The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-14
FLOOD AT NEW ORLEANS.
THE WATER RUNS OVER THE
LEvEES INTO THE CITY.

| Tne River Still Rising at Last A c.
counts - The State of Affairs at
Other Points.
New ORLEANS, March IS, 4:So p. M.-At
l O'Clock this afternoon the river was three
inches above the high water mark Of 1874,
and was still rising. At Poydras street the
water commenced running over the levee,
and all the low places in the vicinity were
soon flooded.
On the lower side of Canal street. near
the harbor station, the water covers the
levee up to the Louisville and Nashville
depot.
At Bienville street much of the levee Is
under water, and at Cont street the entire
levee is covered with water.
The streets about the sugar exchange
are flooded, and the exchange is reached by
temporary plank walks. The water is
flowing down the cutters of Bienville, Cont
and other streets below Canal street.
NO NEED FOR APPREHENSION.
Although the water Is running over the
levees, there need be no apprehension, as
between the bulkheads of the wharves
thick planks are driven into the ground,
behind which Is the levee batture. This
affords protection that will not give way,
and no great damage is likely to result
from water running over
AT Cloet street the water is running over
the bank in quite a stream, flooding cutters
and adjacent streets.
WHAT THE GAUGE SHOWED.
At $3.50 o'clock the guage was 10 $40
feet, which is six inches above the high
water mark of former years. A large part
of the city below Canal street is nearly sub
merged. The water at the custom house is
over the sidewalks and coming up rapidly.
On Decatur street side water fills the street,
and is beginning TO encroach on the side
walk The water is flowing out Canal
street. and the indications are that the en-
tire business portion Of the city will be
covered with water before morning.
THE LEvEE BREAKS.
NEW ORLEANS. March IS, 5:90P. M
The levee at this point has broken, and
that portion of the city upon the river
front is entirely submerged
The city is lower than the river. The
water is all through the street, and Is being
pumped out at the back parJ of the city
into Lake Ponchartrain. Tie fall Of the
water may exceed the capacity of the
pumps and flood the whole back Of the
town, but all possible efforts are being
made to check the overflow.
ITS RAPID RISE
New ORLEANS, March Is, 10 p. M.-The
river here at o'clock a. m. was 16 feet and
$40; at 2:45 p. m. it was reported by the
harbor station at 16 feet inches and at
2:50 p. IN. they reported the water IL feet,
but it remained at that point but a short
while, when it receded to 16 feet 8 inches,
where it seemed to make a stand. This was
6 inches above the record Of other years, and
the water went over the levees all along the
city front at every depression or low
place, and soon flooded the streets and side
walks of large section of the city. Up
town, at the head of Jackson. Washington.
and Taraparu streets, waves washed over
the levee and submerged the streets and
sidewalks. The same thing occurred at
other points down to Poydras street.
Here the water spread out over
broad space occupied by the Morgan
road, filled up the low places, and then
began to flow down Poydras street aud out
into the cross streets on either side, covering
the sidewalks on Poydras street as far as St
Charles street, and filling the cutters back
to the drainage canals in the rear of the
city. On Gravier street the water flowed
freely. completely covering the street in
places
ON CANAL STREET.
At the head of Canal street the water was
running over the levee but very little; but
from Custom House street to Cont the
water came over the levees freely and COM
pletely submerged the streets, and in many
l
business houses from the north side of
Canal to Hospital street, distance Of four
teen blocks, and from River to Rampant
street, distance of eight blocks. From
Rampant street the water flows off in the
cutters or street drains TO the drainage
canals in the rear of the city.
Below Elysian Fields street the water is
also passing over the levee in many places.
On the north side of Canal street the side
| walk in front of the Touro buildings was
overhowed. Hills jewelry store was in
| vaded by water, and other business places
suffered in like manner. The greatest
damage was that sustained by merchants
who had sugar in the old bonded warehouse
| on Old Levee street.
THE RIVER STATIONARY.
At $50 o'clock D. m. the gauge reading at
the head of Canal street was I6 $40 feet,
showing that the river has remained about
stationary since o'clock p. m. This over
flow seems TO have taken most people by
surprise, though all who had business on
the levee made preparations for it to the
extent OF removing their goods to safe
quarters.
Since Yesterday evening the levees across
the river have been in danger, and water is
coming over from the line of the Davis
crevasse above the city to the lower line,
distance Of some fifteen miles. In many
instances the water flows back for ten
squares Large forces have been at work
raising the levee with sacks filed with earth.
The Southern and Crescent oil mills were
being washed under by water and the floors
were torn away and embankments built
underneath.
A break occurred at the Hatch place,
near Harvey's canal, but it only reached
width of four feet when it was discovered
and promptly closed. 1t is still a danger
Gus spot, as the levee is very weak there
AT sHAKP's PLACE.
The levee at Sharp's place, five miles
above Gretna, where there was a serious
crevasse some years ago, is again creating
anxiety, as 1t shows signs of weakening, and
force will work all night to strengthen it.
The company canal empties into the river
just above the city limits, on the right
bank, and Is the avenue by which boats
reach Bayou Barataria and the oyster and
fishing grounds below. The water has
reached the top of the locks and they will
not be opened any more for the present, as
the letting in Of the river might lead TO
damaging results.
AT ALGIERs.
From the Canal street ferry TO the Nor
gan depot, the principal portion Of Algiers,
a distance of three-quarters of mile, the
situation at one time was very threatening.
About noon the water commenced washing
II. IA ~