The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-03-14
TREMBLING BEHIND THE EARTHWORKS.
western Rivers stornnIng the BarrI-
'cades Which Shelter the People.
Breaches Already Made and Homes
Hidden Beneath the Waters.
Fighting the Flood From MenphIs
to the Crescent City.

NEW ORLEANS, March 13.-The river here
stood II feet above low water mark, short
while, and receded to 16 feet eight inches.
This is six inches above the record Of other
years. The water went over the levees all
along the city front at every low place, and
soon flooded the streets and sidewalks Of a
large section of the city. Up town the waves
flowed over the submerged streets and side
walks, and the same thing occurred at points
on Poydrass street. Here the water spread
over the broad space occupied by the Morgan
road, filed up the low places and began to
flow down Poydrass street and into the cross
streets on either side, covering the walks on
PoydIass street as far as st. Charles street,
and filling the cutters back to the drainage
canals in the rear OF the city. On Canal
street, from Custom street to Cont, the
water came over the levees freely and com
pletely submerged the streets, and In many
places the sidewalks and lower floors Of
business houses.
The damage done SO far is not great. The
greatest damage was sustained by mer-
chants who had sugar stored In bonded
warehouses on Old Levee street. At 0.30 D.
m. the gauge at the head of Canal street
showed 16 feet S-10ths. This overflow seems
to have taken most Of the people by surprise,
made preparations for II. Since yesterday
evening the leyees across the river have been
in danger. The water Is coming over from
the line Of the Davis crevasse above the city
to the lower line, distance OF some fifteen
miles. Large forces are at work raising the
levee with sacks filed with earth. A break
occurred at the Hatch place, near Harney's
canal. IL only reached a width Of four feet
when II was discovered, and was promptly
closed. The leyee at Sharp's place. five
mi InC a ahr awaa..
ing. A force will work all night to strength
en- II. In Algers. about noon, the water COM
menced washing over the leVee along the
whole length, and In short space the entire
front and the streets for ten blocks back
were flooded. Yardmaster Mcguire of the
Morgan road and the city forces In four
hours threw up an entire new levee that
stopped, the flow temporarily.
The Times Democrats Greenville, Miss,
special says: Reports up TO $50 p: IN from
all Is serene on this side Of the river. The
leyee board Is so vigilant and energetic that
full confidence Is felt that there will not be a
break or overflow in this district Rain has
fallen here for "a hours. with but slight in
termissions. The total fall exceeds i've
inches. 1t Is still raining, and the indica-
tiOns are that II will rain all tonight.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, March 13.-A special from
Arkansas City, Ark, to the Republic says
that II the water keeps up the Great White
Will Hood the whole OF ChlcOtt county, and
finally make its way into the Tensas basin.
The break In the levee above the city contin-
ues to pass large volume Of water, but does
not increase In size. Judging from all re-
ports, 1t Is only matter OF time when there
Will be seething rush OF waters over the
entire bottoms. Men and women are exer-
cised almost to frenzy as soon as darkness
sets in, and indulge In but little sleep.
MEMPHIS. Tenn, March 13.--The rivers
are In an alarming condition. The highest
flood level ever recorded is already reached
at many points south, and Is likely to be at
tanned from Cairo to the Gulf within five or
six days. The rainfall the past three days
has been two or three inches over the cvun-
try lying west Of the Mississippi to Indian
Territory. and south OF the0zark range. 1t has
been two to five inches between the Ohio
and Cumberland valleys. An Appeal re-
says the water from the Sappington break
has flosded the town aud surrounding coun-
try. Hundreds OF sheep have been drowned.
People are In constant fear OF a break In the
levee In front of the city where the water
yesterday was four inches upon the sandbags
on the top OF the leVee. A special to the APP
peal from Little Rock, Ark, says the Arkan-
sas river is now stationary. Advices from
above show the river Is falling and dispel all
fears OF floods In the lowlands along the
lower Arkansas. At Newport, Ark, az the
the water Is withing few inches Of the top
Of the leyees which surround the town and
rising at the rate of three inches an
hour. Should the leyees break, the destruc-
tion to life and property would be terrible.
Reports from the Black river valley show
the l0wlands to be under water at places so
deep that tree-tops alone are visible.