The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-04-04
WORK OFTHE FLOOD
Great Suffering Caused By the
Flood Along the Lower
Mississippi.
The Engines of the City of
Paris Collapse and Leave
Her Helpless at Sea.

VICKsBURG, Miss, Special.-Latest news
from the Mississippi levees report no change
except that the water is steadily advancing
southwark from Skipwith crevasse. and the
towns Of Mayersvllle, Filter and Hayes are
being surrounded and must soon go under.
The steamer Evergreen is in from a sec
ond trip to Steels bayou going as far as
the drift would admit and exploring the
adjacent plantations in skiffs. Her officers
report that they'found no suffering; that
cattle and stock had been removed and the
people were safe. News has just reached
here that the bank is caving rapidly in
front of Redtord levee, Madison parish, the
caving being now within seventy-five feet
of the levee. Work began there to-day,
and the levee may be finished before
the old one goes into the river
The levee inspectors elsewhere in Louis
lana report no change. Trains have been
abandoned between Greenvine and Rolling
Fork, and, in fact, all trains on the River
side division except from Greenville to
Hampton and between Coahoma and
Benoit This leaves Greenville without
communication with the outside world ex-
cept by river.
THE SITUATION
on the Mississippi Valley railroads main
line between Yazoo river and Katzeneimer
is very serious, indeed. Six inches more
of water will send the Vicksburg, Shreve-
port & Pacific railroad under be-
tween Tallulah and Lake One. The
water is rising slowly, but it is very
unlikely that the road can run trains more
than a week longer, and additional crew.
asses may stop operations at any time. F.
w. McCabe contractor for bridges for the
New Orleans & Northwestern railroad,
until lately in process of construc-
ton between Videlia and Winnsboro,
La, arrived to day from Rayville, La. The
water rose five feet in Dry bayou, six miles
from Rayville, in the twenty-four hours
ending this morning, and is now within
half mile Of town. The transfer steamer
Marion used by the Mississippi Valley rail-
road to transfer trains between Hunting
ton and Arkansas City, passed down to-
night, and will transfer trains at Mia Gre
vase. Greenville is now. on an island.
Last night the town was in the greatest dan
ger of overflow, with little hope of keeping
out the water. To-day the situation is unim-
proved though the levees are still standing.
farmers east of that place are planting,
while all west are under water.
IN THE TACOMA CIRCLE,
which is situated in Desha county. Ark,
and comprises about 10000 acres, the scene
is heartrending one. This strip Of coun-
try is now inundated to depth of from
five to twenty feet, and the inhabitants,
numbering between 1000 and 5000 people,
whites and negroes, women and children,
are perched on house tops and hay stacks
and trees Live stock not already drowned
are maintaining a precarious existence with
their wretched owners in some in
stances on the roofs of residences
and elsewhere on improvised plat
forms of wreckage. Starvation is telling on
the cattle, while there are many victims in
scarcely less deplorable condition without
food. The break at Easton is now 1900
feet wide, and that att Huntington about
800. A new break occurred at Hunt
ington this morning about 1000
yards below the one of three
days ago and the water in the town is now
rising at the rate of one and half inches
per hour. The levees in that neighborhood
are reported in bad condition. A gentle
man from Huntington tonight says that
the railroad depot is now surrounded by
water. to the depth of two or three feet.