The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-04-17

III inundated, SlU,UUU,UDO nnanclal
loss and railroad traffic para
lyzed were the striking features of the
great food in the Mississippi valley.
The disaster had its heroes, thrilling
incidents and narrow escapes.
Dozens of cities in five states up and
down the river were put under water
or menaced, and levees gave way be-
fore the pressure Of the vast wastes of
water like cardboard. From Illinois to
Mississippi and Arkansas a grim and
determined fight against the ravaging
sweep of the great Father of Waters
was waged. Millions of bags of sand
and dirt were used to strengthen levees
that had become weakened. Every
where in the entire water swept valley
men worked with but one idea or pur-
pose-that Of staving off impending
breaks that would sweep away homes
and perhaps lives.
In the wake of the flood is the grim
spectacle Of pestilence, which may re-
suit from the overflow as the waters
recede
Attempts to cover the story along
the stretch of levees involved many
personal risks on the part OF newspa-
per correspondents.
One of the most daring exploits was
accomplished by a young correspond
ent who foated on a log on the crest
of the tide when the levee broke at
Hickman, Ky. He made his way to
Tiptonville, Tenn, and then telephoned
his story of the flight from the Reel
foot country to Memphis.
Another news writer pretty young
woman of Hickman, half swan. half
waded, in imminent peril, to get from
her home to the long distance tee-
phone in order that the first definite
story of the rescue of a thousand per-
sons at Dorena, Mo-, might reach the
outside world.
A farmer who had been watching for
break in the levee mounted his horse
when the tide broke through the EN-
bankment. AS he started to ride away
his wife grasped the bride of his
horse.
Where are you going?" she called
struggling with the horse.
ITO warn my neighbors," replied the
planter. You must get to the boats"
The planters wife managed to get
her children away in safety, while her
husband raced with the food, warning
farmers out Of the tides path The
warning probably saved scores of lives.
Family of Seven Saved.
Thousands Of spectators witnessed
the thrilling rescue of family of sew
en- from a sinking houseboat in the
Mississippi river at st. Louis. The
houseboat, in which a man, his wife
and five children live, was torn from
its moorings by the heavy driftwood
that was carried from food points
above. Soon after being swept into
the current the frail craft dragged over
sunken snags, sprang a leak and began
! to sink. Two motorboats, after fight
ing off the heavy drift reached the
side of the boat just as the water was
sweeping over the deck. 1t sank with
in five minutes after the last occupant
had stepped to safety.
Tickle Sanders, n Memphis pugilist,
found opportunity to make himself
hero. Sanders was rowing about the
flooded district in north Memphis when
skiff containing a man and a woman
making their way to their submerged
home to rescue few of their belong
ings overturned. Sanders pulled the
two from the water just in time to
save them from being drowned.
A peddler who travels in the country
surrounding Memphis lived in a small
frame house. Water entered his dwell
ing. He moved to the attic. He made
his rounds in a boat that he moored to
a tree at night The last night he slept
in his attic he awoke to find the water
around his bed. The only implement
available was can opener. With this
he cut an opening in the roof and, find
ing his boat and stores safe, escaped.
The can opener probably saved his life.
I Mother Carried Dead Baby.
The steamer Kate Adams, which
was near Modoc when the crevasse
occurred near there, saved hundreds
of lives by taking refugees from rafts
and housetops. In the midst of the
rescue work the steamer put out
skif to a woman who sat on the roof
OF her floating house. She sent word
back to the captain that she would
not leave unless he would consent to
take her dead baby aboard the steam
er Accordingly soap box was sent
to the floating house. The woman
brought out the babes corpse, placed
it In the box and was rowed to the
steamer The little body was brought
to Memphis and buried.
One OF the Lee line steamers from
the Arkansas country that reached
i Memphis told Of desperate fight with
a negro who refused to leave a raft
on which he floated unless he was al
lowed to bring his mule. AS a last re-
sort the captain Of the boat tied the
raft bearing the mule behind the
steamer and towed raft, mule, negro
and all into Memphis
Death Missed Governor Brewer.