Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-30
Highest Water for Years
at This Season of the Year
Reported at St. Louis;
Nebraska Rivers Up.
DES MONIES NOW
RISING AT OTTUMWA
Breaking of Gorges Affects
Stage Of Water Here, but.
Thus Far the Rise is Not,
Alarming.

st. Louis, Mo-, March 29.-With The
river stage the highest for March it
has been since the records have been
kept In st. Louis, a general rain fall
ing throughout the southern part OF
the state and storm moving north
east from the south central states,
flood conditions are likely for this city
and the lowlands south of here.
The Mississippi passed the twenty
seven foot mark last night, with water
rising more than foot in twenty-four
hours and the weather bureau this
morning predicted the river would at
tain depth of thirty or thirty-one
feet. flood stage, by the first Of the
week Although no lives have been
reported lost incidental to the rise in
the Missouri river, many families have
been forced to leave their homes. Trib-
>utaries are flowing from their banks
and these are expected to bring the
Missouri to a flood stage.
Gov. Deneen of Illinois has ordered
the adjutant generals department tc
send tents TO Cairo for the relief oi
the families forced from their homes
by the high water.
The Missouri south of Fulton. Mo.
has been near the danger mark u ll
week and heavy rain which feli
there all yesterday and last night has
added to the seriousness of the sltua
tion.
Nebraska Streams Out OF Banks.
Omaha, Neb, March 29-The break.
ing up of the ice in the Platte, Loup,
Elkhorn and other rivers of Nebraska,
is causing some Of the worst floods
the state has known in many years.
Much property damage has already
resulted and there are rumors OF loss
of life
The buggy in which two hunters,
John Ganote and Otis De Barry, left
down the river, and no trace of the
men having been found. it is thought
they have been drowned.
Three boys were stranded this
morning between two bridges that
have. been washed away near Schuy-
Ter. They are Paul Sprecher, George
Smith and Charles Matthews The ris-
ing water will probably place them in
great peril.
A man is reported on an island in
the river near Schuyler in great
danger.
All railroads In the state are more
or less crippled, bridges and tracks
having been washed out In many
places. A three mile stretch of track
was washed out at Wakefield on the
Omaha road. causing the annulment
Of all trains between Norfolk Neb..
and Sioux City. Iowa. The water in
many places is the highest in forty
years.
Burlington Tracks Under Water.
Lincoln, Neb., March 29.-Flood con-
ditions along the Platte river are
worse with ice moving out and the
river pronounced the highest fer
twenty years. Seven spans of The
Burlington railroad bridge near
Columbus went out yesterday.
Water Is running over the Union
Pacific tracks between Fremont and
North Bend and traffic is badly hamp-
cred. Several feet Of Burlington track
has been washed out near Ulysses
kaw River Can Stand Big Rise.
Kansas City, Mo-. March 29.--Ai
though the Kansas river here rose
eighteen inches during the last
twenty-four hours and is as high as II
has been at any previous time this
year, members Of the local drainage
board said today that the river must
rise twenty feet before reaching an
alarming stage.
The Missouri river also is rising
here, but 1t is causing no trouble.
Many Kansas streams are very high
but they will not overflow unless more
rain falls.
Kentucky River Levee Menaced.
Louisville, KY, March 29.-Tele
phone advices from Hickman, Ky. TO
day, say the levee protecting that
town is menaced by the Mississippi
flood. For three days the townspeople
have been Strengthening the levee.
While there is no danger Of loss OF
life, all families having moved from
the possible flood section, the dam
age to property, should the break
come, would be large. Several factor
les would be in the floods path.
Des Molnes Is Rising Again.
In the past thirty hours the Des
Moines river at Ottumwa has risen
three feet and greater rise is ex-