Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-05-04


TME FLOOD IN THE LOWER
MISsBsSlPPg.
Great Destruction Of Property.
We are in possession Of New
Orleans papers Of Monday morning,
the 25th inst, from which We gather
the following river news,
THE BONNET CARRE CREvAssE.
From the New Orleans Crescent, April ISL
The latest intelligence from Bonnet
Care crevasse is to the effect that the
break remains in statu quo, without
any effort being made TO repair the
levee. The Jackson Railroad track
is overlooked to a very great extent,
and the road has adopted the lake
route. The water, It is said rushed
through the break with resistless VIC
Ience, and will soon find its way to the
lake. In the parish Of Madison, there
are now fee crevasses reported. In
another column of this mornings
Crescent, the reader will find very
full and detailed account of the actual
and truly alarming state Of affairs on
and along the river, giving q birds
cye.view Of the damages already sus-
tanned and apprehended from the flood.
The weather for two days past, since
our last issue, has been clear and mild.
The river continues to swell, and on
last evening was two inches above the
highest mark reached last year, while
the latest accounts from the upper riv-
ers leave no room for any immediate
cessation of the rise. The telegraph
announces another rise in the Missis-
sippi at St. Louis and above, while on
Saturday the Ohio was again swelling.
| DISASTER SPREADING.
lie Messenger, published in the par
ish of St. Jacques, Of the Odd inst,
states that on the previous Saturday
night crevasse break occurred in the
levee Just above the residence of Mr..
Robert Delogny. The alarm was i'm
mediately given, and in short time
over five hundred hands collected from
the neighboring plantations, and by in
defatigable exertions closed the gap,
everything being reported safe the
next day.
La Jeune Amerique, published in the
parish of St. Jean Baptiste, Of the 23d
inst, state that on the previous Tues
day, a crevasse occurred on the upper
border of parish of St. Charles, just
above the residences Of NM. Bouhgny
and Ganucheau. That paper states
that half an hour before the crevasse
was discovered, the levec, among the
most solid and substantial works Of the
kind in the State, was sound and unin.
jnred as ever. When discovered the
breach had the appearance of being
cut through rather than washed, and
the water was pouring through in a
volume six fe, wide and three feet
deep. 1t was suppe sed that the levec
was cut by some malicious miscreant,
and endeavors to ferret out the truth
of the matter are being made by the
enraged inhabitants of the vlcinage.
The Concordia Intelligencer OF Fri
day last has the following:
The river at this point has been
gaining steadily since our last report.
Ry measurement on Thursday m, rn-
ing Of last week, the river had exceed
ed the highest water of last year, eight
inches, and by measurement yesterday
morning the water exceeded the high
est water mark of last year l3 inches,
making the gain for the week five in
ches. We have no accurate guide by
which to establish the altitude of the
river in 1850, but it is the impression
of those We have conversed with up
on the subject, that the river now, at
this point, is higher than in that mem
orable year, Notwithstanding so much
damage as yet has not been experience
ed, owing, no doubt to the more effic-
lent condition of the levees.
The Marengo levees continues i'm.
pregnable, and the opinion is enter
tanned that through the exertions o.
the force employed upon it, that it car
be kept up, unless the river rises above
the present point. Built Bayou levee
settled in one or more places this week
but was Immediately repaired, and ii
now in good condition.
The prospects are certainly gloomy
and discouraging; with Is much wat
ter as can be successfully combated
our only salvation seems to be in {
speedy cessation Of the rise. The seep
age water is taking effect upon th,
plantations near the river, and tho crops
are being seriously effected.
We learn that Wednesday morning
last the Henderson Levee broke. III,
gap has already extended several hun
dred feet, through which the water il
boaming with tremendous force, threat
ening immense destruction. The breal
il about thirteen miles below Vidalia
and near where the break of last yea
occurred.
81 The Atlantic Tolesraph.
No.