The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-08-26
SUFFERING ACUTE
IN WAKE OF FLOOD
Twelve Known Dead, Thous-
ands Homeless and Great
Property Damage Toll Of
st. Louis Catastrophe.

St Louis. Mo-. Aug 24.-The Mera-
mec river, which rose swiftly Satur-
day night and Sunday, flooding a large
part of the manufacturing and sum-
mer resort town OF Valley Park. 10
miles southwest OF st. Louis, fell rap
idly today, making possible a careful
inquiry to determine the extent OF the
flood damage.
Reports OF drownings were uncon-
firmed this morning, though the coro-
ner last night said IL drownings had
been reported to him. None was miss
could be learned. though $500 persons
had been driven from their homeS-
Thousands of acres OF farm lowlands
along the river were still under water,
and II was impossible to learn deffnite-
ly whether the scores, mostly white,
who had been reported missing last
night, had been accounted for.
The water stood In the streets or
Valley Park today from two to four
feet deep. The Meramec river Tell
slowly because Of the high water In
the Mississippi. The Meramec is
flooded along its entire course OF 100
miles through the Ozarks. More than
100 miles Of territory in the heart of
the Ozarks between Springfield, Mo-,
and ST. Louis. Is cut of from commu-
nication with eitner CITY.
st. Louis, MO-, Aug. 23.--St. Louis
county Is recovering today from the
third calamity in as many days--a flood
which cost at least IL lives--possibly
many more, destroyed more than $1,-
100000 worth Of property and made
1000 families homeless.
Twelve deaths had been reported this
morning and almost 100 persons were
listed as missing. River men who are
closely acquainted with the situation,
fear the falling Of the Meramec Today
may disclose a heavy toll OF lives.
Equally distressing conditions pre-
vail throughout southeastern Missouri
and parts of western Illinois, where
the toll less severe in the number or
lives lost, Is far greater in damage to
property and crops. Railroads, tele-
phone and telegraph facilities are de-
moralized, the physical damage may
aggregate $5,O00,000, and tens OF thou
sands Of farmers and villagers are
homeless.
The Meramec river rose during the
night, while thousands OF campers and
picnickers slept in the club houses and
summer cottages which dot the rivers
banks From o'clock yesterday morn
Ing until last midnight the river rose
a foot an hour. The flood waters of
swollen Ozark mountain streams,
which empty into the Merramec, came
rushing down the Meramec In layers
a foot high, tearing farm houses, club
houses, bridges and barges from their
mornings and hurting them against
trees and telegraph poles and against
each other in the mad rush toward the
Mississippi river.
Calls for help were sent to st. Louis
and hundreds of rescuers with motor
boats and other craft were on the
scene at daybreak. They toiled all day
and all last night and rescued 600 per-
sons. This morning men and In few
cases, women, who had climbed to tree
tops and roofs, still were crying for
help.
Almost the, entire population OF VAL
ley Park--2,500 families-were driven
from their homes and large manufact-
uring plants, about which the town Is
built were rendered useless probably
for weeks.