Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-17
VICTIMS OF THE FLOOD.
Fifteen Bodies Found Floating About
the Old Davis Homestead.
The Surviving Inhabitants Of the
Island are Huddled in Tents on
the Levee - The Loss Of Live
Stock Has Been Very Heavy
Refugees Brought to Vicksburg.

Vicksburg, Miss, April 16.-The refu-
gees who came from Davis Island on the
government steamer John r. Meigs and
the steamer Atlanta report the drown
ing of eleven persons, all colored, on
Davis Island. Wednesday evening.
Homer Moore, Pete Clements and WIFE,
and Harry Garland were drowned on
the hurricane plantation. The other
seven are reported drowned on other
parts of the island, all women and
children from the Palmyra place. The
loss of stock on the island has been very
great. The steamer Florence remains
at the island to rescue people and ferry
stock over to the Louisiana mainland.
1t was tl~> ght that all on Davis Is
land had escaped after the crevasse, but
fifteen bodies have been found floating
around the old Brierfeld plantation,
which was the homestead of Jefferson
Davis. The surviving inhabitants are
huddled in tents on the top of the levee.
worse than ever known before.
New Orleans. La, April 16.-Nineteen
feet by April 20, says the Weather Bu-
reau. as far as New Orleans is concern
ed 1t will probably come sooner. II
will not mean any danger to the city,
but water will cover the wharves. The
railroads are already elevating their
tracks. and platforms have been built at
depots. but the steamboats, complain
that no provision has been made for
them. The entire wharf front will prob
ably have to be rebuilt and raised.
The Louisiana line is still holding,
strange TO say, though rises OF three
inches and more a day are quite com
mon. II looks as if the limit of en-
durance or height must come soon. A
much higher river will wash over many
Of the banks, and in their present soft
ened condition they will be so badly
soaked that it is a question OF their
ability to bear the weight against them.
Still. the perfection Of drainage going
on all along the line will help out in the
crisis. The food wave has about
reached the Fifth district, and if that
and the Tensas pass muster there IS no
reason why the levees between Baton
Rouge and New Orleans should not
escape.
The second break on Bayou Lafourche
is not creating much alarm. There is
now q crevasse on each side of the
BAYOU, but the water could not have
picked out better spots, running of into
large areas of swamp lands. 1t has re
duced the height of the bayou, and II
the planters car hold the rest of the
line many valuable plantations will be
saved.
ST. Louis. Mo. April 16.-The Missis-
sippi river is still falling here, drop OF
almost a foot being recorded for the
past q hours. This makes the guage
read 26.6 feet, almost four feet below the
danger line. Both the Missouri and
Mississippi rivers here show rise, but
Dr.. Frankenfeld, the local weather OBJ
server. says that the river at st. Louis
will change but little during the next
two days. The Missouri and Upper Mis-
sissippi rivers will rise slowly.
Omaha. Neb., April 16.-During the
night the river rose two inches, but is
stationary now st Omaha and falling
above. The work done on the threatened
dykes during the night held back the
food. and this morning it seems that
the gravest danger has passed. The wind
is from the south and the waves are
driven away from the dykes. The water
has spread a little more over the bot
toms. but the additional damage is in
significant. Large gangs of men are
still busy strengthening the weak spots,
with fair prospects Of preventing the
of