Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-27
THERUINS SURVEYED.
Sketch of the Mississippi Crevasses
and Their Remedies.
MEASURES ARE TAKEN FOR RELIEF
Terrible Devastation Reported by Fresh
Floods in Texas.
SECTIONS OF LAND UNDER WATER
Scenes and Incidents Of Interest Throughout the
Flooded Districts.

Captain Kingman, of the United States
Engineers, is making thorough survey of
the flooded districts of the Mississippi VAL
ley. He also suggests the best methods of
repairing the damage done, and gives some
startling figures on the velocity and volume
of the water escaping. The people living on
the Atchafalaya river are terror stricken at
the prospect.
BATON ROUGE, April 26-Captain
Kingman, United States Engineer in
charge of this district, arrived here this
morning from Morgansea. In an interview
concerning the crevasses above, Captain
Kingman said that the crevasses from the
Pointe Coupee line begin at Iowa Point,
around Racacine, in the vicinity of Old
river. This break was small one COM
paratively speaking, and the damage could
not be very severe. From New Texas down
to Waterloo the whole country is under
water. At New Texas yesterday the river
fell five inches, showing that the Racacine
crevasses could not play an important part.
THE MoRGANsEA BREAK.
In speaking of the Morgansea break,
Captain Kingman said that it was caused
by water washing over the top, carrying off
sacks of earth and lumber with which the
old levee had been raised. The levee had
been raised. The levee as originally con-
structed, was we'll proportioned, but within
three years the levee was raised by the State
Is inches by putting earth on top of it.
Continuing, Captain Kingman said: ''This
m ade the crown narrow and the upper part
OF the levee thin. 1t was too low for the
present water. We had to raise it twice,
and were working to raise it third time up
to Monday night. At the time the levee
broke only guard was present.
DESCRIBING THE CREvAssE.
"The break was 60 feet wide at the first
crash; the rush of waters drove the guard
away, and the break soon widened into a
crevasse 300 feet wide. In the morning at
o'clock, when 1 saw it, the break was 500
feet, and the scope of water 60, 900 cubic feet
! second and the velocity terrific. Great
trees and willows were swept away in front
of the crevasse. The distance to the crevasse
from the lower end OF Morgansea was 270
feet. The water fell along Morgansea in
consequence of this break six inches, and it
seemed that Morgansea would be safe, pro-
viding the break did not extend on it, but
the fear expressed at the time by Major
Richardson, who was with me, that the
break would flow down toward Morgansea
along the interior slope, and that the point
where it fell in the old crevasse channel it
would overflow Morgapsea from back water
and produce break.
HOW IT OCCURRED.
"This is probably what occurred: Nor
gansea did break "a hours after, during the
heavy storm of Tuesday night There was
nobody present when the break occurred.
The discharge of water when saw it was
80, 900 cubic feet per second. In the mean
time the upper crevasse had not
enlarged very much, and the joint
action of the two had produced
a fall in the river of about two feet. The
main crevasse is widening at the rate Of 300
feet in "a hours, and is now 1,247 feet wide
The velocity is eight feet per second and its
discharge 100000 cubic feet per second.
There seems to be fair chance Of saw
ing a considerable portion of Grand
.sssPspsed 2ssPsy placing a New "5t o
leans for barge load of rocks
and have started force cutting willows to
fill the mattresses to protect caving. The
rocks arrived yesterday and to-day my
forces are engaged in building the mat
tresses. 1t will be 100 feet long and so feet
wide. 1t will be loaded with 100 tons of
rocks, secured in double sacks tied to the
mattress.
MEASURES FOR RELIEF.
'It will be made very flexible, and will be
placed as near the end of the break as soon
as possible. The mattress will rest on the
river slope of the level, and extend outward
from the batture."
The Governor has sent out circular to
the presidents Of the police juries through
out the State asking them to call meetings
Of their respective bodies to ascertain what
rations will be absolutely necessary for the
overflow sufferers, and to report to Robin
son, Quartermaster at New Orleans. lie en-
oins that caution be observed to see that |
-ations are only issued to those really desir-
ing the same.
LOSS OF LIFE GREAT.
Mr.. J. M. Ferguson arrived here tonight |
rom the rear of Point Coupee parish. He |
,ame in q skiff, and brought with him some |
household effects. He substantiated the |
rumor OF loss of life in the back country, and |
Itates that point between Morgansea and |
la Belle, about nine miles inland, family
IF five negroes named Watson were swept |
,ut of existence. On his way out he ran
across the drowned body of negro man
Who was unknown to him. The body was
1oating in the swamp and Mr.
Ferguson made 1t fast to a tree. Hundreds
If drowned stock was passed, and Mr.. Fer
,uson said that the suffering is terrible in
he interior.
Baton Rouge is full of refugees, and many
If them are securing homes in the hills,
while others are awaiting the falling of the
waters.