Evening star., 1923-03-24
.11-M|[E ICE GORGE
MENACES VALLEY
IN THREE STATES
400 Homes Already Flooded
in Sioux City Bottom Lands
as Water Rises.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
OMAHA, Neb.. March 24.-Unprece-
dented mammoth ice gorges in the
Missouri river and tributary streams
near Fermillion, s. D.: Sioux City and
Onawa, Iowa, and Dakota City, Neb,
today have precipitated conditions
which present food menace for all
the lowland between Vermillion and
Omaha, the flooding Of thousands Of
acres of rich farm lands in the three
states, destruction of hundreds of
farm homes and at least the partial
inundation of Sioux City and several
lesser cities and towns
More than 400 homes in the bottom
lands Of Sioux City were untenable
today, and two-foot rise in the
waters of Floyd river, backing up
from the Missouri river, would, ac-
cording to- police, inundate an addi-
tional forty residential blocks. The
occupants of the near-rfver section
were driven out by police last night
When the swollen waters gradually
crept up.
Huge Gorge Strnngles River.
An ice gorge reported to have at
tained length of eleven miles. and
a width In places Of seven miles near
Blassfield Island. at Sergeant Bluff.
Iowa, south of Sioux City is strangu-
lat1ng the mighty Missouri river. The
stream, strengthened by thaws and
spring moods. is engaged in a titanic
struggle to break the deadly grip.
In its grapp1e, the river is dissipating
It's strength in overfowing into the
lowlands.
A decided drop in temperature this
morning helped the ice mass retain
its grip. But at any moment the
rivers terrific pressure may triumph.
and then its damned up. choked. and
denied waters would surge down the
valley. a conservative Sioux City es-
innate placed the number of farms
in the path of such a water wall at
two thousand.
Ten Counties in Danger.
Ten counties of South Dakota, Iowa
and Nebraska, would bear the brunt
of the onslaught. They are Clay
| county of South Dakota: Plymouth
Woodbury.. Monona and Harrison
counties of Iowa, and Cedar, Dixon
Dakota, Thurston and Burt counties
| of Nebraska. Among them, especially
among the Iowa counties, are to be
| found some of the choice corn lands
| of the corn belt.
Late last night an ice gorge formed
near Onawa, Iowa, and flood stage de.
veloped, forcing the residents of the
| lowlands there to flee.
| Fear Break In Gorge.
| The gorge formed south of the city
and at midnight had grown to be three
| and a half miles long. with towering ice
| peaks. At that hour the authorities al
Onawa gave up hope of shattering the
gorge with explosives. At Vermillion
S. D., a gorge formed yesterday after.
noon and before midnight menaced the
surrounding river districts.
The gorge caused the James river tc
rise from backed-up water. a rapid rise
| was experienced early this morning il
| the Big Sioux river at Elkpoint, S. D.
where conditions similar to those a.
! vermillion were reported. Sioux City
| today was threatened with increased
periIs as the danger became acute tha
| the gorges at Vermillion and Elkpoin
| might break during the early mornint
| hours. Breaking of the gorges woulc
flood all the lowlands between Vermil
| lion and Sioux City and cause a rise IL
the Missouri and Floyd rivers at Siou1
| City.
j Streets Are Flooded.
At 10 o'clock last night the Mis-
souri, river reached stage of 16.'
J feet at Sioux City and was reported
to be practically stationary at tha
point The Floyd river, however. con
tinued to rise at last reports early
| today and was within two feet of 6
| stage at which 1t would present Sc
rious menace to the main city itself
A dangerous situation was also de
veloping early this morning at Ho
mer, Neb., the scene of the great 1921
| flood, when the town was virtually
wiped out of existence. At an early
hour this morning efforts were being
] made to dynamite a gorge that ha6
formed in Omaha creek there. anG
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