Evening star., 1952-04-23
Flood Workers Raise
Kansas City levees
As Rains Continue
BY the Associated Press

Flood workers built their levees
higher at Kansas City today
spurred by the Missouri Rivers
fresh destruction upstream and
a continued pattern of rain.
They said the extra height
wouldn't be needed. but they
wanted to have it-just in case.
Both the nations longest rivers
spread destruction in record floods
for miles along their length.
The mighty Mississippi flung its
weight at towns along the Iowa
border. CreSts were expected there
today a little higher than last
years records.
10000 Reported Homeless.
And along the wild Missouri, the
flood brought almost hourly crises.
So far, the red cross estimated
26,538 families or about 10000
persons have been forced to flee
their homes in the two major
floods.
The extra protection being built
on top of levees at Kansas City is
the same kind of wooden flash
boarding" used to save Omaha,
Nebr.,- and Council Bluffs, Iowa,
last week.
There was nothing in sight,
however, to indicate another dis
aster like the one that hit Kansas
City last July, causing huge indus
trial dictrict losses.
But with the treacherous Mis-
souri, you never know.
Army engineers boosted their
estimates of damage to $54.8 mil
lion from Rulo in Southeastern
Nebraska to the mouth above ST.
Louis. That included $29.7 mil
lion of agricultural damage.
Crest Near st. Joseph.
More than 100000 acres are ex-
pected to be flooded in that
stretch.
The Missouri's slowly moving
flood crest today was around St.
Joseph with top of 272 feet ex-
pected to equal the 1881 record.
Actually, Col. E. E. Browning said,
the river is carrying more water
now than it did in that record
flood.
No very heavy rains were FORE
cast. although moisture laden air
continued to pour north from the
gulf, humping into cool air from
the Pacific. That brought inter-
mittent showers in the danger
area of Kansas and Missouri.
ForecaSters said that if heavy
general rains developed, they'd
have to raise their predicted food
peak at Kansas City to 80 feet
foot higher than the level now
predicted for Friday. Last years
record here was 362. Flood stage
is % and the levees are built to
take 40.8.
Iowa Roads Closed.
Light rain also fell in the Mis-
sissippi Valley, but not enough to
affect the flood -choked river very
much.
In Iowa, highways were closed
AS far south as Davenport. Du-
buque railroad stations were
closed but trains kept running.
Leaking dikes kept flood fighters
busy at Sabula, north of Clinton.
At Muscatine, levees held and
officials said I'VE seem pretty well
'braced."
At LeavenWorth, Kans., the last
private levee in the Kansas City
district collapsed late yesterday
It protected the Missouri Valley
Shipyards, working on a S7.5 mil
lion Government boat building
project. Two hundred sandbag-
gers got out safely.
A leaking dixie also imperiled
Sherman Air Force Field near old
Fort Leavenworth. Troops first
were evacuated. then fresh flood
fighters were rushed in for last
ditch stand.
Engineer Confident.
At Kansas City. more businesses
in the industralized bottomlands
got ready to move in a hurry if
they have to.
Col. j. L. Lincoln, district Army
engineer. said there was no reason
for them to be alarmed. Present
levees, rebuilt after last years
flood, are more than strong
enough to hold the water, he
said.
Adding extra emergency height
to the dikes with flashboarding
he said. is Ito provide for water
which yet may fall and for which
we must be prepared"
(Flashboarding is a system of
protecting by driving 2x4 boards
into the dixie top, backing them
with boards. then piling on earth
fill and sandbags behind that. A
similar system at Omaha and
Council Bluffs held back a crest
4 feet higher than the leyees were
built to Stand.)