Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-15
Written for The Star.

Written for The Star.
- PRING brings a peri-the freshet.
That first warm breath of the
vernal season sung by the poets
is also the sure announcer of
death and destruction. Hardly
less Unsuitable in the toll of life and dol
lars it exacts from mankind than the
earthquake. volcanic eruption or con-
fayration, the freshet is the father of
the food.
High I'D on the mountain sides during
midwinter pile up the Jagged hlllocks or
ice As long as grim Jack Frost keeps
his chilling hand on the mass it is harm
less.
But spring is a messenger OF release.
The same force that starts the mowers
chases overcoats and brings outdoor sport
also produces the thaw.
The ice melts. enlarging the volume OF
water contained in the creek. Gaining
momentum this flow of water piles into
the river. The natural bounds of the
river do not suffice to hold it. there Is an
overflow into the country. the city. the
railway, or whatever happens to line the
course of the river. A moderate freshet
costs millions in property destroyed,
food of any proportions is the almost
certain reaper OF human life.
Already newspapers from all over the
country are reporting harvest OF death
and destruction from the spring freshet,
vet mankind is helpless to prevent. He
can only sit idly by. hope for the best,
and undo the havoc as quickly as posi-
BILE after the waters have receded.
That contiguity to a river, which is the
greatest natural aid to a town CONNER
cially, becomes a peril of first impor-
lance in the springtime.
All along the entire course of the Mis-
sissippi stand the leyees which help to
IS fvnyr
flowing every state it's borders lave
Make an Inland Sea.
No city is exempt. st. Louis has
constant battle and at no time is the
danger worse than in the early days OF
March, all the way TO the closing ones
of Nav. The famous freshet of 1903 sent
food of rushing waters into the city.
East ST Louis was submerged, and in
some places it was several days before the
waters hacked up enough to let wreeking
parties reach the railroad tracks to make
repairs where miles of track had been
washed up as though torn from their
fastenings by giant pair OF pliers Weld
ed from above by some irresistible force
Heavy steel rails in the vicinity OF Man
haitian KAN. the tracks of the Union
Pacific railroad. were bent. broken or
torn up bodily and displaced.
For DAYS I20OOO acres of fertile land IN
the delta of the DeS MONIES river, iowa
and Missouri were completely sub
merged. Levees broke all along the line.
and the city of Alexandria briefly passed
from the map altogether, though with
characteristic western energy 1t was re-
built as soon as the river went back to
its proper bounds.
This country Is region favored of live
stock Into the value OF hundreds OF
thousands of dollars this was destroyed,
but a large part was saved by dex-
trous scheme of having men in fiat-bot-
toned boats go out to the swimming cat
tie and horses, place halters on them,
then rowing the boats to higher ground,
while the animals obediently followed
the Ealters.
I'm the same freshet large section OF
the Rock Island tracks was lifted bodily
and thrown on the track parallel
Passengers in Louisiana in the spring
time occasionally have the experience OF
looking I'D to see the river higher than
the railroad trains.
The freshets have caused the water 10
ascend the sides of the OBTAINING leVees.
and The hull OF a steamer towers above
the top of the passenger car. Httle
break in that wall of earth and great
stretches of land in Mississippi and Lou