The Mighty Flood

A DESOLATE DISTRICT. Bt Louis, May 2O.-Friday's reports from the flooded districts are from Keokuk Ia..to the remóte parts of Arkansas, and show terrible destruction. A Louisiana (Mo.) dispatch says that the breaks in the levee here caused the river to f all about a foot since Thursday night, but the flood is increasing in the Sny district from one end to the other. Another break occurred below this city Thursday night, and the torrent is now rushing'from the lower end of the valley to meet with the flood coming from the ether break above. A great many of the farms are ten feet under water and the buildings alraost ruined. Crops will be entirely destroyed. The only remaining hope of the farmers is that the water will go eut in time f or a late corn erop. Qi-in-cy 111., May 22.- The mighty flood in the Mississippi, which will be remera bered as without a precedent in the destruction and suffering created, is slowly abating and it is thought that the worst of the high water is passed. But the worst that could happen has already occurred, hundreds of families having been rendered homeless and thousands of acres of growing crops ruined, to say nothing of the loss entailed by demohshed dwellings, wreoked fences and washouts. A trip through the subrnergea regions shows that the stories of losa and suffering already published have not been exaggerated in the least. From the northern end of Adams County to the southern end of Pike County the land on the Illinois side of the river was protected by a system of levees, the región embracing 250,000 acres, the soil being the richest in the State. All the región ís now one vast lake from six to ten feet in depth. Along the bluff on the eastern edge of the submerged district hundreds of families are camped, living in tents, huts and in the open air. Before the flood most of these people were well-todo, prosperous larmers, but now they have little or notbing. Mm-h Bickness prevalí among the un iortunates, owiiijr to wint and oxposure, but prompt measures have been taken to alleviate thcir sufferings. Relief committees from Qnlncv went above and below the city Sunday with provisión, clothing and medicines, and most of the cases of immediate want have bvn cored for, but the victims will need assistance for sevcral weeks to come. BeveraJ thousand dollars have been raised in this city for the benefit of the victims and more will be collected. The inundated regions are full of desolation. Peserted homcsteads wit ft the water lapping the eaves are the most frequent as well as the most pathetic sight, But here and there is a spark of life not yet extinguished bv the all-destro.ving waters. While the vast majority of the inhabitants fled to the higher landa few were not granted time to get away or misjudged the oharaoter of the breaks in the levee and determined to stay vrith their homes, and are now living in the jarrets or on the roof s. In the Sny levee district below this city the situation is infinitely worse than in the regions of the north. The erevasse, which completed the inundation, opened at the upper end of the embankment and the pent-up waters from the river poured over the vast tract of rich farming land, sweeping evcry thing before it. The torrent i-ushed down in a great wave several feet high with a forcé wbi'A nothing could withstand. Opposite the crevasse was the magnifieent residence of Mr. Stillwell, of whieh not a vest ige remains. The farmers in the district ■vrorked on the weakening levee with the I energy of desperation, ceasing not their I efforts until the bank gave way. The noise that accompanied it could be distinctly heard fully two miles. The towns of Fall Creek, Noehorn and Hulls are but mei'e islands, and hundreds of refugees are huddled togetber in limitcd space. Four or five families are living in each of the rooms in the few houses above the water, and are suffering intensely. QUIXOT, 111., May '.-The drowning of Samuel Moore in the Indian Grove levee district by the floods, and of two children of TVillia'm Johnson in the Sny district, was reported in this city yesterday, and two families are reported missing and no trace oí thcm can be foumt. lt ís learea i that many more íatalities will yet have to I be reeorded. St. LOUIS, May 28.- Advicee from rivcr I points above hei-e say that the Jlississippi I continúes to recede, having fallen 22 I inches in the last twentyfour hours. The water has ceased pouring in I at the break in the upper Indian tirove levee. and the land in the northern part of the flooded district is expected to be dry enough for the plow by the end of next "week. The wheat being destroyed the farmers will plant corn as soon as possible after the water recede. Some of the land can not be cultivated this year.