Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-23
DRIVEN INTO TREE TOPS
BY RIVERS SUDDEN RISE
People Have No Time to Make Es-
cape From Meramec's
Raging Flood.
BUILDINGS ARE SWEPT AWAY
BUILDINGS ARE SWEPT AWAY
Banks, Lined With Resorts and Cot
tages, Devastated, and Six Lives
Are Lost-Thousands Homeless
and 100 Square Miles Flooded.

ST. LOUIS. August e2.-The Mera-
mec River, lined with pleasure resorts.
club houses and summer cottages.
went several miles ont o. it's banks
| to-day, swept away most OF these
buildings and increased to twenty, IT
| is lepo, ed. the number OF lives lost
in ST. Louis County. during the last
few Gays as result OF the flood
The Meramec's rise wns so sudden
that hunireds had tine only to climb
to tree tops. Efforts were being made
| to rescue these to-nigit with motor
| boats. The river to-nig,' passed n
stage OF Ave feet higher than ever
before in it's history.
| Six persons were said to have been
drowned at Valley Park and two at
Meramec Highlands to-day Many others
were missing.
| Hundreds of persons had been ma :
| rooned in club houses and cottages
along the river by the first rise sew
erai days ago. following n forty hour
| rain fall, and hundreds of others had
gone to the river to-day hoping II
would recede and permit them to res
cue relatives, friends and water-soak ed
| possessions.
Appeals for help we're sent to ST.
Louis tonight, and hundreds OF VOL
untcers responded. Strong motor
boats attempted to enter the Mera
mec from the Mississippi River. but
were blocked by the high waters.
which the prevented passage under
bridges.
Unconnrmed reports said every
building along the river from Clinton
n 1iSfo re
miles. had been carried away
In Valley Park. 1000 families are
home eless. The water is ten to twelve
feet deep in the streets. The river
Is two and one-half miles wide at VAL
ley Park and Meramec Highlands. and
four miles wide at Crescent The
! flooded area is estimated at 100 square
miles.
At the mouth of the Meramec.
thousands of refugees are housed in
churches. hotels and other public
buildings. Cots and food are being
sent from st. Louis.
MANY HAD REFUSED
TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES
Officials warned Valley Park resi-
dents to leave their homes last night,
but many refused. When sWirlng wa
ters rushed into the town at o'clock
this morning the exodus began. Many
| were forced to flee in their night
clothes.
One family refused to move this
morning because the stork was ex-
pected. The family moved to the sec
ond floor of the house. and few
hours later the child was horn Res
cuers arrived in rowboats as the water
began to MI the room. and the mother
and her babe were taken out through
n window.
Valley Park and other towns were
without light or drinking water to-
night.
AS darkness came on. those marooned
in clubhouses discharged arcarms to
attract the attention of rescuers. 1t
became apparent before midnight that
| many OF those who had sought refuge
in tree tops either would have to spend
the night there or swim to one OF the
few clubhouses which had not been
washed away. Few seemed willing to
risk their lives in such an attempt
| 1t is believed every acre of corn In
tho Meramec and Bourbeuse Valleys
has been ruined.
| Popular Bluffs. Mo. Tonight reported
property damage aggregating $1,000. 900
due to the flood. Black River, after at
tanning width OF ten miles and having
! Inundated twenty towns, to-day began
to recede.
| Railroad traffic has been at n stand
still since Friday.
Thousands OF acres OF farm lands in
Green and Jersey Counties. ILL.,, were
flooded to-day when tho Green County
llevees were washed out.