Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-04-20
STILL IN DANGER.
Much Apprehension with Reference
to Southern Leveea
ONE OPPOSITE vICKSBURG BREAKS.

VNE VIIUOllG tkUAODUAN DNEAASs
Reports OF Loss of Life ON Davis
Island Arc Greatly Exaggerated
-Delief That the Worst II
e.. Over at Omaha.
Memphis, Tenn, April 17.-Advices
from Natchez and other points below
Sicksburg indicates that the supreme
test in the food situation Is at hand.
The swift current, which is rising stead
fly, is beating against tho levees with
such force as to cause the .eravest ap-
prehension at many places. At Natcl,ea
the river is near the top Of the levees,
and everything possible Is teing done
20 fight back the encroaohhg waters.
All kinds of rumors have been current
regarding wholesale loss Of life on Davis
island, but diligent teieg1aphic inquiry
fails to confirm the story. It is known
that three negroes wore drowned on the
island, but outside OF these fatalities
no further loss Of life * known to have
occurred.
Levecs in bad Condition
At Vicksburg the river is rising at the
rate OF four-tenths of d foot daily. The
volume of water pouring out of the
Yazoo into the Mississippi at point IL
miles north Of Vicksburg will continue
tor several days. The levees between
Bedford. Store, four miles south of Delta,
La, to Duckport, six miles above, are
In prccarious condition, and every
man and boy available is at work
strengthening the embankments. At
some points in this stretch Of levee, the
water is washing over and the greatest
alarm is felt.
At Greenville, the baekwater from
Stops Landing crevasse, which has been
rising in the flooded part OF the town
during the last three days, IL stationery
and will begin to fall to-day. Rosedale,
Friar's Point, Helena and other places
report an encouraging improvement in
The situation.
The river declined one-tenth Of a foot
ut Greenyille, and the fall of two-tenths
of foot reported at Cairo gives re-
newed hope that the vast amount Of
water will recede in time to make
nood crop. At Memphis the river 10
stationary. Capt. Mccoy, Of the steam-
u Bluff, arrived in port from st. Louis
md brings o very encouraging account
Of the improvement in the condition
Of the overlooked territory above Mem
phis. He says that the waters have re-
Ceded sufficiently to allow steamboats,
10 land at all places. There is marked
Improvement and the outlook on ths
upper river Ia cheerful.
Another Levee Breaks.
vicksburg, Miss, April 1.-THE
yevee at Biggs, 2H miles below Delta,
la, broke at ten o'clock Friday night.
The crevasse was 100 feet wide 20 min
utes nfter'it gave way. Delta Is directly
opposite yicksburg.
At Duckport the water has reached
the top of the levees, and is now being
held back by sacks and lumber. Maj.
Bedford states that the line three miles
below Delta to that distance above, il
IN most critical and dangerous con-
dition, that at many places the water
h up to the top and at some places rum
ming over. O'Brien's levee is considered
safe. At towns below Old Delta the
condition is more serious and alarm
ing, the water being up to the top.
Above Delta, at Willow slough and at
Maxwell's front, the situation is such
rs to cause the greatest uneasiness.
The Natchez mail steamer st. Joseph
arrived early in the morning with about
$50 passengers from Davis island. Over
200 were taken out. of the overflow in
skiffs. The officers of the United States
steamer Florence are doing good work
there. The St. Joseph did not bring
up much stock, as the greater part OF
Wednesday and Thursday night was
spent In looking after the colored peo-
pie. Some of the best-informed people
In this section now despair of hold
Ing the Louisiana line more than 4s
hours longer, as they state that many
points cannot stand So feet, which
seems now certain.
Capt. Clark, of the ordnance depart
ment, who has visited the territory from
Nicksburg TO the mouth of the Red
river, arrived on the steamer St. JOSEPH
and states the suffering and restitution
at Davis island is great, and, in his
opinion, there is great probability Of
further loss of life. The island is o.
miles long and many places of it not
accessible, except by small yawls OF
slkiffs and he fears that when the great
food passes away that quite number
will be missing. Many families coming
upon the different relief boats are scat.
: tered, and at times their meetings wher
each thinks the other lost, is mos
touching to the hardest heart.
At New Orleans.
New Orleans, April 17.-Considerabls
Inconvenience is being experienced or
the river front over the handling o.
freight on account of the water nov
lodged on the levees. The appearance
of things is very much worse than thei
actual condition, but it cannot be de
MED that the appearance of the whaGve
looks exceedingly gloomy. At certain
stages of the tide the river become
flush with the levee and runs over, an.
when the water recedes 1t leaves de
posits of mud behind. I'm low spots sew
eral inches of water stand. Protection
levees have been put up, and these OFT
being raised as required.
River Falling at Omaha.
Omaha, Neb., April 1.-THE river i
still falling at this point, and there i
evidence that the worst damage from