Evening star., 1943-05-22

today that everything possible had
been done to meet the dangers OF
the rising Mississippi from Alton
southwark 100 miles. He said the
Claryville seawall in Perry County,
Mo, had been reinforced and COM
pleted, as had other levees along
the Mississippi on both the Illinois
and Missouri sides.
Rising at st Louis.
In st. Louis the river stage last
night was 37.3 feet. with a crest
of 38 feet predicted for today or
tomorrow That would equal the
second all-time crest. the 1903 38-
foot level being exceeded only by
the record Alp level in 1874
Another area described as "criti-
CAL by Col. E. M. Desislets of the
United States Engineer Corps at St.
Louis was the ST. Charles (Mo)
district, where damage already was
extensive. He said if the three
remaining levees in the area
county waterworks, Gumbo and
Monarch-would hold, much of the
damage would be removed Other
wise, he added, the city of st.
Charles and additional farm lands
would be under water. More than
100000 acres of land were inun-
dated, damage was estimated at
more than 100000 and between
300 and 400 were homeless. Two
thousand Missouri State Guards
men were in the area.
City Cuts Water Service.
City officials in Muskogee, Okla.
discontinued water service to the
10000 inha bitants to conserve the
small supply remaining in the res
ervoir after floods left the water
works imperative The Arkansas
River stage at Muskogee was 48.47.
five inches below the crest predicted
by the Weather Bureau. State ag-
rlcultural experts estimated 100000
acres of crops were ruined in 80
counties and damage to highways
was placed at more than 81 900 900.
All rivers in the Tulsa area, except
the Verdigris. were reported falling.
Breaks in the Illinois side of levee
on the Wabash River relieved the
greatest part of the pressure at
Vincennes, Ind, and dikes in that
city were considered trustworthy.
The number of homeless in the
State was still about 10000, with
rehabilitation of evacuees started
in some cities.
There were only a few danger
spots left in Arkansas, where waters
from the Arkansas, White, St.
Francis and Black Rivers have
flooded thousands of acres. Only
four of the 20 levees between Fort
Smith and Pine Bluff were intact
and engineers were doubtful that
one, Fourche Island, below Little
Rock. will hold under the predicted
stages Some 6,4OO families in the
State are affected by the floods.
Red Cross Plans Cash Aid.
The American Red Cross In Wash
ington announced it is investigating
property damage IN the flooded
areas of the Missouri and Missis-
oippl NdllcyS anu Will chUcIlu llIldIl-
cial aid to families Officials had
estimated about 100000 persons
were homeless in Illinois, Missouri,
Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
Fred A. Winfrey, national vice
chairman of area Offices and chapter
services of the Red Cross, left
Washington by plane for St. Louis
this afternoon to survey the flood
areas. He was accompanied by
David jacques of the National Dis
aster Service
One hundred and eighty men,
hers OF the National Red Cross staff
are now in the affected regions
directing the work of thousands
OF volunteers from the local Red
Cross chapters
It also was disclosed in Washing
ton that Maj. Gen. Eugene Reybold,
chief OF Army Engineers, will make
a personal inspection of the flooded
areas in Oklahoma and Arkansas,
and will report his findings to the
House Flood Control Committee.