Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-03-30
WATERLOO IS
UNDER WATER
leyees Break And Factory
Distric, Is Badly
Flooded.
SUFFERING IS VERY GREAT
Families in Flooded District Res
cued after Heroic Efforts-About
Five Hundred Men Are Thrown
Out Of Work.

families are homeless and thousands
Of dollars worth of damage has been
done to business and property inter-
ests by floods here, which became
serious at an early hour this morn
ing. TIL, water in the Cedar river
has risen eleven feet anG at 3:15 this
morning Lroke the west levee, food
ing the entire west side. This in
cludes the Westfeld manufacturing
district, In which ten factories, employ.
ing in all about 500 men, are located.
The Marsh separator factory, employ
ing 600 men is also inundated.
The places in Westfield which are
flooded are as follows:
Waterloo Threshing Machine Co.
Kent Manufacturing company.
Headford Bros, foundry.
Linford Bros, foundry.
Waterloo Motor Works.
Waterloo Cast Iron company.
Waterloo Carriage company.
Waterloo and Cedar Falls Power
House.
Iowa Dairy Separator company.
Globe Box Factory.
Artificial Ice company.
In East Waterloo the Litchfleld fac
tory IS Inundated. The Waterloo
water works company for the first
time in the history of the town is
under W: er and there is much fear
that no fire protection can be had for
some time.
In the downtown district the Y. M.
c. A. building is partially flooded, and
the $1,000 gymnasium fixtures have
been destroyed.
The Cedar Falls & Waterloo rail-
way is tied UP. The dam at San
Souci park went out early this morn
and one Of the bridges north of the
city has move l six incues off it's piers.
1t is feared that it will fall into the
roaring torrent
Two hundred families are left
homeless and work of rescue is being
carried on by men on horseback anu
IN boats. The imprisoned people re
being taken from the windows of their
ruined homes and carried to places of
safety as rapidly as possible. The
river is still rising and it is hard to tell
where the disaster will end.
1t has just been reported that the
east side levee HIS also broken and
that the wholesale district on the east
SIDE is Hooded, the cellars being full
OF water. The same fate has befallen
the general business district on the
west side.
The Rock Island tracks between
Waterloo and Cedar Falls have been
washed out for half a mile and trains
are running over the Illinois Central
The Rock Island bridge at Sherlock
went out this morning.
Reports from Cedar Falls show n
similar disaster. 1t is reported that
200 families there have been driven
from their homes, many Of them be.
Ing taken away in boats.
Any estimate of the money loss
at this time Is impossible, but it will
aggregate many thousands of dollars,
The flood situation Is the most
serious that has ever confronted this
city. Hundreds are left without the
comforts Of life and it will take siren.
uous measures to relieve the distress
which will ensue, especially among
the families of the working men, who
are left without employment for an
indefinite length of time.
The Westfleld manufacturing dis.
trict was established several years
ago, and has been built up by the
ceaseless efforts Of the Waterloo bust.
ness men. It is the center of the
manufacturing life of the city.
Reports from the country around
here indicate that the unprecedented
high water Is everywhere causing
great distress and damage.
Early this morning the general
alarm was sounded and the entire
city turned out to help the flood
sufferers. The eleven foot mark
reached by the river is the highest
point reached in the history of the
city's floods. Reports from Charles
City and points to the north are to
the effect that the water is going
down there and relief is expected
from the food some time today.
| Waterloo, March 29.-With scores
of homes in the outlying additions OF
the city inundated, the Easements of
practically all the business houses of
West Waterloo filled with water and
the majority Of the factories closed
by high water, Waterloo Is experienc.
ing the worst flood in its history.
It Is impossible to estimate the
damage in dollars and cents as it will
largely depend upon the rapidity
with which the water recedes. Some
claim that it will total between $780,
600 and 100000.
There were numerous narrow
escapes, scores of families being re.
moved from their homes during Tues.
day night in boats, but there haye
been no serious accidents or casual
ties. The food reached its height at
noon yesterday and 1t is thought that
further danger is unlikely.