The Oskaloosa herald., 1912-04-11
MAIL SERVICE IS
!. HALTED BY FLOODS
Many Towns and Cities in Missis-
Sippi Valley Isolated.
PLANTERS ARE BADLY HIT
Six TO Ten Feet OF Water Covers I'm.
mense ST. Francis Basin--Levees
az Cairo Hoid--Looters
5 at Work.

Memphis, Tenn, April S.-The food
crest. rapidly going south, is leaving
behind it q wake of desolation which
VIII cost planters millions OF dollars
and leave thousands homeless.
For so miles below Memphis the
land owners and renters are still des-
perately working to hold back the
rushing river. but with scant success.
From six to ten feet of water foods
the fertile St Francis basin, the source
OF onetenth OF the entire cotton crop
Of the world II viii be days before
before the river win have lowered to a
sufficient depth to allow the planters
10 rebuild their levees-
Mall Halted From Ohio 10 Mountains.
Washington, April S.-Interruption
10 the mails In the Mississippi valley
and throughout the middle west. from
the Ohio river TO the Rockies, is great
er today than II has ever been in the
history Of the country. according to
tslegraphic reports coming TO Postmas-
ter General Hitchcock
Most Of the cities and towns in the
Mississippi valley are isolated so far
as mail communication is concerned
and the situation in the lower valley
continues to grow more serious Henry
NJ Robinson, railway mail superintend'
eut al New Orleans, reported by wire
that the volume of water now moving
out of the Mississippi in the lower
river In unprecedented and further
trouble il expected before 1t has
passed on into the Gulf OF Mexico
Mail Pouches Carried on Cable
L NJ Masttn, superintendent al
Omaha, Neh-, reports the same condi-
lions with ice gurges IN the northwest
tributaries, the Loup. Platte and Elk
horn rireTs-
Shor1-snd trains and substitute mail
trains are making short connections
throughout the valley In some places
Isunchas of mail are being carried
across open places IN the trackage by
cable fuIn one shuTt-end train to an
pthEr-
Cairo LeVees Are Intact
Cairo, II, April notwithstanding
q heavy wtndstorm accompanied by
rain and with the river standing at "a
feet, the highest stage reached, all
1eEses are standing the severe strain
end when inspected were found to be
substantial and intact The great army
uf workers are constantly alert and de-
spite the rain are ready to make re-
pairs al a mumsut's notice Two
thousand wvrEmen are thrown over
the leyee gygtsm and Win keep regular
vigil Iarn an Danger rs past Bugi-
ness Win NOT be resumed IN Cairo un-
N the rfver has fallen several fest.
which VIII be no doubt a week or
more.
Looters Are at Work
VEndals have been footing houses IN
the flooded drainage district and Sher-
if Fraser has put ON force OF depu-
ties with motor boats and skis to pa
troll the territory with instructions to
shoot when necessary
The Alton naval reserves, 50 strong,
arrived in Cairo and viii assist In
protecting the levees
A number of boats have arrived
rom the flooded district in Missouri
loaded down with refugees and stock,
which were landed at the hills near
wickTire, KY
Word from Hickman. KY is to the
effect that loo additional refugees
hive reached that place, making $500 !
there all told
Mississippi is Receding.
st. Louis, April Especial: The
Mississippi river registered 43 7-10 |
feet at Memphis this morning. This
Is a fall Of $40 of a foot The Cairo |
Illinois is 50 $40, a fall of Ito. |
Weather bureau officials throughout
the flooded districts have teleghaphed
that the breaks in the levees in Arkan- !
sas, near Memphis are repairing and .
will probably hold, and there will be !
no further rise in the river. II will re- !
main at its present stage, however, /
for a week, and il cannot be forecast |
ed just when the fall will begin.
Thirty Thousand Are Homeless.
Memphis, Tenn, April Especial: |
Thousands of square acres OF rich |
farm country are flooded to date. Loss /
OF property and valuable land is est. |
mated at $10,000,000. Thirty persons
have been drowned and 10000 more /
are homeless. This was the net re-
port today of the disastrous flood
which for nearly two weeks has swept /
the Mississippi valley and the end h
not yet in sight, as the river threat
ems TO break through the leyee at
half a dozen points. The rich st.
Francis basin in Arkansas and Tenn
essee when this island ocean OF water
recedes will be valueless for many
years TO come.
Caring For Homeless.
Hickman, April S.-The work OF car.
ing for 5000 homeless persons occu-
pied the attention OF Hickman today.
The breaks In the leyees near Mem
phis relieved the Hood situation here,
causing the river to fall eight inches.
Five hundred tents have been ordered
put up on the hills back OF town and
the distribution OF clothing and ra.
/ ions has been started. There We're
pififul scenes witnessed on every
hand. '