The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-04-03
CAIRO WAGES BIG
FIGHT WITH WATER
Illinois Flood Situation Grows
More Desperate Hourly
HUNDREDS FLEE FROM HOMES
Twenty-Five Companies OF STATE
Militia Are Assisting In Strength
ening Levees Along Ohio
and Illinois Rivers.

tress centers is rapidly increasing
Governor Dunno and Adjutant Gen
eral Dixon. with their flood head
headquarters In the statehouse, are
In touch with Cairo. Alexander couu'
ty; Shawneetown, Gallatn county;
Naples, Scott county; Junction City,
Gallatin county; Mounds City, Pulas'
XII county: Beardstown, Cass county
and Valley City,, Pike county.
Emergency orders from civil au'
thorities in all of those towns and
cities have been filled.
Hundreds Flee Their Homes.
Hundreds of families have been
driven from their homes in the low
lands along the Illinois and Ohio
rivers. They are living in tents.
At Cairo a desperate battle is being
waged to hold the rising waters back
with sand bags. The families have
been ordered to leave Shawneetown
The inhabitants have fed
Martial law has not been declared
at Cairo, but the police and militia
are working together to force every
| sble-bodied man in the city to work
en- the levees.
There are now seventeen com
panies Of militia at Cairo, three al
Shawneetown and two being rushed
to Mound City.
Beardstown reports families being
driven from the lowlands.
Mound City Endangered.
Mound City is in imminent dan
ger of being wiped off the map.
Valley City has ordered tents fol
refugees from the lowlands.
Naples sent a distress call indicat
ing that town in distress, and asking
for forty tents.
Junction City ordered tents ant
said the emergency was pressing.
Adjutant General Dickson has or
dered Springfield bakers to rush on
10000 loaves of bread to be hurried
to distress centers.
Ohio Rising at Cairo.
Cairo. H., April THE Ohio rive
at Cairo has reached a stage of s.
feet and six-tepths and is graduall
creeping upward. Local Forecaste
R. r. Lindley Of the weather burea,
says that "a conservative estimate o
crest of flood at Cairo will be g.
feet" This will give Cairo two fee
more of water than she had durin;
the great food of last year. Muci
work has been done on Cairo levee
and they are in better shape thai
ever before and they can probabl.
protect the city from 57-foot stag
of water.
Every train and boat out of Carr
has been loaded down with womel
and children. Refugees are flockini
into Cairo from flooded sections II
this territory.
Saloons Ordered Closed.
The saloons and retail houses an,
other industries with the exception o
bakeries, drug stores and newspaper
have been ordered closed
Bulkheading is going all around tn
Cairo and drainage district levees an,
train loads of sand bags are bein,
placed at convenient points ready TO
use at a moments notice. The loca
food committee is having much trou
BILE in securing labor. At least thou
sand more men would be put at worl
If they we're available. The commit
tee has called upon every citizen VIII
is not necessarily engaged otherwis,
to report for duty upon levees.
Shawneetown In Peril.
Shawneetown, ILL.,, April WITT
every possible precaution taken, 20'
men of Shawneetown are awaitin,
the inevitable rush Of the waters ovel
the levee and the inundation of tn,
city. The little band faces death bu
there Is confidence that the warnins
will be ample to allow every one Il
gain refuge.
The women and children are safe
in camp on a hillside, as vel
equipped as has been possible. are
the refugees. The spirit of "womer
and children first" rules absolutely
Strong resourcefuI men are in charge
at the camp.
Thousands Are Homeless.
New Richmond, o., April About
500 houses have been flooded and
LOO to 1000 persons are homeless
Lawrenceburg Short of Food.
Lawrenceburg, Ind, April 1.--All oil
the old town is under water. the PEG
pie being encsmped on high ground
Some buildings have collapsed. The
FOOD supply will not last two days
No loss OF life reported.
Ripley People Marooned.
Ripley. o.. April Hundreds are
marooned In their homes. The water
is thirteen feet deep In the main
street.
Ironton. o., April dynamite
checked FIRE after II had burned a
block down by Second, Third, Law.
renee and Buckeye streets. The city
Is practically cut of from the outside
world.
According to United States govern.
ment dispatches. the United States
relief expedition. which started IN
boats from Cincinnati. have succeed.
ed in reaching some OF the Ohio towns
In. Aarsf..