Evening star., 1947-06-14
Second Flood in Week
ImperiIs Iowa Cities;
Many Still Homeless
By the Assoeiatsd pfsss


OTTUMWA, Iowa, June IA
This sand -bagged Southeastern
Iowa city. sections of it still
desolate from the last high
waters of the Des Moines River,
waited tensely today for its sec
ond food In a week.
With the river expected to rise
rapidly today, Cresting at 1875 feet
tomorrow, preparations were nearly
complete for protecting the $4,000
residents, many of them still home
less after the river reached a record
20.24 feet last Saturday.
Meanwhile, cities on the Lower
Iowa River and the Cedar River,
Eastern Iowa tributaries of the Mis-
sissippi, also braced to fight off new
food waters. Several hundred fam
lilies in many communities have
been forced from their homes.
The Chicago Weather Bureau said
rain has ceased in the major flood
area in Iowa and along the Mis-
sissippi and Missouri Rivers.
Evacuation centers have been
established in the Ottumwa High
School and grade schools. which
are stocked with food. Some resi-
dents in the low areas moved in
yesterday.
Emergency Units Set Up.
The Army. Navy, Coast Guard and
Red Cross were set up in the city
to provide aid, Five generators for
use in strategic centers in case OF
power failure we're flown in by the
Army from Fort Sheridan, Ill. The
Army also brought In Is mobile
kitchens.
Hundreds of volunteers, including
sailors from a nearby Navy base,
and employees of the John Morrell
meat-packing plant, where opera
tions were slowed down by the new
flood threat, worked through the
night erecting nearly a mile-long
baricade along flood torn Church
street.
Herschel Loveless, flood director
said the sandbag agging was primarily
to slow up the fast water when the
river rises. Swift currents made
rescue operations perilous during
last weeks flood and claimed the
lives of at least two persons.
1000 Already Homeless.
Joe Griffin, Red Cross disaster
chairman for Ottumwa, estimated
that nearly 1000 persons are home
less now. Most of them victims OF
last weeks high waters unable TO
get back into mud-f1lled, smashed
homes.
Mr.. Griffin said approximately g.
900 persons were evacuating their
homes In the section where a 1875
foot flood crest will send water
swirling through residences and
business buildings.
I'VE are stocking two schools in
South Ottumwa with enough food to
last them 10 days, in case they are
cut of from the rest OF the city
by high waters" Mr. Grimm said.
In Des Moines, D. N. McIlrath,
Red Cross State pubic relations
oficer. said 460 persons were housed
In Red Cross shelters. Some of the
evacuees had been housed by the
Red Cross since last weeks food
Other evacuees were living in tents
in an Ottumwa Park. Mr., Griffin
said
Main street In North Ottumwa.
location of some OF the city's largest
retail business houses, took on an
almost deserted air. Show windows
were empty. Sand bags were stacked
in front OF stores. The city had not
regaiped many of It's normal services
knocked out last week.
= Power was provided only on linn
f basis, with street lights out and
9evators not running. Drinking
water was being hauled in from
neighboring communities and the
only public meals being served were
by the Red Cross and Salvation
Army.
In Southwest Iowa, hard hit by
food waters of the Nishnabotna and
Nodaway Rivers. the food crests ap-
peared to have passed at Red Oak
where the Nishnabotna drove 100 to
$50 families from their homes yester-
day. and at Shenandoah, where
record crest on the Nodaway was re-
corded.
Greatest Flood Predicted.
C. o. Tucker, Government weather
observer at Burlington, Iowa, pre-
dicted that by the end of next week
a 100-mile stretch of the Mississippi
River from Keokuk, Iowa, to Louisi-
ana. Mo, would experience its great
est flood in history He said he based
his prediction on the torrential
rains in Iowa Thursday night.
The Nishnabotna River brought
the most disastrous food in history
to Hamburg. in extreme Southwest
Iowa. All rail service was disrupted
and all roads except highway 275
were under water after a dixie broke
last night.
The Cedar River appeared to have
reached crest of 20.35 feet at
Waterloo. Iowa, in the northeast. last
night, but about foot more of water
was expected from the northern part
Of the river. City officials said about
800 persons had been evacuated from
their homes
CurIey's Condition