St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-03-22
THE FLOODS IN THE SOUTH.

The LeFeeS Along the Lower HA1SS1SSIppas
Arkansas, White and Other Rivers Giving
Way and the Consequent Floods Result
ing in Great Damage-Government Aid
Being Provided For
VICKsBURG, MISS, March 8.
News from the SunfoWer River is to
the effect that general overflow of the
section is almost certain. The water
which comes through the break in the
Hughes leYee at Beuleh Lake in Bolivar
County has not yet reached the SunfoWer
River through the Bogqephalia, in addi-
ton to the water coming through the
Lewis sWamps already in the river, viii
cause a general overflow kilograms
were sent from here yesterday notifying
Governor Lowry of the impending dam
ger up the SunhoWer River.
GOVERNMENT AID.
A telegram was received by Captain
Marshall, United Stated engineer in
charge of this district, from the Chief of
Engineers at Washington, asking what
steamers and barges belonging to the
Government were in his charge that could
render assistance to the citizens of this
district, which extends from the mouth
of White River to Warrenton, twelve
miles below this city. The steamers
Vidalia and Jno. G. Fisher and some
thirty barges are st Wilson'S Point and
in readiness if it becomes necessary to
use them for that purpose. Mr.. Copple,
United States Assistant Engineer, goes
up by the Anchor line steamer in the
morning to inspect and direct the neces-
sary repairs to levees in the vicinity of
Omega, Madison Parish, La
The State levee at LongWood, La, six
miles above Lake Providence, is caying
fast and washing badly. The caving has
reached the crown of the leyee. This
will be reYetted with plank; also the new
levee at Omega, which is waye-WaShed
for three hundred feet, will be protected
The State levee, between the Government
leyee in the same vicinity, is too low, and
will be raised Immediately. These Ievees
are now safe, but will be made secure
against an anticipated rise of eighteen
inches, which is expected from the Yazoo
basin in the next three weeks.
TRACKS UNDER WATER.
Information yesterday from the Gener-
al Managers office, in this city, of the
New Orleans Texas Railway,
is to the effect that all work on the line
OF the road from Memphis south is sus-
pended and some eleven miles of track is
overfowed. Works also suspended from
the Yazoo River north. No track has
been laid since the twenty third of last
month.
ARKANSAS FARMS FLOODED.
LITTLE Rock, ARK, March 6.-Reports
received from Southeast Arkansas repre-
sent a sad condition of affairs in the
counties bordering along the Arkansas
and Mississippi Rivers. The water has
broken the levees and large tract of
country is inundated. In Lincoln and
Arkansas Counties the loss is very great.
The Arkansas in Arkansas County was
four inches above the marks of 1877, the
highest within eighteen years. 1t is
slowly falling. The loss from crops still
in the field is small, but the loss in hogs,
cattle and mules will be considerable.
There is an average of one break in the
eYee to every five miles on the north side
from Swan Lake to the mouth of the Big
Bayou Meto.
ANXIETY AT HELENA.
HELENA, ARK, March 6.-The rainfall |
1ere in the past t,:irty-six hours amounted |
20 nearly two inc44es, which has assisted !
materially the ol,e-inch rise in the river.
Reports from Madison yesterday in
licate continuation of the rise |
n St. Francis Bottoms which leaves
10 hope of decline here for some days
o come. This prolonged rise in the st.
francis basin after nearly five feet fall at
Cairo is unaccountable, unless it be at
ributed to rain, and is another evidence
II the mysterious workings of this great
liver at flood tide. The levees are hold
ng still by virtue of unremitting labor on
he part of the people. A heavy storm
PREVAILED Tuesday night which created
omething of panic, but the night
'assed without disaster The feeling is
better now, though much
nxiety is still manifested as to the re-