side
ARE SOMEWHAT MORE HOPEFUL
They Are Not Relaxing Their vigil
ance, However, and Are Maxim.
Preparations to Fight High
stage by Getting Fifty Thousand
Earth Bags Ready.

st, Louis, April 2S-Sunshine has
come at last to cheer the hearts and
brighten the hopes of the chilled and
apprehenhiye East Side cities which
seemed threatened with another disas
trous food.
The estimate made at the st. Louis
harbor office was that the food would
reach It's crest at midnight at a stage
something over SO feet. The river it
rising but slowly, and at noon stood
at 1928, with the waves tapping the
pillars at the elevated railway and
crawling over the tracks at the top OF
the levee The reading was BIT Tues
day night and 1928 at seven o'clock
Wednesday morning.
Refugees from the threatened dis
tricts OF East st. Louis, Granite City,
Venice, Madison and Brooklyn are re.
turning to the scene of danger and la
boring with a will to avert any fur.
Their catastrophe.
Mayor Leads In the Work.
At East ST. Louis Mayor Silas Cook
led the "cheer-up" movement by get
ting on the scene Of action bright and
early, attired In hip boots, and ready
to take hurried survey of the situa-
ton He reported everything in safe
condition.
The Illinois Central embankment,
which acts as a dixie on the south OF
the city, and which broke at a critical
stage last year, has been adequately
strengthened by force Of 200 men,
with two steamshovels and pile
driver.
The Wigs Ferry tracks, both abov
and below the city, are nearly car.
wheel deep under water, but Mayor
Cook declared his belief that the stage
would not go over "a feet, and that lit
tie damage was threatened,
At Alton, Wednesday morning. a, sale
Of cattle driven from the West Alton
lowlands was held, and many cattle
are being moved to the city from pas
lures on the east side. The river is
within six feet OF the highest stage al
Alton last year, and is steadily rising.
The nearest approach to a general
overflow has been along the east side
Of the river at Granite City and Mad
ison, At the latter point the levee
broke leaving an outfit Of levee graders
marooned and unable to reach Mitchell
by land. The steamer Spread Eagle
went up the river from st, Louis and
brought off 200 men and 100 horses
and mules A herd Of horses in pas
turo near Granite City was also
brought to the city by the Spread
Eagle.
Sand Bags TO Strengthen bikes.
Much bottom land outside the protec-
ton Of the main Madison leyee Is sub
merged, and crops are ruined.
Thousands OF men have been al work
along the railway embankments above
the tri-cities, these entertainments serv-
ing as bikes Of great value, Mayor
Cook Of East 81, Louis neither antici-
pates nor fears rise 10 the 36-foot
stage, but as measure of precaution
is having prepared 10000 bags Of sand
and clay for use in strengthening bikes.
II Is estimated that 1870 families hav
deserted their homes In the Missouri
river bottoms, and that 10000 acres
are inundated.
At Alton 20 families, forced to fee
from the bottoms, were given refuge in
the city hall,