The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-01
FLOODS ARE RISING
Anxiety Felt by Residents of
Ohio River Valley.
Slides Interfere With Levee
Protection Work.
BIG FORCE OF men AT WORK
Cairo, at Intersection of Ohio
and Mississippi, i'm Danger.
Stations Crowded With People
Who Are Leaving City.

Who Are Leaving City.
Cairo, ILL.,, April 1.-Conditions here
today along the Ohio river levee appear
incredible to the oldest citizens. They
| have battled with flood waters for
years but the present situation they
| admit looks the most desperate in their
| time. The water is rising at the rate
of about one foot a day, and now
| stands two feet and eight inches from
the top of the concrete wall built at
the levee. While this situation is not
encouraging, the reports to the weather
bureau here of up-river and tributary
conditions were enough to cause alarm.
No reports came of receding waters
as far away as Cincinnati, while some
tributaries were reported rising It is
generally believed that the high stage
will not be reached today and probably
before Wednesday night or Thursday.
The rise of the river is much faster
than last year.
The city is sending it's women and
children out on every train. Two bag
gage cars were filled with trunks and
enough remained to fill another The
weather continued beautiful today, a
condition counted a blessing by the
hundreds working to save the town.
Louisville, April 1.-The Ohio river
gauge today registered AT, a rise of
four-tenths Of a foot.
Memphis, April 1.-The Mississippi
river registered s6.s feet today. a rise
of eight-tenths in "A hours.
Cincinnati April 1.-The Ohio river
has risen two-tenths of a foot during
the night. Early today the stage was
69.8 feet. Weather Forecaster Dever-
eaux said he expected the river to rise
another tenth, after which it probably
would recede. The fall he said would
be slow at first because of the large
amount of water above.
Up-river points reported the river
either stationary Or falling slowly.
Cairo, ILL.,, April 1.-FJood waters on
the Ohio river continued to rise stead
lily throughout last night and at a.
m. today stood between 53.2 and 53.S
the population was early astir, and the
fact that the water had substantially
passed the 81 foot mark caused con-
siderable anxiety.
All expected that the day would
prove the crucial one in the fate of the
city. The crest of the flood was ex-
pected to reach here today and if the
levees hold, it was the belief that the
worst would be over. Much trouble
the drainage district along the Big
Four levee. Three times slides occurred,
and only valiant work on the part of
those watching saved the day. Dozens
of carloads of sandbags were placed
about the weak spots, and serious trou-
BILE was aTerted. Water seeped through
under the concrete wall. and stood in
the main street of Cairo today but the
levee showed no, signs of weakening. |
A big force of men worked all night
placing sand bags and other hold |
backs along the city front. Colonel
Dan Moriarity, in charge of the troops, |
planned to attend a meeting of citi- |
zens today to devise means of pro-
ceeding. 1t was expected the mayor |
and sheriff would give him complete |
control of the situation and in this |
way all idle men might be put to work |
if necessary by force. Word was re-
ceived from Major General Wood at |
Cincinnati, by the general relief COM |
mittee that the situation would be |
handled the same as last year. The |
sheriff has requested Governor Dunno |
to appeal to the war department to |
move three large boats from the Mis- |
sissippi around in front of Cairo to be |
used in emergency.
Refugees continued to leave the city |
all night, and crowds are still wait |
ing at depots to get out
Waters Rise Rapidly.
me water To-Day rose much more
rapidly than yesterday and the de-
mand for more workingmen became
urgent. At a.. m. the gauge read
53.5 and was constantly creeping up.
The surface in the Ohio then stood !
one foot higher than the highest street
level which is the main thoroughfare
of the town and immediate on the
levee. In case of a break, the flood
waters would not rise to more than
one or two feet in the buildings on the
street, but all of the town back of this
street becomes gradually lower and
most of the houses would be com
pletely submerged. Already the situa-
ton is desperate.
A large subway which was the only
passageway from Cairo into the drain
age district has been blocked to save
this city. The place was boarded up
and dozens of carloads of sand bags
placed to hold it secure.
One of the purposes of closing all
places of business that do not handle
goods needed for necessities was to
give opportunity to get out the strong
est working force possible, employees
of closed concerns have responded
nob1y for duty and have reinforced to
4 great extent work along the river
front.
Rev. NJ. H. Love of the Methodist
church, who has had charge of relief
work in former years, is again at the
head of the relief committee. A tenn
oorary hospital has been arranged on a
arge wharf boat in the river.
The danger here may be more clear
y understood by a description of the
ocation of the city. Cairo is situated
IN lowlands at the fork of the Ohio !
and Mississippi river. Safety depends
absolutely on levees from all sides.
There is no way by which people
or on trains could escape ex-
,ept by going back into the drainage
district All trains running into Cairo
must back out again into the Y, at the
zig Illinois Central bridge which is on {