Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1888 — MISSISSIPPI FLOODS. [ARTICLE]

MISSISSIPPI FLOODS.

Equaled but Once in the History of the Country. I Quivcy, 111., in the Midat of An Inland Sea—Heartrending Seenea of Destitution and Diatrese. The great flood that now prevails along the Mississippi River says a Quincy, HL, dispatch of Friday has never been equaled but once, the single exception being in 1851. Ten days ago the water reached the danger point, and from that time has been rising steadily at the rate of from four to fourteen inches daily. The Government gauge now marks nineteen feet nine inches, being seven inches higher than during the great flood of 1881. Above and below Quincy are over 100 miles es levees for the protection of fully 200,000 acres of land—the most productive farming lands in the valley. On Sunday morning the first break occurred in one of these great embankments, known as the Indian Grove levee. During the day two other crevices were made, and within a few hours thousands of acres of winter wheat that promised a yield of from forty to eixty bushels to the acre were laid waste. The farmers had been working on the embankment night and day in the hope of saving their homes, and when the flood came a majority of them had hardly time to save their families, so sudden and overwhelming was the on-rush of the torrents. Outside the embankment was the great river, a solid body of water, twenty feet d'eep, and as soon as a crevasse was made it poured through the opening with a roar that could be heard a long distance. Every moment increased the width of the crevasse and the great flood that was to carry destruction in its pathway. Thrifty homes were deserted on a moment’s notice from riders who were sent out to give warning of the danger—in many cases the people being obliged to leave everything and fly to the bluffs or seek safety in boats. On Monday the Sny carte levee, an embankment commencing just below Quincy, and extending south a distance of fifty-four miles, gave way between Hannibal and Louisiana, and the scenes enacted the day previous wers repeated and intensified. Early in the week the Alexandra levee, thirty miles above Quincy, gave way, completely flooding that thrifty city. Yesterday a crevasse was made in the Bny levee at East Hannibal, followed soon after by another break a mile south, and last night the destruction of all the levee districts was complete. Not an acre of ground in this vast territory can escape the flood, and the less to farming interests is simply incalculable. Cattle and horses in the fine wooded pastures were overwhelmed in many localities and drowned. The river above and below the city is from ten to fifteen miles broad, covering all the farms on both sides and extending from the bluffs on the Illinois side to the high bluffs in Missouri. The scene of desolation between Quincy and Hannibal is simply pitiable. What was a few days ago a fertile valley, teeming with abundant crops, is a vast expanse of water, deserted by every living thing. The water is pouring over the top of the levee, besides rushing through the breaks from 300 to 400 yards wide,- with irreeistable force. On the dry places on the embankment are hundreds of cattle, horses and hogs without food and no prcsoect of drink except when in danger of being swallowed up by the floods. Far across on the opposite bluffs, are gathered hundreds of men, women and children in email groups, desolate, forlorn, despairing. They look upon the ruin wrought noon farms laid waste, property destroyed, homes almost completely under water, furniture flouting away, stock drowning. Many of them are utterly destitute, having neither sufficient clothing nor shelter, and sorfie are su fiering for food, despite the bravery of more fortunate neighbors, who are making every exertion to relieve their immediate wants. Steps have been taken to aid them, and a spirit of charity is already pouring its abundance to aid them with every necessary of life. Railroads running into Quincy are seriously embarrassed and the losses to railroad interests will be much more serious than has been anticipated. Communication to the West from this city is entirely cut off, every railroad being under water. In many localities the ties tinder the rails for a distance of many miles have been washed from the road-bed by the flood and are piled up all along the emoankment and in the woods. Bridges and culverts will be carried out and the road-beds will be severely damaged. - In this city factories and warehouses along the river are seriously embarrassed and large buildings are being gradually undermined by the ruahlug wateri. Unlers the flood subsides soon the loss will be much heavier than hitherto anticipated. The flood in this district gives no sign of abatement. A decline of an inch and a half here up to 6 o’clock Friday morning was due solely to ielTef afforded by numerous breaks in the two levees which permitted vast Takes of water to overflow the baun& Since-that, however, the river has been on a stand and a further rise is certain. It is possible, in the judgment of experienced river men, that the high water mark of ’sl

will be parsed before the climax is reached. The situation among the people suffering from this disaster is practically unchanged. Belief parties from this city have been sent in a’l directions, and the people on the bluffs will be cared for, Their immediate necessities will be at once supplied by boat-loads of provisions, and citizens here are subscribing liberal sums of money and boxes of clothing to be forwarded as soon as the location of the distressed refugees is determined. They are in especial need of food for their stock, hundreds of which are huddled together on the embankments, and only partially fed by the citizens, among whom the sufferers have taken refuge. It is probable that the State will be called upon to furnish tents for the people out of houses, who are now quartered in tue barns, sheds and corn-cribs of farmers on the high lands. If the distress proves as widespread as is reported, there will also be an appeal to the citizens of the State at large for contributions of money. The first loss of human life was reported this morning. Before there had been a number of narrow escapes from drowning in efforts to rescue stack. The great flood in the Mississippi, which will be remembered as without precedent in the destruction and suffering created, is slowly abating, and it is thought the mark of high water is passed. On the west side of the river no attempt is made to run trains on any roads. Owing to great confusion, it is impossible to obtain detailed losses, but the aggregate will reach fully $3,000,000 from crops alone. Tne damage to the leveea, houses and railroads will approximate $600,000.