People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1893 — LOST IN THE FRESHET. [ARTICLE]

LOST IN THE FRESHET.

Eighteen Persons Drowned by the Flood In Arkansas Whole Families Swept Away—Damage by High Water at St. Louis and Other Points—Great Loss of Life In China. Van Buren, Ark., May 3. —Reports from the washed-out territory are coming in slowly on account of the swollen condition of all streams. Advices received here state that Mr. Meredith, a farmer, his wife and family of six children were washed away. The bodies of two of the children were found 2 miles away in the drift. Searching parties are looking for the rest of the family. Marion Denny, his wife and three children were swept away with their home and no tidings of them have been received. Henry Boyd lost his storehouse, cotton gin, barn and five head of horses, and in the same neighborhood six other houses, a church, school and cotton gin went before the awful torrent. Searcy, Ark., May 3.—Allen Brown, Robinson Caruth, Joe Scott. Sandy Cooksey and Allen Booth, employed at the government rock quarry 2 miles south of this place, got in a small boat at noon Tuesday and attempted to cross the Little river to go to their dinner. When they had reached the middle of the river the raging torrent overcame their strength and their boat was thrown violently against a rock, wrecking it. The men were thrown into the river and were soon carried down with the current. The bodies have not been recovered. St. Louis, May 3. - Advices from southern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas are to the effect that the third flood this year in the White and Black rivers is now pouring down those Streams and doing great damage to all kinds of property. A large part of Poplar Bluff on both sides of the Black river is submerged and people have been obliged to abandon their homes. The Iron Mountain railway track is washed out at several places. The bottom lands along both White and Black rivers are flooded for miles and all crops are greatly damaged or wholly destroyed. At Steelville, on the Meramec river, in Crawford county, Mo., water poured through the main street 4 feet deep, flooding houses, and people had to be taken from-their homes on horseback. St. Louis, May 3. —The Mississippi river is still rising slowly at this point and at midnight registered 31.7 feet The Missouri Pacific transfer boats are running across the river but the ferryboat is unable to make a landing. Deep water is making itself felt at the Missouri car and foundry works and at the north end of the works is perhaps a foot deep. Near the workhouse seven houses are completely surrounded by water and three have been abandoned. Monday afternoon seventy-five persons with their household effects were given transportation across the river from East Carondelet to Carondelet, and they will make their homes here for the time being. The low lands between the Chicago & Alton railway track and the river are submerged from East St. Louis to Venice. Some of the inhabitants deserted their houses, which now stand half under water, but some of the more thoughtful built their houses on huge flatboats and these are afloat and safely tied to big trees on the railway track. The Chicago & Alton railway tracks form the levee between East St. Louis and Venice. Since the last flood the company has raised it so that the water will have to be 2 feet higher than last year to break over it. Hundreds of homes depend upon the strength of the railway track for safety, and at present no uneasiness is manifested, though every inch of it is watched closely day and night. Quincy, HL, May 3.—The Mississippi river is far out of its banks here, and the enormous quantity of water above yet to come down gives rise to grave fears of a disastrous flood. The river at this point is now 7 miles wide and steadily rising. All the unprotected bottom lands are inundated and everything on them driven to the bluffs. On the levees the water is still 2 feet below the danger line, but the rate at which the river is rising indicates that that line will be passed before the end of the week. None of the levees yet show signs of weakening, but much damage has been done in the levee districts from the accumulated surface water resulting from the heavy rains. Cincinnati, May 3.—The heavy rains have ceased and cooler weather prevails. Danger of a disastrous flood in the Ohio river is not imminent. The greatest damage is along the smaller rivers in Ohio. The Miami is higher than since 1884. Paper mills in Franklin and Middletown are compelled to stop work. Along the Little Miami thousands of acres of planted ground are submerged. Along the Scioto the same state of affairs exists. The city park at Chilicothe is flooded and the bottom lands are all under water. The Muskinul is likewise higher than has been known for years. Only the absence of a great rise from headwaters prevents an unusual flood in the Ohio river. San Francisco, May 3.—News from China by the steamer Peru says the river Hoangho has overflowed its banks with disastrous results. Some 400 villages were flooded Late in March with great loss of life. On March 28 the river again broke its banks in two places at Son-Katoo, doing still greater damage.- Refugees from the flooded districts are pouring into Tientsin.