Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-04-16
PERISH IN BIG FLOOD.
WATER CAUSES GREAT LOSS, MIS-
cry AND WANT-THlRTY
KILLED.
DAMAGES RUN INTO MILLIONS
Thirty thousand Homeiess-Cairo
Levees Severely Tested-Mail
Service Is Halted-Flooded District
Looted by unprincipIed Vandals.

Memphis, Tenn-Thirty persons
have been drowned. 10000 persons
are homeless, 1000 square miles Of
country are inundated and there has
been a financial loss of $1O,00O,000 as
a result of the two weeks food in
the Mississippi valley.
The food crest, rapidly going south.
is leaving behind it wake of desola-
ton which will cost planters millions
of dollars and leave thousands home
less. For fifty miles below femphls
the last owners and renters are still
desp 9rately working to hold back the
rushing river, but with scant success
From six to ten feet of water floods
the fertile ST. Francis basin, the
source Of one-tenth of the entire cot
ton crop of the world. 1t will be days
before this water will have run on,
and days before the river will have
lowered to a sufficient depth to allow
the planters to rebuild their levees.
Interruption of the mail service is
the latest problem which confronts
both the residents Of the valley and
the government officials. From the
Ohio river to the Rocky Mountains, as
showing the greatest scope of this rec
ord food, the mail service is being
carried on through emergency chan
nels, and in many districts no mail
has been received since Tuesday last.
]. M. Mastin, superintendent at
Omaha, reports the same conditions
with ice gorges in the northwest tribu-
taries, the Loup, Platte and Elkhorn
rivers.
Short end trains and substitute mail
trains are making short connections
throughout the valley. In some places
pouches of mail are being carried
across open places in the trackage by
cable from one short end train 70 an
other.
Postmaster General Hitchcock has
issued instructions to every railway
mail superintendent in the valley to
use every effort to keep the mails
moving and avoid SO far as possible
congestion at any junction or big
handling point. so that they can be
moved quickly when regular traffic
is resumed.
Cairo, In.-The Cairo levees were
given a severe test With the river
standing at 81 feet, the highest stage
reached, a severe windstorm set in
and dashed the waters with great
force against the levee embankments
Heavy rolls were driven with a mighty
roar against the stone wall, striking
with great force as to throw the water
high in the air All levees stood the
severe strain and when inspected later
were found to be substantial and in
tact.
Vandals have been footing houses
in the flooded drainage district and
Sheriff Fraser has put on a force of
deputies with motor boats and skiffs
to patrol the territory with instruc-
lions to shoot when necessary.
A number of boats have arrived
from the flooded district in Missouri
loaded down with refugees and stock
which were landed at the hills near
Wickliffe, KY. The boats report much
stock still in the district herded on
Mount Mounds, which are gradually
being submerged and also many peo-
pie living in the attics of their homes.
Word from Hickman. KY. is to the
effect that 1000 refugees reached that
place. making $500 there all told.
Columbus, KY, reports 500 In that
town.