Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1890-04-26
NOT ENDED YET.
Louisiana Towns Flooded by the Missis-
sippi.

sippi.
New ORLEANS, April 22.-Gover
nor Nichols received to-day a dis
patch from Martin Glynn, president
of the police jury of Pointe CoupeC
parish, dated Bayou Sara, saying:
"We have been overwhelmed by
storm and rain. Crevasses numerous
along the front. Upper (old) Nor
ganza has broken. Send a boat at
once to save the people, or there
may be great loss of life"
Gov. Nichols at once made ar.
rangements with the owners of the
steamer Arthur Lambert and barges,
then at Baton Rouge, and the boat
started Immediately for Pointe Cou.
pee with several barges, to render
assistance. Other boats will be sent
up tonight.
No information is obtainable as
yet as to the extent of the break.
Those familiar with the locality
think the crevasse has occurred about
three.quarters of q mile above the
new Morganza, where a crevasse oc-
Cured some years ago, and where
the levee is from ten to thirteen feet
high. "There are," says Colonel
James, ga number of ridges along
there, extending back into the coun-
try from the river, that will, in my
opinion, keep the crevasse water
away from the new levees. If the
ends of the broken levee be at once
protected, the damage from this
crevasse will not be as great as that
of 1884"
The water from this break may
not reach the new work, but with
the present stage of water and the
inauspicious conditions of the wealth
er, the chances are even against this
hope. The Morganza crevasse o.
1884 was more than three-quarters
of mile wide, and the water from
it involved the loss of millions o.
dollars. The new levee, which was
built in 1887, during the administra
ton of Governor McEnery, was
about 5000 feet in length, and from
twelve to twenty feet in height
This levee is still standing.
Governor Nichols was interviewed
this evening. He was much con
cerned for the safety of the people
in the Pointe Coupee section, and
said that Captain Jackson, president
of the International Transportation
Company, had placed two steamers
with barges at his disposal. He had
accepted them, and they are now en-
route for Morganza. He stated that
he had also telegraphed to Col
Wheeler and Capt. John A. Grant
of the Texas and Pacific Railroad
requesting them to place the steamer
Wheeler in the same service.
Governor Nichols then said :"Con
sidering the extreme emergency Of
the occasion and the dire calamity
of the Morganza break, have tele
graphed Senator Gibson that such Q
great disaster was sufficient to cause
US to appeal to act as promptly az
possible"
The Texas and Pacific Railroad
officials in this city are in great feal
of an overflow. Their lines traverse
the Morganza country. Up to the
present time, however, they hav,
only been advised of crevasses along
their line. One of these three miles
below Bayou, Sara, on the Pointe
Coupee side, another is eight miles
Morganza proper, and the recent
break, which is between Morganza
and the new Texas landings.
A break occurred this morning il
the levee near Gardere, ten miles be-
low Baton Rouge, left bank. At last
account the crevasse was twenty-five
feet wide and seven feet deep. The
crevasses on the Pointe Coupee front
will submerge large section of thai
parish, and back water will probably
affect West Dayton Rouge and Iber
vile.
NAToHEz, Miss, April GA pro
lection levee in front of Vidalia has
broken, submerging a number Of
houses.
This morning the Lake Concordi'
levee gave away. At 5 p. M, thu
break is $50 feet wide, the water go
ing through like a mill-race. Thu
break will flood the lower portion 0
Concordia parish, and cannot fail tx