New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-24
WIND AIDS THE FLOOD.
THE GALE HELPS IN BREAKING THE
LEVEES NEAR NEW W.ORLEANS.
PART OF THE CITY OVERLOOKED FROM LAK1
PONTCHARTRAIN--A LARGE CREVASSH
NEAR NATCHEZ, MISS.
InY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. J

TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrDuSE.1
Ncw-Orleans April 23.-ln the last forty-eighS
hours the flood in the lower Mississippi Valley
has grown rapidly worse. and the situation Is
now of the most alarming character. Up TO
yesterday, although several ugly breaks had oc-
Cured, nearly all the important levees were in
tact, and it was thought that they could be held
against the flood. The storm yesterday de-
stroyed all these levees. The rain poured In
torrents, with total fall of three and a half
inches. The wind blew from the east. and drove
the water in waves over the leveeS. IL was
more than they could stand.
The first bad news was that the Morganza, the
most important levce on the Mississippi River,
which protects nine parishes and $2O,OOO,00O Of
property from overflow. had broken. Then fol-
lowed disaster after disaster. The twenty -four
hours have chronicled ten important breaks.
To-day the bad news continued. The river
rose everywhere from yesterdays rain. and breaks
reported from Lobdell, in West Baton Rouge
Parish, and six other places. These crevasses are
the most important that have yet occurred. for
the water pouring through them will flood
every parish between the river here and the
Gulf, and will finally precptate half
of the rich Teche country, the garden spot of
Louisiana. The damage must be great. for most
of the country is planted in sugarcane. whicA
rots and dies when under water.
The upper portion of the country subject to
overflow is densely settled the people living
ridges in the midst of the low lands AS there
is great danger of their being drowned by the
overflow, five boats, one Of them belonging to the
United States, sent to-day TO rescue the
people from their exposed positions. and
to bring them to place of
safety
no ri ic cti
Monanza break in consequence Of yesterdays
ran and the chances are for more crevasses. The
rear portions of New-Orleans are still under
water from six inches to two feet in consequence OK
a break in a bank protection levee. The over
flow water is from Lake Pontchartrain, not
from the Mississippi, and will 90 down with a
change of wind
The news from Ponte Coupee to-day has been
meagTe. Captain kingsman was at Bayou Sara
this morning. When he reached there. he sent a
telegram to New-Orleans, stating that he had
heard of no new breaks at the time Of writing.
but believed that there few leyees. indeed.
able TO withstand the terrific storm that visited
the upper river last night Several dispatches
have passed between General Comstock and Cap.
tain Knsgman. among them one IN
forming Kngsman that $4,000 additional
had been allotted by the Mississippi
/
Government engineer TO send boatload of ma
terial to the lower coast TO be used in closing
,endent Spellman. of the Shell Beach Railroad,
saws there are to-day eleven breaks from hiteen
70 15O feet wde and from four to eight leec
dcep. along that reach. and that all can lie
| closed by prompt action. Ihe crevasse on ,oh'
pre,sman Wilkinson's Myrtle Grove plantation,
! thirty-dye miles below this city, on the right
bank. is now 700 feet wide and eight feet deep.
No effort will be made to close 1t until the river
falls.
The wind which blew strong again last nlght,
drove in the Gulf water, and again overho"ed
the Louisville and Nashville road. this time
near Mchoo Station. fourteen miles from the
ctv and all the trains have been abandoned
The Texas and Pacific Railroad officers in this
city received dispatch this afternoon from Cap
tain John 4. Grant reporting a break in the
levee on the right bank of the Mississippi twelve
miles above Port Allen. This will stop traffic 70
| the settlement at Bayou Grasse Iete, ana VIII
food the country between Melville ana Weso
Baton Rouge in forty-eight hours. Inc leNaS
| and Pacific management have therefore made pas
srnccr and freight arrangements win the Southerh
| Pacific and their through trains VIII eaVe at tne
usual time, going over the southern IdJll.c l ',
Chcneyville, beyond a point where any dainase
| 10 the road can occur The time to all points
west will be the same AS usual.
Arrangements will be made later for the
| accommodation Of passengers between CheneNvlhe
| and Wclvillr and between Baton Rouge Junction
| omJ Melville Trains to Baton Rouge Junction
are running on regular schedule time.
4 dispatch 10 The Pcayune' from Natchez.
| Miss saws: The Arnauda l.cvee Just peiow
Vidaiia broke last night. and ii is not only
bad break but the water is flowing over the top
of the cmbankment for such distance that IL
is impossible TO tell the extent of the crevasse
It will prove destructive To property, especially
fo the New Orleans and Northwestern Railroad,
the station Of which is near tins break. and whose
track runs Just back. The water from 1t IS
rapidly oycrflowng the lowlands