The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-30
The LeTees on the Mississippi Side
Liable TO Break at ANY
Moment.
REPORTED HANGING or TWO
LEYEE CUTTERS.
DeplOrable State OF Affairs in the
Overlooked Dlstrict-GreAt
Suffering Existing.
ESPECIAL TO TIE APPEAL.I

Madison is on a Stanu ana lAlllng NJ
Wittsburg. This means that the river
will come to a stand here about next
Monday, perhaps before; at least four
teen inches OF water above the highest
ever known. Quite number Of peo-
pie have come up to-day from the
ovei flowed districts south Of Helena
on the Arkansas side, and report that
the condition in the district as truly
deplorable. There is not now single
place in the district liable to
overflow south OF Helena, in
Arkansas, that is out OF water. An
effort has been made to get a boat to
go into the overlooked country to-day
TO get out large amounts Of stock that
was not, owing to the dilatoriousness
OF the planters, gotten out, but failed,
the stock on several places being on
scatfolds erected for the purpose. The
water all south OF the break at the
Craig plantation is rapidly reaching
the level of the river outside OF the
levee, and backing up into the city Of
Helena through the culvert on the
Arkansas Midland railroad, a good
portion of the southern part Of the
city being
COVERED ny WATER AND STEADILY
RISING.
From Col. n. Straub OF this place, who
has large planting interests in that
section, we learn thst there is very
weak place Just below the Williamson
plantation which had been given up
by those who were ut work on II, and
it was more than probable that it
would break tonight. If it does
break there, il being so close to Hell
ena, il means the immediate inunda-
ton of the city by back water, ca
lamity that we are now getting by de-
grees. No new breaks have been re
ported from any section of the levee
on the Mississippi side, though, as
there has been. q brisk wind from the
west all day, pipng the waters against
their levees, there is great dan
ger that they will suffer by
a break at any moment. They
have a large force OF men at work on
the Austin crevasss, and have sue
ceeded in getting il so fixed that no
further widening of it isapprehe ded.
There is a good volume Of water going
! through the crevasse, but ii they man
age to prevent further break it will
do no great damage, having good
natural outlet that is almost sufficient
to confine it to
A NARROW SCOPE OF COUNTRY.
Nh. Henry Banks, who was in the
city to-day, and who has plantation
right back OF Austin, says that it will
do but little damage ii they manage
TO prevent another break. One OF
the most remark able features that is
the direct result of the high water and
demonstration OF the reckless
condition OF the inhabitants of the
Mississippi side, is that they have in
good working order most elaborate
patrol system, and woe be unto the
man that attempts to approach their
side OF the levee in a skiff, even in
the daytime. Their natives are all
armed with needle-guns, and the citi
zens of this side have so much faith
in their willingness TO use them that
il is almost impossible to get any one
TO so over there. IL is reported on the
streets here that two men who were
found trying to cut the levee
near Friar's Point yesterday were
caught and hung. That this is true
however, we have no means o.
knowing, and were it so, there is but
little probability that it would gel
official confirmation, as they would
conclude the less said about the mat
ter the better il would be. That they
are, and Justly too, il possible, desper
crate enough TO dispose OF any ont
found attempting to cut the levee
no one doubt, hut that they had {
chance to do so is very doubtful, fo
the cutting Of them could not nov
help the Arkansas side, even were
there any among them so disposed
and no one but fool would taSo the
chance of doing so.
LAST NIGHT
the residence OF Mrs. wilkins, ;
magnificent two-story building in the
ovcrfiowed district, the family living
in the second story, was approached
by parties in skiff and an attemp
made to effect an entrance into the
house Mrs wilkins, fortunately
heard them before they had accom-
plished their purpose, and, procuring
a pistol, gave them such warm re
ception by brayely firing at then
three times, that they were frightene,
> away. Great indignation has beer
expressed by our citizens at the at
tempt of the miscreants, and ii the,
) had been caught the same punish
ment melted ont TO the levje cutter
~ Friars Point would have befallei
them. nfs' Wilkins's re idence is /,
an extent isolated FROM ons i,..,ss /,
which there is now any one living
I and the parties knew that she had M
one 60 protect her hut herself. The,
thought they would have only
woman and children TO deal with.
THE LEVER SYSTEM FAILURE.
At last the unpleasant We diet ha
been impressed upon the citizens o
! this section OF the country that tn
, great levee system of the Mississippi
Valley, system that has cost tn
United States millions OF dollars an,
bankrupted many sections by the OF
pressive taxation necessary for thei
support, is mammoth failure. Jas
b. Miles. who has made the Missis
, sippi river a study for thirty-tiv
years, and who always opposed tn
ultimate practicability and stability G
the lcvee system, and who used TO b
called crank for his opinion, ha
now thousands OF converts TO hi
/ theory, and now it is Justly accorde,
q to him that he knows NOR
3 about the river than Eads, Cow
7 don and the government me-
I put together. The outgrowtl
, OF this revulsion, you might say, ha
: led 20 ,he starting of a movement {
E get 100 of the representative men q
l the Mississippi Valley, between Mem
phis and New Orleans, and let then