The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-05-21

A telephone messagew was receiy-
ed at 3 O'clock this morningf say
chat the new Ievee in front Of
Donaldsonville gave way at 11-9O
o'clock last night, letting tho water
rushin against the protection levees,
gave way in several places,
but they were closed after several
hours OF hard work.
LaPLAoE, La, May 10, l A. NJ
About Q O'Clock last night we had
to 4 bandon the cribbling on the
north end of the crevasse in order
to move our force two miles above
the break and about 200 yards be-
low where Bonnet Care broke last
time, which is at present in a very
critical condition. The levee is soft
and spongy.
We have about fifty men at work,
and INV must take off twenty-five,
as they are
COMPLETELY WORN OUT.
WI have no wheelbarrows and
are very short of material, such as
scantling, etc, and are only trying
to hold the ends of the crevasse.
The cribbling is 10Y out 200 feet
en- the north end and we havestruck
the slough water II feet deep.
The piling holds well and it GER
tainly is encouraging to continue
work.
The levees in this neighborhood
are very weak and threatening,
Bell point especially so.
Up to the present time there are
no new disasters. The water has
reached 21-mile post on the Illinois
Central Railroad.
The crevasse has widened but IS
feet in the last twenty-four hours,
JOHN G.. CHAFFE.
NEW ORLEANS, May 1.-THE Bon.
net Care levee has sHccumbed to the
pressure OF the mighty rver and now
acres and acres, aye, miles and miles
of fertile, cultivated lands, Thich two
days ago were covered with a quilt Of
waving green now lie beneath Q
murky, muddy blanket of restless
water, steadily spreading itself as time
grows apace over a larger area ofland
The crevass occurred at 2 O'clock yes.
teiday morning, but the cause is 6
matter of mystery. The residents il
the vicinity We're first apprised of tho
break by the rOar and rush of waters
which i'm Immediately followed, spread
ing over the surrounding country will
wonderful rapidity. At first, as 10 al
such cases, the break was a small one
but the levee being constructed largely
of sand it succumbed to the Amos
irresistible force which pressed agams
it and ate it away to the extent of Ia
feet, which was its measured wldtl
last night.
The railroads and planters. imme
diately set to work to prevent TIL
leVee from being entirely destroyed
aud thereby make II closing of tn
break possible. Material aud hand
were dispatched Ito the scene, AM
Captain John A. Grant, than whom
there is no more competent crevass,
authority in Louisiana, and who in hi
day has closed no less than twenty
offered his services to the Mississippi
Valley route. 1t is needless to adj
they We're accepted, and at $40 las
evening, in his working clothes, IL
departed for Bonnet Care on "a specia
train. lie Is still on the scene.
CRIB work is being built ON boil
ends, about ihnty feet having beer
completed dip TO the latest accounts.
Il is hardly probable that the ere
vase can be closed, though the eDgi
neers exI ress the hope that il will no
prove sueh u serious task as Mt presen
indicated.
The location of tie break is about
mile below the first washout of til,
fam BUS Bonnet Care revas of 1877
and on the Anchor place. 1t is a shor
distance from the parish line of st
Charles and John parishes, and Gabou
thirty miles from New Orleans. LaFg,
sugar planttt liens are located all along
the river in that locality, principn
among those above the break being thu
Cbaffee and La Place plan tations, ant
Immediately below the kost, SaTpy
Kcnner and Sellers places.
The Mississippi Valley tracks ar,
under more than n foot of water, Will,
the IEiEois Central has every prOspec
Of having traffic interrupted in "a YER
short time though up to last account
trains were still able TO pass. Their
are a number of ~culverts under tn
illinois Genital all along this rout