Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-04-17
THE FLOOD IN LOUISIANA.
The River and the LcVees-Great De.
structiOu of Property.

The River md the I.cVees-Great De-
structiOn of Property.
The Iberville la S0ah of the 9th inst.
says that during the night Of the 29th TO
the Both of March, a break occurred in the
levee on the plantation of Mr.. Dan. Hickey,
in the lower portion Of the parish Of West
Baton Rouge. This levee was built in 1859,
Of very sandy material. The break rapidly
widened We feel confident, however, that
il materials and sufficient number Of ac-
tive and industrious hands could have been
had, even on the third and fourth day after
the break occurred, the crevasse could have
been mastered and closed. But materials
in quantity did not arrive in time the la
Dor was by no means sufficient, and the
limited number of hands who answered 10
the call made on them, worked unWillingly
and ineiliciently. BY the 4th inst, at three
o'clock in the afternoon, the break had at
tanned width Of over four hundred and
seventy-fye feet, and had deepened from
four feet 10 probably twelve or fifteen. The
batture in front, where there was not over
three feet of water, commenced washing
away two days ago, and there is no doubt
that deep channel now exists from the
bank to and through the public road IF
forts were made by the Engineer of the
Levee Board 10 stop the abrasion of the
ends Of the old levee, but he failed TO do
10, especially the lower end. lie ceased
working at three o'clock in the afternoon
Of the 4th inst, having come to the CON
clusion that all his efforts TO close the Gre
vase, or even 10 prevent its widening,
would result in no success at present. He
left TO report TO the Board, and to receive
further Instructions.
We visited the cTevasse on the 4th, and
it is our opinion that it cannot now bcclosed.
The waters Of this crevasse and those of the
Grand Leyee in Point Coupee meet, and
we believe that the country will be more
deeply and extensively inundated than it
has been for many years Singularlv
enough, the water from the Grand Levee
break took a direction which It had not
been known 10 take before 1t struck di-
Tectly upon the FOrdoche ridge and levees
passing over both. We are told that il has
also approached False river nearer than
il ever did. Almost all the lands from
Plaquemine 10 nearly opposite Baton
Rouge are under water. The Fordoche
and Muringouin regions are enterely over
flowed. On the Crosse Tete there is but a
small section on the western bank which is
not yet covered. The waters have broken
across the Plaquemine and Grand river
below, and will inundate the country south,
down TO the Bayou Lafourche, in all proba.
bility as much as it was last year.
Another very large crevasse has occurred
in the Marengo levee, in the parish of Con-
cordia, near Natchez. This levee is a very
large one, and was built by the State dur
ing the last year.
The West Baton Rouge Sugar Planter, of
the 9th, speaking of the Hickey creyasse,
says: As we go 10 press the unpleasant
intelligence reaches us that all attempts 20
close this break have been abandoned. The
water is washing away the lower levee with
great rapidity, while the depth of water i'm
the break increases hourly. This il sad.
but not unexpected.
The same paper says gentleman inst
from Crosse Tete informs us that all the
levees upon that bayou, the Marangouin
and FordOche have been swept away, and
that the water is covering that whole sec
ton Of country. Many plantations that
were supposed to be above high water mark
are now flooded. He reports the destruc.
ton of cattle and stock as being immense.
Truly, another bad picture in the volume
Of disaster. These breaks may, perhaps.
relieve oar parish Of some portion Of
water
The Tensas Parish Gazcttec of the 9th
says: For some days past the levee in front
of the town has been worked and watched
both night and day. Captain Thomas
Farrar, Major Richardson, DR. Weems and
~ bars 1, "a Il, .,,,,... a - -
constantly on the alert, and to whose
eXertions, doubtless, we owe I'D far
a dry spot 20 stand upon. Our
merchants in most cases, have cleared
their stores, and put their merchandise into
fats, and people have been preparing
themselves generally for the worst Some
more apprehensive than their fellows have
cut 90 higher lands, where, unfortunately,
many of those back in the swamp have put
off sending their stock until too late The
swamps are full of water, and all must per
ish, the water making rapid strides toward
covering these ridges, which offer them at
present only security for a few hours
On Wednesday boat containing Mr.. +.
Dahlgreen, a few negroes and several sacks
Of corn, while passing down NounC's Bayou
with the current, filled, and went down
Fortunately for those in the boat, a tree was
handy, which they climbed. After dis
charging pistol or two from their unenvi-
able position, they were rescued bv Mr..
George Hunsicker, near whose plantation
the accident occurred. The boat and corn
were lost.
The ThibodauN Sentinel of the 9th. re- |
ierring to the Aubert crevasse, SAYS: We |
are gratifed to learn that the work AT the |
above named place is progressing rapidly |
under the experienced management of |
Messsrs. Therirt, Wehre, Avo and Iepine |
and il is confidently expected that the |
breach will be etiectually closed in a few |
days. We hope their expectations NAV be |
tully realized. The same paper SAYS. With |
the exception of the storm and shower on |
Thursday afternoon, We have had one weel, |
OF pleasant weather. The bayou is again |
on the rise, but We hope not fast enough Co |
interfere with the work of closing the An |
bert erevasse. The Natchez Cuurity of the /
9th, says: 80 far, the break of the Maren- |
go ieVee Is not showing its destructive /
power az rapidly as Was supposed. The |
Cocodra bayou has been pouring ont the
river current and swelling the back water
upon the river plantations. The water i /
still kept from Nidalia. and the ulant,-
lions opposite Natchez by the guard lqvees
The Planters Banner of the 9Th. SAYS I'm
10 last "wednesday morning the water in /
the Teche did not stand more than one
foot above ordinary high tide Il had NOT
at that date at Franklin, risen more than /
six inches since Grand Beyee gave way.