Omaha daily bee., 1912-03-30

the low lands. At Stanton, a mile from
the river. the water is up In town and
flooded the electric light works. The
wagon bridge over the Elkhorn river has
been carried away by the flood. All along
the valley. farmers are moving their
families, household possessions and live
stock to the hills.
Around Hooper. and from there into
Fremont. where the valley is from three
to five miles wide. the entire country Is
under water to a depth OF from two to
six feet Part Of this section is closely
settled and many OF the families have
moved to the hills. 1t is reported that
all OF the wagon bridges in the flooded
district have been badly damaged or de-
stroyed. over this stretch OF the North
western road the track has not been Sc
riously damaged
washouts Are Reported.
Along the northern line of the Burling-
ton. from Sioux City to o'Neill. the water
Is very high Near jackson, 400 feet OF
rack has been washed out and the
bridges at Goodwin. Belden and osmond
.sashouts east OF Schuyler, one 100 and
tho other seventy-slx feet long. six
spans OF the bridge over the Platte. be-
tween Bellewood and Columbus. are out.
some OF the branches In the northern
part OF the state have sustained serious
Damage by the washing OF grades. but
the bridges all stand.
morning. indicating that the crest OF the
iood had been reached. However. more
high water was expected with the break
ing OF the Ice In the upper valley Of
the Loup. Tho lower portion OF the
stream has broken up and II Is reported
mat the valley Is flooded and a number
OF the wagon bridges swept sway and
many more threatened. ri
Doagias Lands Flooded.
At Valley in the west part of Douglas
county. the flood extends across the en-
tire country from the Platte on the west
TO the Elkhorn on the east. forming a
sea OF water eight TO ten mites vide and
from q foot TO six feet deep. This con
ditlon extends up and down the valley
from a short distance south Of Fremont
TO point several miles south of town.
tho flooded district up and down the
river being probably fifteen 10 twenty
miles IN length. The water Is running
through dozens of farm houses aud sta
bles and stock Losses will DO very heavy.
Tho water Is flowing through town, being
up level with the tops OF the railroad
tracks.
In the country TO the southwest OF
Omaha, Il was evident that the flood had
not reached its maximum at noon.
| Bridges on the Platte, from Ashland
down, were holding well. but the stream
was filled with running ice. At Louis
Vile tho railroad bridge showed signs Of
weakening. but trains were being run
over II. At La Platte the river fell three
feet last nisht( which was taken 10 mean
that there was heavy gorge at some
point above. In view OF this fact, both
the Burlington and Missouri Pacific sen,
out dynamite crews TO work on tho Ice
when the gorge should break and reach
the bridges.
Norfolk IL Like Venice.
Norfolk looks like Venice. Boats arr
being used TO transport people through
the principal streets and every bushes.
house in town has a basement full Of
water. While the News was issuing a
morning edition ,its press room filled
with water to depth Of six feet sub.
merging all the presses. The Auditorium
theater has four feet OF water in N,
orchestra pit and the dressing rooms be.
meath the stage are filled. THE water !,
SIN rising. Every business firm In towr
has suffered serious loss as a result Of