Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-04-10
CRITICAL TIMES.
Terrific Pressure on the Embank-
ments.
The People OF the Lower Mississlppi Hast
ening to Safe Piaces-rwelve Women
and Children Drowned-Live-
Stock Almost valueiess.

VICKsBURG, Miss, April THE flood
situation is daily growing more serious
in the Steele bayou country. Early
Miller. prominent planter and brother
of Attorney-GeneralM Miller, has arrived
from there on the steamer Ever
green with his family and stock
His plantation, though very high,
has gone under. The Evergreen
reports the water along the
bayou still rising. Cattle and hogs are
offered for sale by the people for a song.
Much more stock must yet be brought
out or else be drowned.
There is unmistakable distress along
Steele's bayou and it would be cruelty
to deny it The Evergreen will return
there and the vessel with Captain w.
POUCH and NJ. w. Smith on board will
follow Wednesday or Thursday. They
will bring out all the people who are
suffering or in danger. Barges can not
be taken there and only the smallest
boats are suitable for relief work.
Nineteen negroes. the survivors of Q
large party of refugees who attempted
to escape from the overflow down Bayue
Falaye on raft, arrived here on the
Hill City yesterday and reported that
twelve women and children were
drowned when the current dashed
their crazy vessel against a tree. and
that they escaped with extreme difficult
ty. This is the most tragic event of the
flood.
The water in the inside at Arkansas
City is rising slowly, caused by a
crevasse in Doggy bayou 1evee. At one
o'clock yesterday morning Captain Toll
niger, United States engineer, received
message that Red Fork people had cut
the levee about sixty feet wide and six
feet deep. Captain Tolliver and men
left for that point at once to close the
gap. Doggy bayou is in that part of the
country below Arkansas City on the
other side of the river.
The steamer Pargoud, now under Gov
eminent charter, arrived at Bayou Sara
yesterday, having on board Captain
Kingsman, United States engineer, in
charge of that levee district. He has
been inspecting the levee between New
Orleans and that place. He reported
the Point Coupee front in good condition
with the exception of the levee at Pres
ton place, almost opposite Bayou Sara.
At that point he left large num-
Der of sacks and several thousand
feet of lumber and thought there was no
immediate danger, if the people in the
neighborhood and on the False river
should rally at once and use the mate
rial to the best advantage. His motto
was that the Government was willing
to help those who were willing to help
themselves. He is of the opinion that
the situation is critical and warns the
people to look out for much more water.
The large dykes or levees, such as
Morganza, SCOTS, Waterloo and
Grand Bay are receiving his per-
sonal attention and all that can
be done in the way of engineering skill
is being done. At Morganza levee a
large number of men are on constant
duty. The earth work is thoroughly
braced with timbers and pile driver
and piles are kept ready for immediate
use when needed. This great bulwark
that guards so many of the alluvial par
ishes is being put to very severe test