Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-04-07
THE TERRIBLE FLOOD.
Millions of Dollars Worth of Prom
erty Destroyed.
Thousands Of People are Rem.
dered Homeless.

60s
special says:
The solid line of the M;ssissippi
levees have been broken at last. At
ten O'Clock last night the levee at
Deerteld, ten miles lsiow ureenville,
succumbed to the pressure of the wa.
ters of the mighty Mississippi. Soon
the section between tie river and the
embankment of the Riverside division
OF the Hazoo and Mississippi vally rail.
way was perfectsea 6f water. Hogs
and cattle were drowned while the
people, mostly colored, rushed to the
levee above and below the break and
huddied together until they were res
cued' No loss of human life has been
reported.
Deerfeled is near Wayside, station
on the Yazoo and Mississippi railway,
and nearly all of the splendid country
west of Deer Greek, south of Arcola to
the Yazoo river will be flooded. Thou.
sands of acres of the most fertile lands
In the delta already planted in corn or
ready to be planted in cotton will suf.
fer from the waters pouring through
this crevaese.
The weak places and the low places
in the levee have received close atten.
ton and faithful aid The lawyers,
business men, clerks, merchants and
all have worked side by side with the
negro laborers, W heeling dirt to elevate
and strengthen the embankment that
protected the people from dev astatiop.
The line of levee is in good condition
now for miles above the city and the
people of Greeneville feel confident
once more that the town itself will
escape the flood. The weak places in
the Arkansas levee at Possom Fork and
few other points are reported under
control tonight. The levee at Riverton,
on the Mississippi side near Rosedale,
reported wesk this morning, is now
considered safe. Thirteen carloads of
sacks reached Greeneville last night
for use on the levees in this section.
thousands of these bags being sent to
the places needed by steamers today.
Near COncOrdiS landing.
The ievee broke at Sledge plan ia ton
near Concordia landing three miIes
north of Gunniston at about $3.50 PM.
today. The crevasse is about 100 feet
wide and the levee being m ade of sand,
will cave and cut very fast. The peo-
pie are wild with excitement and there |
is no effort being made to stop the
widening of the crevasse. 1t is expected
that the crevasse will cut to a width
OF five hundred feet by morning.
There was no uneasiness felt about this
leVee as there was nothing to indicate
weakness except a sipe which did
not seem to be dangerous. Water is
pouring through the break at terrible
velocity carrying houses, trees and
everything in its path.
Gallant Fight Made
Helena, Ark, March 29.-Today has
been the most critical day in the his
tory of the city. The river has been
steadily rising and stands tonight at
5O6. The people are worked up to a
point AT which the slightest alarm
from the steam whistles brings them
to the levee. The messages sent last
night by the weather bureau at Wash.
lngton was the cause of considerable
alarm and at about $50 clock last
night, as if in response to the same,
the skies began to grow hazy, black
clouds began to make their appearance
on the horizon out of which there
presently came strong wind from
the east that chopped the angry flood
into angry looking waves which re.
morselessly began gnawing at the mar
row levee which had been laboriously
built up during the day. All night
long the wind blew and the waves beat
upon the levee and weary hands piled
sacks of dirt where breaches were
showing, 1t was gallant fight and
1t left everybody exhausted. This
morning the mayor issued proclama.
ton reciting the desperate circumstan-
ces surrounding the city and request.
ing that stores be closed and all able
bodied men be sent to the front. The
proclamation met with hearty and
response and in few min.
ntes several hundred fresh men with
spades on their shoulders were taking
the places OF the hired men who had
Iabored all the night. Tonight the |
wind has abated somewhat but the
work of watching and working still
goes on. kilograms offering assistance
It needed have been received today but {
30 far the citizens have been able to
cope with the flood without outside
help.
The government boat Titan arrived
at ten O'Clock this morning with ninety
seven refugees from Knowltons. They
were all negroes, mostly women and
the men remaining behind to
Iook out after the stock and to work on
The levees. Captain Nolty, of the Titan,
reports another big break about 800
Yards above Wood Cottage landing,
which isl mile and half above !
knowltons. 1t occurred Saturday eve-