The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-05-20
From tho New Orleans Times. Of the Ilth inst.
TERRIBLE CATAsTROPHB.

s..ra :. the .Ivsr-Gr..A asa n.r-
| A1ke1v - - Ove90o wed.
During storm, on Tuesday night, the wind
veered TO the north, and the rain fell in tor
rents from midnight till daylight on Wednes-
day morning. During the night there was I
Temporary rise Of the river, Of about seven
inches. and the waves, dashing sgainst the
soft and recently erected embankment washed
over and carried it away. Previous to the
storm the water was within five inches Of the
top Of the levee.
Our informant vas at the lower part al
Grand Levee at the time Of the crevasse, and
be states that the alarm and excitement Of
the inhabitants was intense They we're en-.
deavoring to escape in skiffs, rafts, canoes,
carts. and by every other avaisbie means.
While the excit ment was ut its height, the
news arrived that great Morganza Levee had
also given way, thereby greatly extending the
area of destruction. As the levees were new,
the breaches extended in both places very
rapidly, and in the course Of few hours the
water spread over wide extent Of country.
and still swept onward toward the Gulf Of
Mexico.
The whole Of that fertile territory extending
from the river to B<rwick'a Bay will undoubt.
edly be delnged, and the destruction OF prop
erty viii be beyond computation. Planters
who have been endeAvoring by almost super
human exertions to build up their broken for
tunes. are agan sent forth from their homes
by the pursuing waters-exiles from the Eden
they so love. Incalculable distress must to-
low this terrible visitation Of The angry flood,
and for q season. at least, the most beautiful
portion of our fair State will be trsckles
waste.
The State Engineer has given up the bro
ken levees in despair. and until the river fall.
in summer, the alligator will course over
nelds which a few days since were putting on
their spring smiles of promise. Other leyeee
below those which have broken, are in
doubtful condition.
AT the last great overflow eleven parishes
were submerged. but as the break on that oc-
casion was much earlier in the season than on
this, it is TO be hoped that the deluge this
year will not spread over such wide extent
Of country. aud that il will NOT cover more
than nine parishes Be this rs il may. the
calamity will be sufficiently widespread TO
ruin thousands upon thousands OF our people.
Nee isg - the Gen~rsi Asse.. Aly - OlA
seh.ssl Presbys~rs..s-The New seAesl
Assembly Arrival - n ealrseA Cel< Sra-
taonis.s.
Sr Loris. May II.
The general assembly Of Old School Pres
byterians met y, DR.. Mitchell church, corner
Of Fifth and Walnut Streets. this morning.
The opening sermon was preached by DIR.
Lowry. Three candidates. representing diff
ferent parties. were nominated for moden-
tors, with the following result; X. l.. stanton,
13S: P. d. Gurley. -; $. X. Wilson, ls.
Number oil commissioners present, 239.
The new school assembly met at Dr. Mel
son church, corner Of Fourteenth street and
livered by DR. Shaw. Of Rochester.
Prof Hopkins, Of Auburn, N. T., was cho-
sen moderator
Two hundred and one commissioners are
present.
The President and Directors OF the Mobile
and Ohio railroad, Mayor Withers, Of Mobile,
and . delegation Of grnslamen representing
the commercial interests Of that city, arrived
10 day. and are the guests Of the Merchants