MISSISSIPPI’S HIGHEST FLOOD IN HUNDRED YEARS

Grey River Argus, 30 June 1947, Page 5

MISSISSIPPI’S HIGHEST FLOOD IN HUNDRED YEARS

Meat and Corn Prices Raised NEW YORK, June 28. Residents of Southern Illinois, aiding troops fought desperately to save their homes to-day from The waters of 'the Mississippi river. This is the highest flood in over a century. The flood to-day pressed against the levees along 150 miles- of the river’s course. All of the inhabitants of one 50,000 acres area which is protected by levees, have been ordered to -evacuate. Meanwhile, Desmoines river has flooded sections of Ottumwa, in lowa for the fourth time this month. Ottumwa has a population of 30,000.

Senator James Murray, Democrat, Montana, asked President Truman to-day to appoint a F'residential Commission to make recommendations for relieving the hardship caused by the floods and for pre venting future ones. Senator Murrav said that the flood damage is nowestimated at 200,000,000 dollars, with 3,800,000 acres of land inundated. The floods, he said, already have caused record high prices for corn which would send meat prices so high that meat would become a luxury item for most American families.