The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-01
THE MISSISSIPPI FLOOD.

TIE MISSISSIPPI FLOOD.
Great Torrents of Water Break Through
the Mississippi River Levees and Spread
Rain Over Fertile Fields.
NEW ORLEANS, April 2j.-Ih he
Tmr>-Democrat's Bayou Sara special
saws: Yesterday morning an carly
start wus made fram the crevasses up
the river. The day was a beautiful
one, and the trip, though somewhat
arduous at times, has been much less
SO than was expected, and the trip has
been far from an unpleasant one.
There are nU less then ten crevasses IN
Point Coupee levee front, but there are
two that completely overshadow the
others in magnitude and importance.
The other eight seem hardly worth
mentioning, though each, when seen
by itself, makes very striking picture.
Starting from Bayou Sara, the first
crevasse on the opposite side OF the
river is about a mile below the town
on the Taylor place. 1t broke early
Monday morning 1t is a very mode
rate-sized levee, and the break is some
2u1 feet wide. The next is a smaller
break on the Taylor place about half
mile up the river. About 40O yards
further up the river isanother break on
the Pecan place. Then comes long
stretch of unbroken leeves, but about
six miles further up the river is the
Fanny Richie crevasse, which is of
more formidable character than those
below it. Here the volume of water is
some six feet deep and over 400 feet
wide. The current is very swift and
sends roaring, ragged-looking cataract
through the break, tearing through the
grove of Pecan and live oaks that
stand Just behind the levee. The back
water spreads out in vast lake that
touches the sWamps and meets the
Atchafalaya overflow. There are many
houses and cabins standing in the path
OF the flood, but as yet few if any have
been washed away.
How far the water from this break
has been instrumental IN flooding the
country it is impossible to determine,
for assumed that even had the low
levce been held the water from the
upper break would have been here by
this time, and the flooding OF these
plantations has only been question of
Il few days at the furthest. AS it is, the
whole river from the point below lay
lor's to Old River, if not now under
water, will be so soon. \ great deal Of
stock has been taken out, but much
more must he removed or lost in very
short time.
About three miles up the river from
the Funny Richie crevassee comes a
small break on the Stonewall place
crcvasse about six or seven feet deep
and one hundred and fifty feet wide.
MorganZa proper IS about five miles
still further up the river, but it is not
the Mcrganza break that caused the
panic when Mr.. Glynne telegraphed
that Morganza had gone. That break
was in what is known as the new
Tensas landing levee system and is
nile further up the river than the
great crevasse of Pointe Coupee. The
crevasse at this new Morganza is about
1890 feet wide, carrying inland over
over 100000 cubic feet Of water per
second.
This upper break, which was the first
Of the big ones, is about seven hundred
feet wide and fourteen feet deep. This
break is right in the path of the great
MOr"anZa crevasSe that has now be-
come feature of the State history, and
Batture, between it and the bank Of
the river, distinctly shows the path Of
the destructive flood at that time.
Timber on the Batture was destroyed or
swept away, and in the years interven-
ing the growth of young trees in its
channel has been light and scattering.
The vast volume of water wears the
break in smooth, shining torrent that
swells in the centre as if gathering
force for its mad plunge. There is hardly
Il ripple to break its bowling, eddying
surface, but just as it sweeps into the
break curves on each side into huge
breakers, which have chafed the crumb-
ling edges Of the levee even after it has
made its first wild leap on its errand Of
devastation. Beyond the barriers it
plunges into wild and lonesome looking
waves"
RELIEF FOR TIE FLOOD SUFFERERS.
Secretary Proctor to-day telegraphed
to the Governors Of Louisiana, Missis-
sippi, Tennessee and Arkansas asking
10 be informed as to the extent of the
probable destitution in the overfiowed
country and the points to which ra-
tons should be sent, also for them to
designate the persons to act in conJunc-
ton with the officers to be assigned to
duty in the distribution of stores. He
saws he is prepared to afford immediate
relief. Tclcgrams have been sent to
Major \. G.. Robertson, of the quarter
master 5 department, and Capt Weston,
Of the subsistence department, both at
New Orleans, instruc, ing them to take
measures for the issue of provisions
whenever needed. The are instructed
to confer with the local authorities and
to act promptly in atfording the relief
authorized by Congress.
TENAs UNDER WATER.
NEW ORLEANS, April 2G.-The Plea
vune's Fort Worth Texas special
SAYS: Heavy rains are reported through
out North and West Texas. Atmany
places tho rainfall for the last twenty
four hours has been three inches, and
nine inches since last Monday.
Railway washouts are reported from
every direction and on many roads
trains are abandoned indefinitely. The
loss Of portion of the big iron bridge
near Vernon, on the Denver, Texas and
Northwest Road will neccssitate a
transfer of freight and passengers there
for some time to come. Several miles
ofthe Texas and Pacific track is under
water between Fort Worth and ri
P;,so. The St. Louis, Arkansas and
Texas freight and passenger dopots in
the northern suburbs of Fort Worth
are under water. Us are all the lowlands
known rs the North Side. AS far as
heard from no loss of life is reported.
The amount of damage to the crops,
railroads and other property Is enor-
will ri,,, i,tn hp hundreds