The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-31
Houses and Barns Swept Away
Like DTiftWOOd.
HUNDREDS WITHOUT HOMES
Al Least z, 600 Persons Dependent
on Charity.

The water Rushing Through the
Crevasse at GreenviIIe With
Already Reach 10 Miles Inland
and the Destruction of Hundreds
of More Farm Houses Inevitable.
Four Lives so Far Reported Lost at
GreenvilIe-The Levees Melting
Away Before the Flood Like sand.
St Louis March SO-A special to the
Scripps- McRae Press Association from
Baton Rouge, La, says that the break in
the levee ten miles below Greenville, Miss,
is the worst so far to occur. Thousands
Of feet Of the levees, weakened and soft
ened by the high water, are melting away
like sand The break last night was 1900
feet wide and the water is rushing into
Mississippi with frightful velocity. The
inhabitants are fleeing for their lives, leav-
ing all behind. Cattle, horses and other
live stock are drowning by the thousands
and houses and barns are being washed
away like driftwood. 1t is estimated that
fully 1900 people are already homeless and
at the mercy of charity The waters have
already reached fifteen miles inland, and
the destruction of hundreds of more farm
houses is inevitable.
Harvey Klemmer and two sons, who at
tempted to save some stock, had their
boat overturned and were drowned.
1t is also reported that Mrs. John Mar
shall and son, who were alone in a little
hut two miles from the break, were un-
able to escape and were drowned
Two historic and famous plantations of
JeH Davis and his brother, Joseph
Davis, six miles below Vicksburg, are
doomed to become sea of water and de-
Struction.
siXty-two miles below Vicksburg is the
historic plantation of Col. Zachariah Tay-
lor. With the threatened rise of three
more feet it will be a total ruin. The
household goods are being removed and
u!e stock driven to places of safety.
Inc little church upon the plantation,
N which JEFF Davis was married to
zen Iaylor's daughter, is threatened with
uesfuetlop. The water has surrounded
V 10 the depth of two feet.
Inc river has risen about six inches In
,ne past twenty-four hours at this city
Unless the heavy rain continues for sew
eral days, 1t is not expected that the river
VIII go above the danger line. Advices re-
celVed this afternoon from Alton. Hanni-
bal and Keokuk, state that the river is
aoout stationary and no fears of flood
are entertained.
Helena Ark, March 30.-The river rose
mere two and half inches during the last
I"ehty-four hours. the weather has
cleared and Is bright and sunshiny, Civ
ing needed breathing spell to the peo-
PIE VINO are working on the levees.
me iron Mountain trains have been
snul OUT OF Helena owing to backwater in
ne ot. FRANCIS river having flooded the
rack across the Laguilo river bridge
north OF Mariana. Fifty thousand bags
ii",eHueu Ior use here in repairing the
lcNee We're thus stopped and trains on the
OOuton Belt railroad are bringing them
around to Clarendon
after the severe gale OF yesterday re-
Pdlrs are being made in the whole line of
-eNees IN order to be ready for the bad
weather yet to arrive.
= plzens committee raised $4,000 yes
,,ruay aud $1,000 to-day for the purpose of
prosecuting the work
lamp Black, established by the relief
committee for the care of the colored re-
ausees, Is now village of nearly 200 souls
me refugees. both white and black. are
!ot averse to work, and yesterday when
we situation was so critical they went TO
work with will.
Ihe rescue steamer Maude came up
from below at noon and represented the
eFee below as being in good condition
ana and ready for eighteen inches more of
altogether the situation Is more reas-
surlhg Notwithstanding the adverse
weather bureau reports.
Vicksburg, Miss, March sO.-The high
water record at this place since 1862 was
broken this morning, the gauge reading
59;S. A third crevasse is reported in the
SH,ilasisslppi, seven miles above Arkansas
Dity' It's waters added to these crevnssoa
Will complete the intimidation Of the lower
Mississippi delta. '0"'i
me break reported at Greensburg Land
,rs, ARK, has not been verified as Vet
% ne louisiana levees are holding. but
t-aAe ie FroVidence reports that the water
- lunhihg over Pitchers Point levee for
ne break at Gunnison. or Perthshire. n
onorl distance below Australia, which Or
Nurred al o'clock yesterday evening. is
a. tlous and damaging. At noon to-day
naa Widened 10 1000 feet and was cut
Hs lts way fast. II Is feared that por-
'vns OF Greenvllle will be flooded.
a break occurred az O'Clock this morn
"s ~ Mound Landing, Bolivar county.