The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-29
DAMAGE BY THE FLOODS.
TIE BUSINESS PORTION OF
HELENA THREATENED WITH
Over nov by Rain and Sipe Water
The Break Between Adstin
and O. X. Landing.
ESPECIAL TO THE APPEAL. I

HELENA, ARK, April 2S.-The news
of the great break that occurred in the
levee between Austin and o. X. land
ing in Mississippi, did not reach
Helena until to-day, when the first
report stated that the crevasse was half
mile wide. This, however, so, it was
learned this evening from parties who
came from there in a skiff, was a
mistake, and that the break in width
really did not exceed over 100
yards, though even this break is letting
a wall of waters into the country back
of Austin to the Louisville, New Or
leans and Texas railroad. So far as
actually damaging that portion of the
country, it will not amount to any
thing, for it is high enough up the
river TO escape good portion of the
water coming out of the sunk lands,
and the st. Francis will be off the
lands- in plenty of time to make this
years crop, for there is a good outlet
for it. They have $50 men at work on
the levee at Delta, Miss, between
here and Friars Point, and hope to be
able to stand the flood. Everything
has Quoted down in the district af-
fected by the break in the levee above
town yesterday, the waters presenting
a calm surface, with houses, fences,
etc, floating idly around. while people
in every conceivable kind OF boat may
be seen fitting to and fro through
that portion of the town. The Ar
kansas side of the river, from Helena
to Arkansas City, presents
SIGHT TRULY DEPLoRABLE.
The last break is at the Craig place,
letting in a great amount of water,
and then at the Hubbard place, for
one mile and half, the water is wash
ing away the levee, having run over
the top of it. Mr.. Charles Warfeld,
manager of the Craig plantation, was
in the city, and says that the levee at
that place will be entirely destroyed
for fully one mile and half. This
means nothing more nor less than the
almost entire abandonment of about
IL 600 acres of land valued at, in round
numbers, $4,000. The back water
from this great break and washover
has already begun to back up into
Helena, and unless some practical
means is speedily devised will have
the business portion OF the city I'M
der water in short time. The city is
protected on the north by the Walker
street levee, on the south by
the embankment OF the Arkansas
Midland railroad, and on the Other
by the levee front. There is a large
culvert in the midland embankment
through which the city is drained an6
through which the water is now back
ing into the city. The Council thi;
evening, after being earnestly impor
tuned by the citizens, gave orders tC
close it up. This means that the city
will be flooded by rain and sipe water
besides two good sized streams thai
come out of the hills back of the city
LEvEE CUTTER KILLED.
From a skiff load of colored people
; who came over to-day from Missis
sippi we learned the particulars of
dark and thrilling tragedy, and illus
trates very forcibly the desperate con
dition of the people liable to be affect
ed by the high water. They repor
that last nigh about II o'clock while
two guards were on the levee parolinj
their beat, they were startled by
splash in the water a short distance
behind them. They returned ant
found that a man, who had been off t.
one side of the levee in boat as the,
| passed, had gotten to the levee an,
, commenced to cut it. Upon bein
: commanded to throw up his hand
| and consider himself under arrest, il
response to the command moment
airy flash lit up the darkened seen
and the guards heard a bulle
whistle uncomfortable near thei
! heads. Their double-barrel shotgun
were discharged at the man, and h
. dropped to the levee corpse. TIL
darkies say that he was carried witt
: out any ceremony whatever to plaC
where there was a swift current, an
: his body consigned to the river. TIL
r good people Of Mississippi are yer
: much worked up about the possibilit
Q of the levee being cut. They thin
s that the citizens of Arkansas who al
now flooded want to cut them. TIL
g is serious mis- axe, however, an
= does our citizens great injustice, {
I they have no desire or cause to do 81
n The country liable to be affected b
d overflow in Arkansas is now all undo
Il water, and no more damage to us tina
: has been done can possibly befall IL
e The river has risen in the last twent,
g four hours two inches, notwithstan'
|, ing the many breaks in the levees, an
d is now eleven inches above anythir
" ever known in the history of this rive
The Damage at CIarISdale, Miss.
/ ESPECIAL TO TIRE APPEAL.l
II CLARKsDALE, MISS, April PSI
# the APPEAL of yesterday your Heller
l. correspondent made mistake in h
h estimate of the damage to this Sc
v ton by the present break in Il
d levees. The Austin break does n
affect this portion, as its water is ca
is ried off by Coldwater, Beaver Da
# and other channels to the Tallahatch
e and Yazoo rivers. The Stovall brea