Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-01
MISSISSIPPI FLOODS
SPECIAL RIVER BULLETIN ISSUED
ny WEATHER BUREAU.
CONGRESSIONAL AID PROVIDED.
The Resolution 10 This End Duly
Made Law by the Prrsidcnt-Src-
vases In ynroo Delta Disas-
frous.

Lieutenant Newcomer. the army engineer
officer IN charge at Memphis:
Three crevasses reported In the lower
Yazoo lcvee distrct-one at Deerheld'
Northern Lake Lee. Sunday night; one
opposite Island Seventy. Monday after
noon: one near stop Landing. Choctaw
Bend, this morning"
The Mississippi River Commission. now
In session az New Orleans, has requested
TO be informed promptly by telegraph
when President Mckinley signs the joint
resolution OF Congress making $4,000 i'm
mediately available for work on the river
between its head and mouth. The commits
sion desires TO spend the money at once
believing that prompt action at this time
will save many lives and much property.
WEATHER BUREAU BULLETIN.
WEATHER BUREAU. WASHINGTON
March Sl-Special river bulletin: The fol-
lowing reports have been received from
Weather Bureau officials IN charge OF
river districts.
Memphis. Tenn. March a.-Severe
break has occurred just south OF Gunni-
sissippi front. Ii is believed that the
whole region from Australia south 10
Vicksburg will be inundated. Helena,
Rosedale, and Greenville In great danger.
Gunnison is flooded badly. The fiow-out OF
the ST. Francis is increasing. No further
rise is looked for at Memphis.
Helena, Ark, March a.-Rise over
inches in twenty-four hours. River Will
rise inches every twenty-four hours for
a day or two. Levees holding for thirty
miles below Helena. Can hold ] foot or
more in Helena. Destruction going on
below, and will probably get worse
Cairo. Ill. March a.-Sipe water con-
tinues increasing; has risen about / inch
during past twenty-four hours. Many one
story houses in lower portion of city va
Gated: otherwise situation remains same
as reported Tuesday afternoon.
st. Louis. No. March S1.-Rivers in St
Louis District will remain nearly station
airy for day or two. Rain to-day VIII
check the fall. but will probably not cause
another rise within that time.
CREvASSES DISASTROUS.
-'Vicksburg, Miss, March 8l.-No anti
cipated reports of creyasses this morning
Crevasses already reported will be very
disastrous in the delta. Heavy rain and
thunderstorm at this hour-lO:30.
New Orleans. La, March I-No
breaks reported this morning. Crevasses
on Bayou La Fourche. near Raceland Of
Yesterday Will cause only local damage
and will relieve the pressure on the lower
bayou levees some. Brisk southerly winds
with rain now falling locally. is causing
some wave-wash. but no damage yet re-
ported During the past twenty-four
hours the following average rainfall in
tenths of inches has occurred over the
respective river basins named-viz.: Ohio.
/; Central Mississippi, 4; Arkansas and
Lower Missouri. 6.
"The Missouri Ohio, Cumberland. Ten
nessee. and Lower Arkansas rivers have
fallen slowly. The Mississippi has risen
from St. Paul TO Dubuque. being IL foot
above the danger-line at La Crosse; has
fallen from Davenport to below Cairo.
and risen snghtly from Memphis to the
mouth. except at Arkansas City. where II
has fallen OF Of foot, owing 10 the
break in the levee near that place. The
Red and Upper Arkansas have risen"
(Signed) WILLIS L. MOORE,
Chief of Bureau.
AID RESOLUTION MADE LAW.
WASHINGTON. March 31.-The Presi-
food Joint resolution. making an appro-
priation Of $25O.ON for the improvement
OF the Mississippi river from the head Of
the passes of the Gulf to the mouth of
the Ohio river, and TO supply deficiencies
I'm appropriations for the fiscal year en-
ing June go 1897
THE WORST TO COME.
JACKSON. MISS, March S1.-The con-
dition of affairs in the Mississippi Valley
grows daily more exciting. and it is evil
dent that the worst has not been eXpe-
rienced. one or two more big breaks,
one Of them 1900 feet wide occurred in
Bolivar county last night, and the waters
from the last. joining with three other
streams. are now rushing towards the
south. carrying destruction 10 houses.
barns. gins. farms, and live stock For
tunately, however the people of the delta
have taken time by the fo:elock, and
either secured their horses and cattle
on high points and mounds, or driven
them out 10 the foothills, where they
will remain till the waters subside. No
efforts are being made TO stop the breaks,
they having gotten beyond human con-
troll, and work In that direction Is fruit
less; but every possible energy is being
directed towards the preservation and
strengthening Of the miles and miles OF
muSly banks sun stdHulHS.
Captain j. j. Evans, president Of the
State Railroad Commission. and Warden
McLaurin. of the penitentiary, returned
last night from Greenville, in which
vicinity they have been for a week OF
more, directing the labor of 650 convicts
in preventing breaks and overflow, and
report that the State farms are now
nearly under water. or will be to-mor-
row. and that the extent of the disaster
is beyond all computation. So far, the
levees around Greenville have stood The
strain.
PERIL OF GREENVILLE.
No breaks are reported within less thar
three miles on either side, and as
the river, owing to the four breaks above
has fallen nearly two feet In front o.
the city. there is a good chance that the
town will escape the awful calamity thai
has been so strongly threatened for 4
week.
News received here this morning was
10 the effect that Greenville was six fee
under water coming from breaks above
but private advices received later in tn
day say the town is still dry.
Traffic on the Yazoo and Mississippi
Valley railroad. a part Of the illinois
Central system. has about been sus-
pended above Vicksburg, and there is nc
telling when train Will be able te
get all the way through again The
news from all points along the river
at Vicksburg. Natchez. and other places
Is that the people are working Ike
demons TO hold their levees until th'
breaks above reduce the volume OF
water In the main channel. They have
great faith In their ability TO hold out
but the weather tonight, being stormy
and blustery, and accompanied by thun
der-showe.s, Is not of a nature to In