Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-08
STREETS SUBMERGED 20 FEET
Break Anywhere Would Mean Inun-
dation of Town.
SUN DIspEIs THE RAIN CLOUDS
Only Optimistic Feature of Condi.
tons in Flood District.
ONLY ENTRANCE IS BY BOAT
Only Lcycc Workers Remain i'm
Constant Battle Against
Waves.
LEAD CAROL

LEAD CAIRo-i ode
CAIRO. ILL.,. April 7.-Cairo tonight is
an island city. surrounded by an ocean
Of water. the crest of which Is ten feet
higher than the average level OF tho
city. In many places this wall OF water
stands twenty feet higher than the street.
With bright sun cheerfully plazins
upon the city today after the severe
rain and wind storm last night. hops
returned to the fighting levee protectors.
For the first time In a week the workers
watchfullness along the ievee was not
relaxed and the men were ready at all
times TO answer calls to points OF trouble.
Two thousand levee workers were scat
tered about the great levee system az
sundown 10 renew their patrol.
Generous donations from all parts oe
Kentucky are being sent to Hickman to
aid the 1900 flood refugees who have
struggled into that city. :,
A large number OF steamboats, ara
plying between this city and flooded
towns below in search Of stock which Is
being landed on the hills near wickllffe.
Ky. Express companies are carrying
supplies TO refugees free Of charge.
Several thousand acres OF wheat are
under water In Mississippi county. Mo,
Many thousand dollars worth Of stock
have perlshed and farmers are living In
their attcs.
Cairo Island City.
For four days Cairo has been an island
city. When tho levees protecting this
drainage district went out Thursday all
rail communication was stopped and the
only entrance TO the city now is by boat
from Mounds. nine miles away,
Mound nomlnaily is an Inland town
three miles from tho Ohio river, but
thcr Is now water three feet deep at tho
Rls -Four depot.
Almost s9oc.Ooo has been spent in flght-
Ing thu food at Cairo and the drain
age district The Dig Four has spent
$500 On msterial and workmen to pro-
tect IA emtonkment.
The Mobile and Ohio spent $4,000 ami
the ffiinv.s -ctntraf tf.e.ses Gafro spent
tsstA
The Cairo treasury did not contain
this amount. but two local bankers volun-
tsered to extend the city unlimited credit.
F1vc ihonsard or more men have been
paid an average OF si.5o day for moro
than a week.
Cairo IL protected by three main levees
and several small ones. Theer Is a SCI
foot stcne wall and embankment on the
Ohio kept up by the Illinois Central rail-
way. q 6olfoor layee on the Mississippi
side maintained by the Mobile and ohiu
Lgd the Big -Four and a third levee So
feet high separates the city from the
drainage district II II the approach to
the Illinois Central bridge and Is kept
up by the three railroads. The levees
belong to the city, but were built and
are maintained by the railroads. which
have tracks upon them.
Women sent Away.
There are few women and children lefe
In Cairo. Most of them were sent from
the city by the men when 1t was pre-
dieted early last week that the river
would rise TO Is feet.
The levee workers and such refugees as
are In Cairo are being fed by the COM
department under the direction
Of Harry Candee. Rations are being
served TO 100. The food. meat, sand-
wiches. eggs, vegetables. bread and but-
ter and not coffee. Is prepared in tho
new Elks' club and carried to the levees
In automobiles. Every machine IN tho
city has been pressed into this service.
Up in the drainage district about l50
dogs are marooned on the roofs OF sheds
and barns.
Mrs. Henry +. Gillehofer. wife of =
banker, yesterday got a clothes basket
full Of food at the commissary depart
ment. Putting II into a motorboat shs
went up into the overflow district and
fed everybody she could find.
Cows and horses are Isolated on mounds
md roofs and others are on houses and
'eafflds. Negroes, with scows full oe
sorn. row up and feed the animals.
Levee Holds at Memphi..
MEMPHIS. Tenn. April 7-At SOD
o'clock this afternoon the Golden lake
evee north OF Memphis was holding
strong, though government engineers