Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-03-22
THE UNABATED FLOODS.

House to-day passed the Senate bill
making further appropriations to re-
lieve the suffers by the overflow of the
Mississippi, with amendments increas-
ing the amount to $3.50, 900 and author
izing the Secretary of War to expend
such part thereof as he may deem ad-
visable for labor-only in strengthening
levees of the mississippi where there is
danger of immediate breaks but he
shall only employ persons to whom he
is issuing rations on account of desti-
tuition caused by the overflow of said
river and its tributaries.
FRESH CREvAssEs REPORTED AT NEW
ORLEANS.
New ORLEANS, La, March l5, 1892.
-The first crevasse in Louisiana this
season occurred in the levee of Con-
cordia parish, near the Tensas line,
about month ago. 1t was then sta
ted that the water from this crevasse
would be reinforced hy the waters of the
Ouachita River and submerge Con-
cordia and Tensas parishes On Mon
day four crevasses were reported in the
leyees along the river front of Tensas
parish, within a distance of fifteen
miles, which, it was said, would inun-
date those parishes. To-day another
creYasse occurred, and many similar
cases may be mentioned, where the
rapidly encroaching flood waters have
caused the people to more than realize
the widest exaggerations of the report
ed damage by overflow.
Captain T. P. Leathers, of the steam
er Natchez, telegraphs to-day from
Port Gibson, Miss, az follows =
Ships Bayou levee, twenty-five feet
high, broke this morning This will
run water broadcast over Tensas and
Concordia. The people of these places
require immediate assistance or there
will be great suffering
The West Baton Rouge levees, COW
ering as they do number of the prin-
cipal parishes in the State, continue to
be the subject of great interest and anx
iety. A despatch from @. j. Barrow,
president of the police jury of that
parish, says -
We are all right so far and can hold
the fort. Our expenses are over
$500 per day and by tonight our
funds will be exhausted. The river
still continues to encroach upon US at
the Fsi+ Of one and 9 :, half inc inches in in
twenty -four hours All the leEess will
have to be raised. The river is now
within three inches of the high water
of 1874.
STORIES OF THE FLOODS
A. f. Baltimore, of Philadelphia
arrived at Little Rock, AK, tonight
from the oyerfowed countay. He said
to Gazette reporter that on Friday be
went around the neIghborhood Of Ar
kansas City on an inspecting tour
After taking observations, and while
rowing through the woods in a skiff
we came on half submerged log house
Rowing along side an upper window
we looked in, and discovered a man
his wife and two children occupying
the PLACE. The man on being ques
toned said we did not expect 9
break in the levee. The other morn,
ing we awoke and found water all
around the house, and that the floor
was lifted up by pressure. We had nc
means of effecting an escape, as we
live great distance from the river
We have no boats, and did not think
that the flood would become 80 seri-
ous. ] have beee living here ten years,
and have meyer before suffered any in.
convenience from the water ! did
not think it would become very deep
or we could have wadcd out first ]
was fool enough to think the break In
the levee had caused the overflow and
that other breaks would occur shortly
and distribute the water, but it kept
on raising till we were forced to go up
stairs and for two days we have had
nothing to eat. The water is gradual
Iy rising, and but for ttis timely de-
liyera9ce we must have soon been
droWned.'
We took this family 10 land about
tenmiles distant and provided food for
them. Going out in skiff again we
came upon knoll where six or seven
people had taken refuge. They bad
been driven from home and, unable to
get out of the bottom, had remained
on the little knoll, although it could be
but temporary relief; starvetion If
not food must soon come. An old
man sat near the edge of the water and
looked with inexpressiblc sadness out
on the great watery waste before him.
He said his name was Mansion, and
that he had lived in the neigbborhood
for nearly twenty years. i was liv-
ing with my dagghtsr,' he said. The
other night the food rushed ip upon
US. We did not have time to make
any arrangements. / called to my
daughter to follow me, but just then
swift current struk me and bore away
head mydaughter scream and l at
tempted to answer her, but was
strangled. was borne on with the
rapid waters. Striking q tree | seized
hold of it and held on. Lifting my
head above water called my daughter,
but the mighty rush OF waters was my
only response. When daylight came
| saw the country was flooded. l
swan from the tree and by accident
reached the knoli.i QuE tpet was
again brought into use. The poor
people were nearly starved, aud when
food was given them they ate raven
onsly. There are hundreds Of pcopel
who have not yet received government
aid and their condition is 50 deplorablc
that something must be done. The
, government. Of course, is doing every
thing possible for tbe ralief of the suf-
ferers, but tell you the sight of 2 faY
supplies would be n glorious picture to