The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-02-24
SCENES.

that portion of Eas: Louisville, lying in
the valley where the river hurst the le-
wee, is thus described by the Courier
Journal:
All Yesterday afternoon q thin sheet
or spray of water was flowing gently
over the forty foot bank Of earthenwork
and trucking into the low valley be
tween the railroad iIl and the river.
At the rate at which the water was com
ing over 1t could not possibly have done
much damage in a night, and the great
danger lay in the fact the water was at
any moment liable to break through.
The dam is forty Feet thick, 1000 feet
long, 200 feet at the base, and was
built before the war. in order to guard
against any danger that might arise.
The low valley. the safety Of which de
ponds upon this dam, extends down to
Jackson street, and extends from the
Short Line Railroad fill almost to the
river where a high leveo had been con
strnctea to keep the water out. The
backwater which pressed upon the dam
at the cntoff extended as far back as
the eye could reach, and was sixty feet
deep, aud gradually being strengthened
The valley contained fully $50 houses,
most of hem being light frame struc
lures, and tenanted by poor people
who worked along the river. Nearly
the entire population of this valley was
assembled at the dam yesterday after
noon watching with interest the surges
of the water i" its efforts to break
through the light structure, and there
were but few among the number
who thought that the danger would
come SO o Until nearly 10 o'clock
last night the dense crowd remained
around the darn: and a hundred bon
fires. surrounded BY a gronp If watch
ers. Were lighted. Up to that time the
water had made no progress. however,
and the place was almost entirely deser
ted when the crash came.
At a few minutss before II O'Clock
there was a terrible roar. as if the en-
tire mass was rolling down in u heap,
and in another moment the dam ha!
parted. letting the great power behind
it free to work ruin AZ its will. In five
minutes time the entire valley was
covered by a raging sea of water. and
in less than an hour not a house re
manned standing tina shock came SO sud
denly and with such terrible power, as
to render it donbly worse than it would
otherwise have been. and the first indi
cation the sleepers in the valley had
was the dash of the waters against their
doors, and the filing of their room
with the flood. The scene was a fright
full n and intensified by the darkness
as every light was extjnguislied and all
trace of many of the houses obliterated
almost instantly. Just before the dam
gave way there was scarcely a house in
the valley in which a light was not bur
ming, and. save the roar of the water
through the flood gates beyond the dam
and the trickiing Of a number of tiny
streams beneath them. not a., sound
could be heard and not a stir was made
below them,
Suddenly the roar increased almost
to a thunder, and the food came pour
ing down, growing deeper ana deeper
every moment, and sweeping every
thing before it. Quick as a flash light
after light was extinguished, and the
screams Of danger and scrambles for
life mingled with the war of the food
In a few minutes the news spread like
wildfire. and many persons living much
a. a square away were awakened by
the calls for help and rushed to the
banks. which IN ha!f an hour were COW
cred with people. A telephone mes
sage was sent to the engine houses. and
,about4wenty fremen were soon on the
scene, assisting in the work of saving
the lives. The screaming ofthe women
was plainly heard at the ferry dock
and aroused the lite savers in :he sta
ton who Immediately pushed off to The
scene. A great many large bonGses
were kindled on the railroad track, and
threw a light which extended nearly