Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-03-06
HELENA IN DANGER.
The Situation at that City Becoming
Extremely Critieal-A Fresh
Break at the
Hubbell Plaee-The Bottom POpulaee
Fleeing TO the High Llnds-Tbe
LeTees Threatened.

fjeelng 10 the High LlBds-Tbe
LeTees Threatened.
Special to the Appeal
HELENA, ARK March 5.-The situation
here is critical in the extreme, Tne river
has risen something over two feet siuce Sat
urday evening, The gauge showing forty-si1
feet i've inches and rising at The rate of half
an inch an hour, standing at this writing nine
iDches below extreme high water. Madison
reporis eleven inches rise this morning, thus
showi' g the end is not yet. A fresh break
occurred at the Hubbard place, five miles
south OF here. A gentleman just in from the
creVasse reports it to be about 900 feet in
width, and the water is pouring through it
Ia perfect torrent. He also states that the
whole country, as far as the eye can reach,
embracing number OF large plantations, is
one sheet of water. Those dependent upon
Long lake levee have become alarmed, and
are meVing their stock and goods 10 places
OF safety. Indeed, the entire bottom populace
Is heeing to the high lands, carrying all
their movables with them. The negroes.
panic stricken, are hurrying hither and
thtther seeking places of security against
the relentless waters. The Iron Mo uutain
track and the Langueile bridge, west of
LaralInta, are submerged. Transfers
by boat enable trains to continue running
The Midland by the fall in White river was.
enabled to resume through trains to-day.
The Mobile and Northwestern railroad, op.
poste this point, is under water, and traffic
has been bandoned. Despersts eff1rts IRE
making to maintain the levees still intact,
bat grave doubts of their being successful |
are entertained. Mr.. G. B. Miles, who hss |
certainly proved himself authority en- all |
matters pertaining to the river, has Just told |
me that there was not doub. but the maxi |
mum Of 1882 would be thrown into the |
shadow by the water that is now in sight |
and sure to conn. The river will continue |
TO rise until Sunday next, unless the levees
give way generally, though less rapidly than |
during the forty-eight hours just past. There |
seems to be dogged determination on the |
part of our citizsns to make the most of the |
situation desperate as it is. The only hope
leit-a forloru one-is that the food may ass
as quickly as it came, but there is a moral |
certainty of tine present rise standing forth |
without a parallel from this peint all the |
way south to the coast country. The |
weather is warm and threatening this even
ing, and fears of rain and wind are creating
some dependency.
The Situation Along the Lower River.
ST. LOUIS, March 5.-The latest news from
the lower Mississippi river is that the water
at Helena is rising at the rate of about one
half inch an hour, and it is now thought the
highest mark of last year will be reached.
The levees still hold, and it is believed they
can and will be able to resist the additional
rise. good deal OF unessiness is felt,
however, and preparations are being made
for the worst Boats and other floating ap.
paratus are being rapidly constructed, and
planters as well as the people in The city are
furnishing themse Ives with means of escape
should the levees break. The trestle on the
Helena branch of the Iron Mountain rail-
road at Languelle river, thir;yssmiles north
OF Helena, which week ago was forty feet
above, is expected to be submerged to-day,
and trains will be stopped until arrange
ments can be made 10 transfer. The men
washed off the Memphis and Little Rock
railroad bridge at Blacklist bayou, reported
last night, were rescued. At Arkan-
sas City the water is still rising
at the rate of three inches per day. Other
wise the situation remains about the same as
previously reported. Accounts from the
section between Friars Point and Vicksbury
on the Mississippi side of the river. a dis.
lance OF about 800 milea, are that reports of
dsmsge have been grossly exaggerated. The |
levees there are still unbroken. No danger
is apprehended, and planters are busy plow-
ing aud preparing to put 10 a crop.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
Dispatches received here yesterday from
Helena, Arkansas City, Cairo and New
Madrid say: Latest news from the over
flowed country along the lower Mississippi
river ID that what are known as the "Sunk
Lands" in the ST. Francis river region, are
entirely submerged, and that nearly as far
down as Helena. there are but few places
above water. People are living in the upper
stories OF houses where there is more Than
one story TO the house, or are floating around
on RATS, or in boats. Most of them, how
ever, have deserted the country, and gone to
the high lands back from the river. Several
lives have been reported lost in this region.
but no definite information is given. Five
railroad lsborers who were lost in the over.
flow were picked up in boat a day or two
ago In starving condition, they having been
without food nearly a week. All bayous in
this region are rising rapidly, and a great
nf w All 10 4k
ward, which will reach Helena about Tues
day. All railroad grading in this section
has been suspended.
NEW MADRID,
which is further north, is submerged. there
being from two 10 four feet of water in all |
the streets, and there is scarcely a house in
the town, the lower part OF which is not in
the water. The whole country back of this
place as far up as Cairo, on the Missouri |
side, and from Hickman south for over fifty
miles the entire bottom is inundated, and |
much property in the way OF corn, live stock,
fences, ETC., is destroyed. No great amount
OF suffering is reported, however, the people |
generally being in better condition 10 meet |
circumstances than they were last year A |
good many of the people have left the bot
toms and gone to high lands.
AT ARKANSAS CITY
the water is still about two feet lower than |
last year. Backwater in the town is more |
than foot higher than in the river, ,snd is run
ming over low spots in the levee back into the |
river. Nearly all of The business houses and |
residences have water IN them, and business |
is good deal curtailed. The Little Rock, |
Mississippi River and Texas railway is still |
In operation, and the superintendent is |
taking every means 10 keep the road in |
working or5er, A good many women and |
children have been sent out OF town to |
friends on the high ground back from the |
river. Only one case of real destilution has |
yet been reported. Losses of stock around |
Arkansas City are much less than last year. |
The BoliEsr county levees, in Mississippi,
are still intact, and it is hoped that this |
section of country will escape overflow this |
year. The roadmaster and TWO men Of the |
Memphis and Little Rock railroad we're pre-
ciPitated into the water at Blacklist bayou
Friday night and nothing mas been heard of
them. II is feared they sre drowned.
Good News from vicksbuTg.