The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-13
RIVERS ON THE RAMPAGE
THE FLOOD SITUATION GROWING
WORSE HOURLY.

Continued Rains Swelling All the Trib-
utaries of the Mississippi - The
Levees Still Intact, but Grave Fears
Felt in Many Places-The Losses Not
Heavy as Yet.
ST. LOUIS, March 12.-Flood news from
various points along the Mississippi river
and other streams this morning is that
White and Black rivers, in Arkansas, are
on the rampage. Both are out Of their
banks and overhowing the country on each
side for miles. Heavy rains have fallen
and continue to fall along those streams,
and general inundation is looked for. The
Black is a tributary of the White, and the
White empties into the Arkansas Just above
the point where the latter pours its food
into the Mississippi. At Fort Smith, on the
Arkansas, rise of over eighteen feet took
place in twenty-four hours, and at last
accounts the swell was proceeding at q
rapid rate.
WILL SWELL THE MISSISSIPPI.
The great rise, added to the minor floods
pouring out of all the small tributaries
below Fort Smith, will greatly add to the
volume of water in the Mississippi below
tuo ilpubu VI buo ana increase
the peril of the lower country. All the
railroads in the vicinity of Fort Smith are
suffering from serious washouts or lost
bridges, and trains are abandoned tempo
rarily.
ARKANSAS CITY FLOODED.
At Arkansas City. on the Mississippi, the
water from the Sappington Hook crevasse
has inundated the rear part of the town, and
the lands in the back country are being
flooded. 1t lis not thought, however, that any
great damage will result from this break
as the bayous and interior streams are capa-
bic OF carrying the water away rapidly.
All the available boats of the government
fleet have been put into the levee service
The river front from Arkansas City down
is being carefully watched, and the weak
places in the levees strengthened. A report
prevails that the levee at Alsatia, La,
twenty miles south of Lake Providence. had
broken, but this has not been verified
At Bntesville, Ark, the White river rose
eighteen feet yesterday, and is now rising
foot an hour.
STILL RAINING.
A special to the Republic from Arkansas
City, Ark, says it has been raining there
for about forty hours, and the crevasse in
the levee above the city is now about 400
feet wide. The people are much
Poplar Bluffs, Mo-, the situation is serious.
In the Helena (Ark.) district the river CON
tinues rising rapidly. The rise in Arkansas
west OF Little Rock, Ark, is unprece-
dented. 1t is feared that another day will
bring out the unwelcome news of the waters
ravages.
MORE THREATENING THAN EVER.
MEMPHIS, TENN. March 12-The food
outlook to-day is more threatening than at
any previous time since the present high
water began to excite attention. The rain
fall over the country west OF here and
south Of the Ozark mountain range has
been over three inches within the past two
days, and the storm still continues. AS con-
sequence, the Arkansas and White rivers are
pouring out immense volumes, and the situa-
ton below their mouth is anything but en-
couraging. The river at this point has risen
to the great food level Of 1926 feet-and
Is rising slowly. Every effort is being made
by the government forces to stop the break
at Sappington, and as that crevasse Is
in slack water the chances are in favor of
its repair. The feeling, however, is that
the levees on the Arkansas side along the
entire Tensas front must go down. The
landings between here and Cairo are so
covered with water that the boats are un-
able to land except at few places.
AT GREENvILLE.
NEW OHLEANS, Marcn E.--Ihe Etcd~
yNne's Greenville, Miss, special says: "The
river stood here last evening Az feet and
was rising. Reports from the levees along
the Mississippi side up TO o'clock p. m.
were that the principal levees were still in
good shape, but the strain against
them was increasing every hour.
Continuous rain, accompanied by heavy
winds, prevailed and some disaster seemed
not improbable before morning. Ii had
been raining very hard since 2 o'clock, and
was still coming down in torrents, with no
indication Of any change soon"
AT HELENA.
The Times-Democrat' Helena (Arkl
special says: ''The river has crawled up
two inches during the last twenty-fou
hours, and now marks 43 feet and inches
on the gauge. The water is now feet 8
inches below high water. The rise during
the present week will be gradual. Begin
ming next week it will be more rapid, and
the highest water will reach here Sunday.n