Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 70, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 May 1898 — FLOODS IN ARKANSAS. [ARTICLE]

FLOODS IN ARKANSAS.

Waterspouts and Tornadoes Sweep Houses Away and Cause Some Los* of Life. Little Rock, Ark., May 7. —A special from Van Buren, Ark., says: Waterspouts and tornadoes have played havoc here and done hundreds of thousands of dollars’ damages. Three houses were blown down at Rudy, eight mites east of here, and it is reported that Winslow, a summer resort on the top of the Boston mountain, is entirely gone. The Arkansas river is 2JT miles wide in places and is now four inches higher than it

was in 1892, which was the highest On record. All Thursday night boats were busy in the bottoms rescuing the inhabitants. Thousands were rescued and it is feared that many have been drowned. Mulberry, Ark., May 7. —The Arkansas river and the Mulberry continue to rise, having reached the high-water mark of 1892, the highest on record. Crops in the bottoms are totally destroyed and great damage is being done to life and property. Ail who can are leaving the bottoms, but many are unable to get out at all. T. Ivey, a young farmer near this city, was drowned while endeavoring to swim his stock to higher land. An entire family whose names are not given were drowned near Alma. ftTheir house was washed away. The rffi’r is still rising and the water is backing over fields never known to overflow.