Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1858-04-17
From the B. r. Advocate, 18th.

From the B. R.. Advocate, 18th.
CAVE OF THE LEvEE.-A Crerasse ana
Oreraow-About 7 o'clock on Sunday
morning the splendid levce protecting
the plantation below this city, Con this
side Of the river,) caved in at the juno
tare ofC. G. McHatton's plantation, with
a vacant piece of ground owned by Ed
Conrad, causing the water to rush ovel
the adjoining plantations at a trench,
dous rate. Fully an acre of batture in
front of the levee Sided in before the
water reached the latter, about forty
feet Of which at first gave way. We
visited the place about II o'clock, and
found the water rushing through space
of probably two hundred feet with great
velocity, while hundreds Of acres on the
places of G. G. Mediation, Conrad and
J.. A. Mediation were already submerg-
ed.
The negroes from the adjoining plan
tations were driving piling across the
current, but soon after abandoned the
work. A fatboat one hundred and fifty
feet i'll length was carried from this city
to be sunk across the opening OF the
c~rcvasse, which was s~killfully swung
around by those having command OF it
and floated in broadside. The boat came
in rapidly, but passed over the falls
without touching side or bottom, and
then driftcd around against the outside
of the levee, with her bow about forty
feet from the break in the levee.
This failure seemed to paralyze for
the moment all efforts to close the breach.
The State Engineer had arrived in the
meantime, when the work of closing
was put in his charge.
We visited the spot again late in the
evening and found that nothing had been
done, but preparations were going on
for a vigorous effort this (Monday)
morning. The waterseemed to be pour
ing through in an increased volumn,
and had spread over an immense ex-
panse of country, We shall obtain
further particulars before going to
press.
Moaday, IL M,-We have just return
ed from the ~crevasse, where we found
about three hundred hands engaged in
cutting and driving piling and filling in
with bagasse and dirt. The levee at
the place broken formed an elbow rum
ming into the river through the point of
which the water is running. Under the
direction of Col. Hebert, three close rows
of stakes have been commenced about a
hundred yards on either side from the
mouth of the crevasse, the space between
the first and second rows to be filled
with bagasse, and that between the
second and third with dirt. On the
lower side the progress with the work
is rapid, but owing to scarcity OF hands
on the upper it goes on slowly. The
State Engineer thinks that the crevasse
can be closed before the expiration Of
the present week.
During last night the breach widened
a little, and this morning the water ex-
tended over a larger tract OF country.
The sugar-house of Jas. Mediation has
nearly been reached by the overflow, and
a large portion of his cane is under
water. At present, c. G. Mediation is
the largest sufferer j; the water having
run over nearly all the lowlands between
his sugar-house and the river, and back
ed around the base of the hill on which
his buildings are erected and begun its
encroachments on the plantation Of Mr..
Hall above. The woods in the rear Of
all the coast plantations below is filling
up rapidly as far down as Manchac.
The people on the Highlands are endeav-
oring to get their stock out OF the
danger, but it is feared large losses will
be sustained in cattle, hogs, sheep, etc.
A heavy wind has been blowing from
the West all the morning, and with the
cool weather, the labor on the crevasse
is carried on under very disagreeable
circumstances.
HUNDREDS of acres of young cane are
under water, but experienced men say
it will not be destroyed if the water can
be shut off within the next three or four
days. The cost of closing the break
can at present be set down as at least
500, 900 and if it is not done speedily,
too, the, loss to the planters below will
be hundreds Of thousands.
CREvAssE OPPOSITE JEFFERSON CITY.
About one hundred yards Of levee,
opposite jefferson City, gave way yester-
and all efforts to stop it proved I'M
successful. Several small breaks occur
red on this side, but were stopped.
THE GREAT SPEECH OF SENATOR DOUGLAS.
The closing speech of Mr.. Douglas on I