Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-05-14
BREAK AT FRIARs POINT.
Oae Foot OF Water In Main Street
Destruction of Contiguous Plan
tatiOns.
Break at TrOtter's-Craek near HazOO
Pass-Hopes Entertained that the
Danger is Over.

Although cur levee has been rigidIy
| guarded at every point for the past
/ month, about three O'Clock last Sunday
morning, a fiend in human shape, man
/ aged to cut il about a mile and a hall
above Friars Point, at q place where it
was so strong, high and substantial that
il was not considered necessary 10 watch
il with the same care as other and
weaker points. 1t appears that the per-
petrator of this awful deed slipped in
between the beats of two sentinels and
cut the levee where it was considered the
strongest. Alarm wasimmedistely given
and the levee force repaired to the spot
in haste, but arrived too late to do any
good. The impetuous force of the waves
as they dashed over the cataract, uproot-
ed large trees, and swept away every
thing in its Tesistless course. By day-
light on Sunday morning there was
considerable commotion in town, but no
water had yet made its appearance ex-
cept ia the low places in the rear Of the
town, where it rose rapidly, and drove
the people living in that vicinity out of
their houses to seek refuge in more ele-
waited places.
Singular enough, about eight o'clock
Sunday morning indications of another
break became apparent below town,
about halfway between town and Colo
mel J. q. Miller's residence.
Again all available force was brought
into requisitien-and again it was found
beyond the power of human labor with
the limited means at hand to check the
crowdiDg floods, and the waters of the
mighty Mississippi broke through the
puny barrier and swept with resistless
force over the crevasse, turning the splen-
did plantation of Colonel Miller into one
vast sea of boiling, turbulent, resistless
waves. The water backing up toward
town and meeting the floods from the
crevasse above, sOOB overfiOwed our
streets, and compelled the people to seek
places of safety for their families and
their goods.
All day the backwater continued ris-
ing, and by night had attained depth
Of one foot in the middle Of Msin street
in front Of the Dettd office. In the mean
time the river in front of town had de-
clined nearly four inches, caused by the
cTevasses above and below.
The levee in our immediate front is
now our main protection, and every
effort on the part OF our levee force is
being made to strengthen and protect
all weak points. Day and night unceas-
ingly have these veterans labored to
save this town. The water now over it
being backwater from the lower crevasse
has not much current, and its main
damage is the inundatiOn. But if a
break was to occur at any point in front
of town, woe to the people Of this
doomed village. The force Of a crevasse
would sweep away houses like feathers
before the wind, and uprOOt the very
foundations Of the place.
Tho rr1in onG dnaFrtapfior1 EOlOual
Miller's place, and also on ID. B. May
nard's place is immense, and when the
water subsidies will leave both places a
bowling wilderness. These and A. B
ROZell's place are the only ones in sight
of which we can speak, but we fear that
all others within range Of the flood will
be subject to more or less damages.
Much of the stock will be lOst, and
great deal Of suffering will follow.
The levee has also broke at TrOtter's,
and is cracked at the YazOo Pass If
the latter should give way the overflow
will become general and disastrous.
The river having commenced declin-
ing hopes are entertained that the flood
may not prove of long continuance.
THE WATER
at Friar's Point and vicinity WAS three
inches higher than in 1867, and spreads
over much land, although the river is
falling here it was at the same time ris-
ing, which fact is attributed to the great
volume coming from the st. Francis
river. Frisrs Point is said to be three
feet under water. Last Sunday the levee
on the Mississippi side gave way four
miles below Commerce, at Council Bend,
which is eighteen miles long. The ere
vase there is very wide and the channel
of the river is running through the cut
off Sunday evening the steamer Phil
Allin came up through this cutoff, and
the water was so strong that the boat
stood still for some time, although she is
one of the fastest and most powerful on
the river. When the Allin
passed through the crevasse the trees
were tumbling into the water, and
large ones were uprOOted when struck
by the mighty current, which is said to
be running there at the rate OF fifteen
miles per hour. This crevasse changes
the course Of the river entirely, and
leaves John Bergett's, BledsOe's, Ham
Inns and Clampelt's landings on dry
land, and far from the bed of the river,
thereby giving Arkansas a considerable
slice of territory. The new bend, which
saves fourteen miles, is to be called the
"Phil Allin bend,n i'm honor OF Captain
Jim Lees boat, which was the first to
stem the current and pass up. The
break at Trather's landing, Mississippi,
submerges half Of Tunica county. This
creyasse was made Monday, at Fort |
Pfnney, opposite Friars Point. The levee |
has also given way, and DR.. Maney's /
plantation, with the surrounding coun- /
try, is submerged. This levee has here !
tOfore withstood every encToachment Of /
the river, the water having gone /
over ii little in 1867 1t isl
feared much damage has resulted
or will arise from these crevasses. 1t is
reported that fears are entertained Jf
the levee breaking Immediately st
Frianl Point, and that a large force of
hands is watching it. The following
letter explains itself:
FRIARs PoINT, Mss, May 10, 1874.
EDITORS APPEAL-A small break Oc-
CURED in the lcvee this morning two
miles above this place. No serious
damage will be done by it. COahoma is
still safe, and unless another and larger
break occurs but very little of the coun-
try will be damaged. write the above
that you may know the true state Of the
country, as many wild rumors will
doubtless reach you. H. p. R.