The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-08-23
River Banks Lined With
Pleasure ResOrts-BOat
Clubs Swept Away By
Rushing Waters
OVER SCORE KILLED
IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY
BY RECENT FLOODS
Hundreds Had to Climb
Trees to Avoid Being
DrOwned-SOme Are Ma
r00ned in Club Houses

81. Louis. August 2:.--Efght per-
sons were reported drowned. scores
MISSING hundreds Of pleasure resorts
were torn from their moorings and the
greater part of st. Louis county WINS
Hooded today through the rising Of
the Mcr"mec river. which, normally "A
brookiet, now is n raging torrent md
IN places miles out of its hanks.
The Meramec river. lined on both
sides with thousands of pleasure re-
sorts, olubhouses and summer cottages.
went several miles out of its banks
today, swept away most of these
buildings and increased to 20. II is re-
ported, the number of lives lost in st.
Louis county as a result of floods
which followed the recent rainstorm
here.
Tho Meramec began rising n foot an
hour this morning and the flood was
30 sudden that hundreds had time only
to climb trees. Efforts to rescue these
with motorhoats had been in vain early
tonight The river tonight passed a
stage five feet higher than ever known
before.
Six Drown at Valley Park
Six persons were said to have been
drowned at Valley Park and two at
Meramec Highlands today Many 9TH
ers We're missing and fear is expressed
that the death list may aggregate sew
cral score persons.
Hundreds of persons have been ma
rooned in clubhouses and cottages
along the river by the first rise. several
uays ago ana hundrsds of others had
gone 20 the river today .hopine Il would
recede and permit them TO rescue rel
atlyes, friends and their water soaked
posse essions.
Appeals for help were sent to st.
Louis tonight and hundreds of volun-
teers Immediately responded Boats are
being rushed to the Meramec by train.
strong motorboats attempted to enter
the Meramec from the Mississippi river
but high waters prevented their pass
age under one of the few remaining
bridges across the Meramec.
Unconfirmed reports said that every
building on either side of the river
from Clinton to Pacific. distance of
35 miles. had been carried away.
Families Homeless
In Valley Park alone 2000 families
nave been made homeless. The water
was 10 to II feet high in the streets.
The river now is two and one-half
miles wide at Valley Park and Mer-
amec Highlands and four miles wide
at Crescent, Mo.
The flooded area Is estimated at 100.-
0G0 square miles Telephone and tele-
graph wires to almost all towns in
the district are down Thousands of
refugees from the flooded districts are
being housed In churches, hotels and
other public buildings Cots and food
are being sent from ST. Louis.
Officials warned the Valley Park resi-
dents to leave their homes last night. but
many refused. When swirlng waters
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 MORN
ing because the stork was expected. The
father moved to the second floor of
house ard a hour later the child was
born. Rescuers arrived In rowboats as
the water began to fiji the room and the
mother and her babe We're taken out
through a window.
Without Light or Water
Valley Park and other towns were
without lights or drinking water tonight.
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