The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-03-31
CREVASSES.

water in the Bayou was within three
inches Of the high water mark of
1882, and still rising. The weather
was cloudy and early in the fore
noon rain began to fall lightly with
clustering winds. By IL o'clock
the winds had attained the capacity
ola storm, rolling tho waves Of tue
Bayou three feet high and in many
places, surging the water in great
rolls, over the Levee. Every one
was on the alert; the certainty of a
crevasse was evident. The simple
question, "where is it to be ~ was
the anxious inquiry. There was
hardly a plantation along the La
fourche that had not II force upon
the levee, watching and strengthen
ing weak places. BY noon reports
Of half "a dozen breaks reached Thib
odaux, but the condition Of the wa
ter in front, did not indicate disas
ter at any point near by. The driz
cling rain about one O'Clock chan
ged into a heavy food which soon
filled up the bitches in Town, whilst
the winds howled among the build
lngs and trees in Il frightful style.
At half past 2 o'clock the sound
Of the Market Bell reverbrrated
through the ehowling winds, strik
ing upon the hearts of citizens with
10 unmeaning blow.
In the falling torrents of water
from the Heavens, every one knew
that fire did not cause the alarm,
but tina, the levees had giveu way
bringing, perhaps, a disaster upon
the town, more dreadful in all pro
liability, than the latter element
would produce, was apparent to all.
Amid the wind and rain anxious
men rushed to the front, only to
learn that their fears we're realized,
and that the Levee IN front of the
old canal, at the head of Henry
Clay street, had yielded to the pres
sure of the mad waves opening a
gap through which the water was
rushing with great fury. Fortunate
" the wood work on the inside of
the Levee, AS Il protection to the
trough through the levee remained
intact and. prevented the great
mass of water that would other
wise have flown through the gap,
from passing. Perhaps, not one
third of the quantity passed
through that would have
gone. had there been no impedi
mcnt, which fact alone saved the
entire front from giving way and
causing an opening that woull have
been with great difficulty closed, if
at all.
Willing and earnest men plunged
into the breach, and with such ma
terials as were at hand strove man
fully to prevent the breach from
growing larger, and by s%uperhumau
succeeded in securing the
orks in such a manner as to en-
hopes of closing the break.
the night work continued,
and on Sunday large forces were
collected which during the day
checked the flow sufficiently to al
|ow the water to leave the inunda
ted grounds and lots in the town.
The overflow covered nearly all
the lots from St. Bridget street
towards the rear, except a few on
Jackson street in the rear of st.
Johns Church. The water in a few
instances, rose upon the floor of
the dwellings, but the streets and
sidewalks we're all covered from 9
to 10 inches, so that egress was not
to be had, save by wading, or by
boat or raft, of which few persons
possessed. Most Of people, in
the overlooked places, spent their