The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-05

its level All of the workers have been
brought from the drainage district TO
Cairo to work on the levees here.
The work has not relaxed a particle
and will continue until the high water
| is past The big subway and Cairo
cross Ievees stood firm against the
angry rush of waters in the drama ge
district. The only mail connection Cairo
has today is by tug boat to Mound
City to reach the Big Four The Illi-
nois Central tracks through the drain
night and more than 5000 feet of the
road is gone The river at Cairo has
fallen one-tenth in the last "a hours.
Washing Over the Levees.
Hickman, KY, April 5.-Workers still
are toiling this morning to strengthen
the levee, close the breaks and beat
back the flood.
The climax of the catastrophe may
come at any moment, with the break
ing of the Reelfoot levee below here.
Hundreds of men are trying 10
strengthen it and should it go out un-
expectedly it is feared many lives
would be lost, as the means of escape
for the workers is limited. The river
already is washing over the top of the
levee in many places and several on1in-
GUS leaks have been discovered and
stopped in the last "a hours.
Thieves are becoming active in the
flooded section of West Hickman and
county authorities are discussing the
advisability of asking for a company of
militia to protect property.
Refugees continue to arrive in great
numbers. Mrs. William Venters, of Is
land No. s, who was rescued by a
launch, is almost distracted, because
her husband and children were left be-
hind. having taken refuge in the attic
of their home. To such retreats, she
says, the inhabitants of the island were
driven several days ago.
One woman walked II miles in eight
hours with six children. She carried |
the youngest.
A family from Missouri spent a half |
day in rowing across the river in A |
skiff and the men were nearly ex- |
hausted before they got out of the cur |
rent.
A steamer is plying along the river
below here picking up marooned resi-
dents Scores have been rescued in |
this manner. Three hundred are
quartered at Tiptonville, Tenn
Organized relief work is being sue
cessfully carried on here with the
means at hand and as funds arrive the
refugees will, al least, be spared the |
hardshlp OF hunger. Wagon trains of
provisions and bedding have arrived |
from Fulton, KY, and Union City.
Tenn The Nashville, Chattanooga &
St Louis railroad is running trains To
East Hickman, mile away, where a
temporary station has been erected.
On the hill where tents have been put
up the women of Hickman assisted in
preparing the camp for the refugees,
distributing food. clothing and bedding
Above Danger Line
St Louis, April 5.-The Mississippi
river at st. Louis registered 3O.6 feet
today, rise of , feet in "A hours, ard
1t is expected to reach 81 feet, one foot
above the danger line
Ine Mississippi from Hannibal to
Grafton is rising and the Illinois river
which empties into the Mississippi near
Grafton, is falling.
The Missouri from Kansas Civ to
Bonneville is rising while from Boone
vile to st. Charles it is falling. AT
hannibal, Mo, the Mississippi stood at
Us feet four feet above the danger
Inc. The water in the Hannibal dis
rlct has spread over the lowlands and ;
nterfered with the operation of trains.
water mas begun to seep into the cell
ars in Hannibal
Record of 1908 Buried.
CaruthersvilIe, Mo, April 5.-OnIy I
desperate fight can prevent the ris-
ng flood from breaking through the {
epee IN this territory. Should a
'reVasse occur the entire st. Francis
'asln would be inundated with water
ND the loss of life and property ]
would be great
ne AloOo To-Day burieS the high
water marks of 1903 more than 20 s
nches and continues without abate- {
nent The situation is hourly grow
ng more serious. An army of men {
working day and night to protect
IL weak places and the engineers are
lopeiuI of success The Frisco rail-
oao' which forms the levee protec- I
ION IN front of this city, stands only {
1oot above the torrent and men i
ne line.
The local militia company has been {
'iaced on duty and the companies
rom Poplar Bluff, Mo-, and Jones' {
'oro' Ark. have been ordered out it
reported. They are expected late I
oday- Caruthersvflle is full of refu- {
'ees from the lowIands of Tennessee I
front of this city. There is no levee i
'rotectlon on the Tennessee side and g
louseS are being washed away All $
NalIable steamers are searching the :
owlands for sufferers and several
hundred have been brought in. {
Two hundred tents sent out by Gov :
rnor Hadley to shelter the homeless
ave arrived and public buildings of 9
ne city have been thrown open for :
he same purpose. All trains north
nd west have been out of comm ission I 7
eVeral days and Charlottesville is con-
ected with the outside world only by /
ne train day from Memphis, Tenn, I
nd each trip of this is expected to be
he last. The crest of the flood is not
expected here for five or six days and
he increased rise will place the levee
nder serious strain e
Much Snow UnneIted. {
Great Falls, Mont, April 5.-Com- q
nunication with Glasgow the center :
i