The Red Cloud chief., 1884-04-04
THE FATHER Of WATERS.
Mississippi River on Its Annual Spree
Bids Fair to be Unusually Destructive
Other Flood Reports.

fhe Mississippi River on Its Annual Spree
Bids Fair to be Unusually Destructive
Other Flood Reports.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, March 26.-There is con-
siderable excitement here at the news of the
breaking of the Louisiana levee and the
flooding of the country lying about New
Orleans. A dispatch from the latter city
says great efforts were made last summer
by the State authorities to close all crevaSSes
in the State and place the 1,0l0 miles of
levees in a secure position. These State eff.
forts were to some extent supplemented by
those of the Federal River Commission, and
q month ago the levees were in a better CON
ditiOn than at any time since the war. But
the extraordinary flood from the Ohio and
other rivers, coming As it did fully a mOntL.
earlier than any previous spring rise, as
sailed the new works before they had be
come effectually consolidated and this,
coupled with the fact that the weather OF
late has been extremely wet and
windy. has resulted most disaStrOusly.
All the new earthwOrks have been swept
away and according to the outlet theory the
lower delta should have been effectually
relieved. But the water is still everywhere
above the danger line and not only are the
finest plantations of the State and some of
the railway lines under water, but the dam
ger of further encrOachment is imminent.
Hence urgent measures are pressed upon
Congress for a relief appropriation in order
to save what yet remains of the delta from
overflow. The city is still intact, but the
water is over the wlarves. The principal
danger is from a threatened break imIned-
lately above CarroltOn. which would over
flow all the rear of the New Orleans half.
A dozen new crevaSSeS occurred i'll the vicin-
iy of the city, some of which have beer
closed, while others are still running. The
crevasse opposite the city. which floods the
two Pacific Railway lines. is abandoned, be
ing fully one hundred yards in width and an
average of fifteen feet in depth. All the
resources of the two railways fail to close
it. The weather is warm, with threats OF
rain. Usually our worst floods come in
April.
NEWS FEON WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, March 26.-Dispatches re
ceived here from Louisiana state the MisSis
sippi has broken over most of the leveeS.
and Government aid is necessary to prevent
the people and stock from starving. Repre-
sentative King received, among Others, the
following kilograms:
TrOyville,. LATHE country is entirely
submerged. and the people and stock are III
need of relief. Signed by 5. Il. Walters.
Rodney, MiSS.-This parish is entirely
inundated. RationS will be required for
20, 900 destitute people. and feed for stock is
necessary. The emergency is very great.
Immediate relief is necessary. Signed by
j. Moore, W. ID. Davidson, ROber: ,Iur.
dock. ID. H. Chamberlain and Thomas 7.
Clinton.
st. Joseph. La.-This dispatch was sent
from Rodney. Miss. because the overflow
destroyed the telegraph wires in Louisiana.
Vicksburg. MiSs.-The river at ST. Joseph
is six inches above 1882. The leveeS are all
gone with the river rising from Cairo down.
Signed by c. Cordell.
Rodney. MiSs.-kempe levee gave way al
1915. This makes the disaster complete
and the Mississippi Valley is one vast III
land sea. This will make the loss beyOnC
calculation to say nothing of the loss of life
and the suffering of the people. Congress
must come to our relief. and feed the people
at once. The lofts of our gin houses anG
floating RATS will be the Onlv place of abode.
/ believe the best mode for distribution of
supplies is through the engineer department
in charge of river improvements. They
have every appliance necessary, and less
waste and imposition would attend their ef.
fonts. Signed oy +. l.. Whitney.
Governor McEnery, of Louisiana, tele
graphs General King of the great distress.
Morgansea. Colt and Waterloo LeyeeS are
gone. l have wired the Secretary of Wan
for rations of the same mOun as in 1882.
AT NEW ORLEANS.
New ORLEANS. March GA VickSburg
special says: The river is on a stand
two inches above the high water mark of
1852. The rainfall Yesterday morning was
half an inch. a Baton Rouge special says:
TIE Governor has received Il dispatch say.
ing that the river at Block is lower. Il;
Ouachita Il little lower, and III the Upper
TenSas River. sections is entirely over
flowed. The people and stock need imme
relief.
AT ATCIIISON.
ATCHISoN. HAS, March 25.-TEe heavieS.
run Of ice ever known to come down the
Missouri at this point filled the river from
hank to bank. being composed of cakes az. !
over two feet in thickness. This is
supposed to be from the gorge which broke
ut lankton some weeks ago. The river is
rising very rapidly, having come up nearly
feet in one night. An additional rise
Os six feet must come before any serious
damage can ensue. The bridge at Rulo.
Neb., is gone. and the ferrybdat cannot
freight. Orders have been giver
by the railroads TO send no mole freight
north OH that route. River men state tina!
shey expect high water and considerable of
4 freShet this spring. as the SNOW in tbs
mountains is very deep. but do not view the
with any alarm at present.
AT BUFOiD
MINNEAPoIIS, MINI. March CA Bis
marck report from BufOrd indicates the ice
is still firm at the mouth of the Yellowstone !
River. which is still rising. and a break i,
mOmentarily expected. There is Il big
gorge somewhere between BufOrd and Wash
burn, but it cannot be located because of nc !
intermediate telegraph stations. When il
the water and ice will come with 8
and an overflow is inevitable. Al
tributaries are pouring Their foods into thu
Missouri. The water is slowly rising here
TIL NEWS AT WASHINGTON.
The Secretary of War sent Speaker Ca
Isle a letter saying that from information Il
appears that the foods in the Mississippi
Valley from the neighborhood of Vicksbu'S
down to New Orleans are higher than TIE
point. reached in the year 1852, and
that a large number of people have, by TIE
OyerfiOwing OF agricultural districts, been ur-
able to help themselves. The Secretary