New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-08
NOW LOUISIANA TREMBLES
THE MIGHTY FLOOD BEARING DOWN STEADILY ON
THE L1vEEs OF TIE LOWER RIVER.

THE MIGHTY FLOOD BEARING DOWN STEADILY on
THE LBvEEs OF THE LOWER RIVER
Memphis. Tenn. April THE supreme test Of
the levees south Of Vcksburg and Arkansas
City Is approaching. The river at Nicksburg
has been falling for some days on account OF the
rush OF waters from the main channel through
the crevasse above into the Yazoo Delta This
water is again returning to the channel through
the Yazoo River and its influence is being felt
at Vcksburg. where the gauge is now marking
higher figures. Within a few days the crest OF
the rise will be opposite Vcksburg. and the chan
mel will continue to deepen unless the levees
break. The Louisiana people keenly realize the
gravity of the situation The destruction
wrought in the st. Francis Basin and the Yazoo
Delta may be repeated In the Tensas Basin,
which begins in Southeastern Arkansas and ex-
tends through the northeastern counties Of
Louisiana Material and men are being hurried
forward
The news OF the action OF Congress in appro-
prating large sum for the relief Of the suffer-
ers was gratefully received here and throughout
the overfowed district.
The river at Memphis is slowly falling. and the
gauge at Cairo shows a decline For the first
time In four weeks. the Kansas City. Memphis
and Fort Scott Railroad sent It's trains out over
the line passing through the St Francis Basin.
NeW-OrleanS. April Last night for nearly an
hour a rainstorm ragged on the lower Mississippi.
and people feared for the evees. The Orleans
Levee Board sent out special men to study the
effects, and found that not a bit Of damage had
been done.
Below Baton Rouge and all the way to New
Orleans. not only has great deal OF work been
done but the patr)i system is ample and thor
oughly organized. Crevass,s unlike lightning,
may strike twice in the same J,ace, end whe e
weak spot has once developed Il is considered
an important poin to hold. For that reason Bon
net, Carre, Davis, Nita and other sorely stricken
points have levees higher ana broader than al
most anywhere In til, state still standing at foEf
feet little less above the water level. These
are also guarded with the greatest care. SO far
not one Of these banks has developed weak spot.
1t Is simply question OF strength 70 resist
the pressure and the height to keep the rising
river from pouring the tops and weakening
the bases Of the bulwarks by flooding the roads
in the rear. If all the levees hold. New-Orleans
will have crisis to face. OF the 1856 mark
predicted, the water may be nearer the 2O-foot
stage
Coahoma Miss April For a while yester-
day the water rose two feet an hour. until all
the low country was filled. 1t is over three
fourths Of the town and Will soon cover all but
the highest places. Many families have been
forced TO leave their homes and move into box
cars furnished by the railroad company. NO
fatalities have occurred yet, but the work of
rescuing will be more dangerous as the water
rises The railroad company viii sustain fuT-
ther loss in bridges and tracks that are washing
literally off TO the woods Three bridges within
a mile of here have succCmbed 20 the flood
One is eon, and two are rendered useless. Word
was received that the people between THIS place
and Friar's Point have lost everything they
possessed save their land. they being in A main
current from the crevasse at Flower Lake