The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-14
LITTLE CITY INUNDATED
MARION, ARK, SUBMERGED BY THE
WATERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
Efforts to Save the Big Railway
Bridge at Memphis-River Now an
Inch Higher than Ever Before.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. March lS.-To-night at
Memphis the Mississippi river has reached
the highest mark since the establishment
ters 35.7 feet and the water is creeping up
slowly but surely. The river reached its
previous highest record on March 14-l1.
1890, when the gauge marked 35.6 feet.
News reached Memphis to-day of the
breaking of the levee last night at Marion.
Ark, and the consequent inundation of that
little city and all the surrounding country.
The waters have swept over the country
for miles around further than the eye can
reach. In the town of Marion the water is
about three feet deep, and the inhabitants
are not lingering to take last look at their
household goods, but are leaving sum-
marily, although the houses at this point
are not considered to be in immediate dan
ger of being transformed into floating RATS.
Much destruction of stock is reported,
but there is yet a great deal which can be
saved, and every effort will be made to do
this. AT Presidents island all the stock is
destroyed. except twenty-five horses, and
at Athen and Chicken islands the destruc-
ton of stock has been equally great. The
ferry boat c. &. Bryan left to-day on a
is yet alive at these and other inundated
localities.
The Neely plantation, below Mound City.
is one vast expanse of water. while the
houses on this property have been swept
away and are floating about on the sur
face of the floods. The inhabitants there
have betaken themselves to boats and i'm
provised RATS. In the neighborhood OF
Mound City the houses are also afioat and
the people have abandoned them and also
taken TO boats and RATS, like so many of
their neighbors. There are numerous ar
rivals of refugees from the overtlowed dis
trict.
Across the river at the other end of the
bridge Il large force of men is engaged day
and night trying to save the fiiling-in un-
der the trestle from being washed away by
the food. For many months the work of
filing in the trestle work leading up TO the
bridge has been going on. There is a dis
tance of 500 feet. and instead of beginning
at one end of this stretch and filling to the
top as the work progressed, il has been the
system of the contractors to fill all along
the entire distance that rises foot or two
feet above the present stage of the flood
1t is the experience of persons used to
such things that when once the water
breaks through line OF ernbankment OF
that kind the passage soon broadens, and
in a short time there is no way TO save
the rest of the work. Several hundred
thousand dollars have been spent on the
from the bridge junction a bayou passes
under the trestIe, and this has been filled
There is much danger that a wash-out will
begin at that spot. A large force of men IL
kept on guard all along the line. They are
on duty night and day, ready 10 repair any
small break that may occur before il gets
a chance TO spread. The forecast of the
weather bureau points TO a continuation oi
the rise here.
The railroads are beginning to feel the
effects of the big overflow The Little Rock
& Memphis abandoned its night train to-
night, not caring to risk the lives of its
passengers under such conditions. Officials
of all the roads entering the city from the
West are at the scene of the high water and
are doing all in their power to protect thu
roadbeds The water is within six inches
| of the Kansas City < Memphis tracks. bu,
| Superintendent Sullivan, who is here or
| the ground with large supply of sand IN
sacks states positively that the water viii
| not be allowed TO encroach on the roadbeC
| and that there will be no cessation of pas
senger traffic. Passengers arriving from
| the South on the YaZoo Valley line to-nigh
| report the water within a few inches o
| the rails of that road north of the Missis
| sippi levee system. At Lake Forest tn,
| by water several inches deep The com
| pany has large supply of sand on hanC
| and vii. make strenuous Efforts to keep IL.
| trains moving. The levees south of Mem
| phis are doing splendid service not
| break of any kind being reported Genera
| rains are reported throughout Arkansas
1 west Tennessee and north Mississippi TO
| day. In Mississippi, late this afternoon,
violent hailstorm prevailed. The rain II
| the vicinity of Memphis ceased at o'clocl
| tonight and colder weather is predicted.