Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-04-18
CAIRO IS SAVED;
100000 Loss
Thousands of Acres Flooded in
Illinois.
TOWN IS ISOLATED By WATER
Hundreds Are Rendered Homeless as
Result of Dixie Break-United
States Rush Aid TO
Victims.

Cairo, IL = Cairo is safe, de
I spite the breaking Of the Mobile &
I Ohio Ievee and the flooding OF the
drainage district north OF here, which
! caused an enormous loss, estimated IL
excess of $5.00O,Oo0.
The Cairo Ievees are standing firm
with the river stationary at SO 8,
which is IT above the previous rec
ord.
In the drainage district the havoc
wrought by the food is very great.
An area line miles square is Gov
cred Future City, with 600 in
habitants, IS being swept by the flood,
making many homeless. twenty-five
lumber yards and many farms are
inundated.
The city is now without train serv-
ice and is almost surrounded by wa
ter. All railroads pass through the
drainage district. which is now under
from five to fifteen feet Of water.
Property valued at more than S.
100000 was submerged
Suffering here and at other towns
in the Mississippi valley is keen and
daily growing greater. The United
States army has been ordered to sup
ply rations to the homeless, many of
whom are totally without food The
quartermaster's department was or
uered by President Taft to proceed
with the distribution at once.
The weather bureau reports no ces-
Of h. j. ~
where along the river
Five hundred men were fighting on
the Big Four levee in an effort to
stem the rise of the Ohio. Fearing
that tie Big Four leyee would not
hold under the strain. the tug FRANCES
was o~Lered out with a rescue party
on board and succeeded in bringing
them in.
The break occurred in the Mobile
& Ohio leyee, at the northwestern
end of the city, when 125 feet Of en-
bankmelt went through. The waters
of the Mississippi river rushed in and
are filing the territory from the Mis-
sissippi to the Illinois Central rail
road, a distance of two miles
The Mobile & Ohio railroad, with
hundreds Of laborers and a large army
of citizens. made desperate but fruit
less efforts to fill up the break. Four
freight cars were dumped into it.
Finally all efforts were abandoned.
There are many extensive manufac-
turing plants in the drainage districts
and the loss Will be tremendous. 1t
is estimated that the number of
homes, business houses and other
structures flooded in tho drainage dis
trict numbered nearly 1000.
The city of Cairo proper is protect
ed from the flooded section by a sys-
tenn of cross-leVees, and the big force
Of men who were at work on the
drainage leVee have been thrown
i--0r1d the Cairo levee. This body of
men is raising and Strengthening the
leYees so that they will be safe
against arr stage of food
Hickman, KY. This city faces
the most desperate situation ever
known during any flood in the Mis-
sissippi valley. Four thousand are
homeless and the state is feeding the
refugees. Militia companies are in
command to prevent vandalism. Three
miles below the city the great main
levee of the Mississippi has broken
and the back water is already enter
ing the outskirts of the city. in addi-
ton to the three to fifteen feet al
ready covering the streets.
No way can be devised to accurate
ly estimate the loss of property or
life In the break of the levee below
Hickman scores of farm houses were
swept away. Great loss of life is
feared. many of the farmers refusing
to abandon their stock The flood is
bearing down upon Fulton. KY, and
unless the residents of that city fee
to the hills the list of fatalities is Ii
able to be extremely large.