The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1892-05-14
NEW ORLEANS IN DANGER.

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Asked.
NEW ORLEANS, May 9.-The river sit
nation here is regarded as more critical
than for years past, with the chances
in favor of several severe crevasses and
overflows. Bad news from the lower
Mississippi is to be feared in the next
ten or twelve days. There was little
rise in February this year, as usual.
and the planter and levee boards were
congratulating themselves on escape
from danger, and not pressing levee
work as zealously as usual when the
river began booming in April. The rains
that fell in Mississippi, Alabama and
Tennessee, which caused such destruc-
tive freshets in these states, and subse-
quent heavy rains in Louisiana, where
inches fell in one day, still further
swelled the food. and it was evident
that the high water throughout the
lower Mississippi would reach the
highest point known. and might exceed
it. but it was still hoped that the levees,
which have been greatly strengthened
during the past two years when there
was no particularly high water, and
upon which nearly 5000, 900 has been
spent in that time, would be able to
withstand the floods. The events of the
last three or four days have dissipated
that hope.
First came the heavy rains in Illinois,
which swelled the upper Mississippi
beyonds anything known for years.
Then came the rains in Kansas and
Missouri, which will send another great
volume of water into the Mississippi
through the Missouri, and yesterday
heavy rains set in in Louisiana and
have continued all to-day, sending the
Mississippi at New Orleans to within
three-tenths of foot of the high water
of 1890. the highest ever known, when
it ran over the levee in front of the city
and inundated some of its principal
streets. The two freshets from
the upper Mississippi and the
Missouri will reach Memphis in
about six or seven days, when they will
find the lower Mississippi almost level
with the levees. Along the Arkansas
front, where it is from three to six
inches above the maximum, it is in
many places over the levees, and the
latter have been raised two or three
feet higher by piling sacks of dirt on
them to prevent the water running
over. This protection. however, is only
temporary and uncertain, and not to be
depended on against either storm or
very high water, and the levees there
are already badly washed and in crit
ical condition. They have stood the
flood splendidly, and the only crevas-
ses have been in the smaller
levees below New Orleans or on Bayou
Ia Fuurche, where breaks cause less
harm. In many places, however. on
both the Arkansas and Mississippi
front. the water has flooded the alluvial
lands, driving out the tenants and oc-
cupants, mainly negroes, and compelling
them to seek refuge in the neighbor-
ing towns, where they are in q desti-
tute condition. the planters being
afraid of an overflow and having the
prospect ahead of being compelled to
care for their own hands. A petition
will probably be presented to the fed
eral government for aid for these
refugees This is the situation to-
day, before the freshets from
the upper Mississippi, Arkansas and
Missouri have reached the lower river.
Previous to the rains that recently have
fallen in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and
Kansas river experts thought that the
maximum rise would be six inches addi-
tional. bringing the Mississippi up to
foot above the highest ever known, and
they thought the levees could stand it,
but it is now evident that their esti-
mate was low one. The upper
freshets will catch up to the food-wave
which has just passed Memphis. and the
river will go at least two feet higher
than it has ever been known before. It
will be the severest test to which the
levces have ever been put, and it re-
mains to be seen whether they can
stand it.
1t is learned tonight from Capt. Della.
houssaye. who passed there this after
noon. that the great Morganza levee in
Pointe Coupee parish. the biggest levee
in Louisiana, broke to-day during the
rainstorm that prevailed, and in conse-
quence of the great pressure OF the
swollen river against il. The levee Is
- feet high. from so to 105 feet wide,
and mile long, and is one of the most
important in the lower Mississippi. IL
is at a point where break will cause
the greatest possible amount Of
damage. 1t will let the water
over in Pointe Coupee, Therville. West
Baton Rouge. Assumption, Ascension,
Lafourch, iberia, St Mary and
St Martins parishes. and may flood all
the country between it and the gulf.
This levee broke in 1884. when il caused
some s1OO. 200. 900 damage. cutting down
the sugar crop of the state materially.
II was partially broken in 1890, but
enough of it held then to limit the
amount of damage done by it. The
United States government assisted in
rebuilding it both times. Until some
thing more is learned of the extent OF
the break it is impossible to make any
estimate of the possible loss, but in view
of the very high condition of the river
it is expected to be very large. The
crcvasse. if serious. as feared, will stop
the Southern Pacific. and Texas & Pa
cific railroads in few days
The Morganza is the largest and most
extensive levee on the Mississippi, and
has been regarded as in danger.
Corngrowers Scared.
DESSIsoS. Tex. May e.-The rain
fall at this and surrounding points dur
ing the last forty-eight hours is with
out precedent in many years All
water-courses have overfOwed their
banks. washing out cotton and corn.
and indeed injuring all growing crops.
Hundreds of acres have been totally or
partially destroyed. and much of it will
have to he planted again The outlook
for a corn crop is gloomy. the season
being too far advanced to hope for good
returns. but with fair weather, though
somewhat late. the cotton planted IN
the next few days will be all right
Below GreenviIle. Miss
GREESvILLE, Miss, May Sat
o'clock this morning the levee on the
Arkansas side of the river gave way at
the Dick Hunt plantation. twenty-nve
miles below here, opposite Lake wash