Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-04-05

upward change of one-tenth of Q foot in
the twenty-four hours up to o'clock this
afternoon. The gauge now stands 4'lO.
three feet and a tenth above the danger
lire. The levees are holding out well, the
weather is fine and general outlook favor
able.
The levees ut Helena, Ark. are reported
breaking. The following is from that
point: The expected has happened. After
weary days and nights of watching, work
ing and waiting. after fighting the floods
from without. the winds and rains from
above, and the seepwater and backwater
from behind, our levees have gone to
pieces This morning at o'clock the
Williamson levee, two miles below this
city. gave way at q point ] 600 feet north Of
Long lake levee. This is the work which
has been under direct charge of Mr.. Pill
low, the most superb water tighter IN all
this country.
Mr.. Pillow had been given charge of this
section of levee because Of its known weak
ness and because it was pivotal He has
held II against big odds, only TO see it
crumble away before his very eyes. Mr..
Pillow was an eye witness and says the
force Of the current swept the superficial
crown which he had built at great expense
lierally off the original levee. In an incon-
ceivably, short time, the crevasse was $50
feet wide. At first it was confined TO n
depth of about three feet, which is the
height of the superficial crown, but grad
ually ii wore away the main levee and is
now running through to depth of sixteen
feet, the fun depth of the original levee.
"A very stiA current sets in at this point
and Mr.. Pillow fears the Long lake levee
will be reached and washed away, in which
event several of the finest plantations in
the county, including his own magnificent
place, will be badly washed. ard almost
ruined. The Long lake levee has 4 base of
about 200 feet and is forty feet high. II
corresponds in size and Importance with
the Yazoo pass levee. which is nearly op
posite 1t IL this lcvee should go, IL would
precipitate 4 prodigious volume of water
on the rich places along Long lake. As
IL is. the loss is stupendous.
nj rTl1gl lh-a af11 cav
eral head OF cattle. no loss of stock is re-
ported thus far. The only loss of life re-
ported is the 6-year-old child of Luke and
Missouri Nancy, respected colored people
living on the Straub place, just below Will
iarnson's. This occurred q short time after
the break was reported.
The relief sttamer Titan, owned by the
government, went back to Williamsons
store, just below the break, and brought up
nine persons from that and adjoining plan
tations, all of whom were taken in charge
by Chairman Butler, of the relief commit
tee; They will be quartered in the colored
knights of Pythias hall tonight and to-
morrow they will swell the population of
Camp Black.
The people brought up this evening were
those Immediately behind the levees. 9th
ers further back had already gone to the
hills. Tents had been reserved for them in
anticipation of big break at Hubbard's
or Fitzhugh's, but the negroes had no idea
that any levee watched over by Ed Pillow
would ever give way.
In the city, the excitement is intense.
Immediately into the town and there was
great activity in moving household goods
and especially in packing up pianos. There
were many consultations as to whether
the water should be permitted to back into
the city or an effort be made to keep it
out. In the southern end of the city the
Arkansas Midland railroads dump forms
a splendid levee, with only a single open
ing in ii, culvert twenty feet wide. This
has been closed and Helena will be dry
town, despite adverse circumstances, un-
n ha IN
adequate.
From the effects of the Williamson and
Flower lake breaks, the river fell six inches
here since morning, greatly relieving our
levee. But we are not out of danger yet
Another break has ooucrred. 1t was at the
place, at o'clock this afternoon, just as
the pressure was being relieved by reason
of the Williamson crevasse. 1t is a bad
Rice. who is in charge, was called upon to
doctor q seep hole. thirty feet back of the
leyee, where large volume of water was
issuing, Men and sacks happened to be
available and sack after sack went into the
hole until the flow was staunched. Sud-
denly, at the base of the leyee, thirty feet
away. a big geyser made its appearance.
Ievee, sacks, earth, etc, went into the
air and the Iong-beIeaguered levee was
wide and widening with each hour.
Mayor Purvis has Just called to tell me
he Is going tonight. on the Titan, with men
Lake leyee, which Will be eaten into by
morning If something is not done to save
it. The current through the Williamson
crevasse strikes the base of the Long Lake
levee inside at an angle and is gradually
beating IL down. AS this leyee cost an i'm
mcnse sum, desperate efforts wl1 be made
to save it.. The Huk5ard break Is four
miles south @ q ffs Sestayse Sfexayse
cfcv&sse. II simply adds . ibe ,,oI,5Ine ~
water. which is devastating all the old
town island and old town ridge sanntrv
Middlesboro. KY, April 4.-MiddtsSssbbfosyo ,s
again flooded. The water is four inches
higher than in the flood five weeks AGO
Most of the stores on Cumberland avss1,a
are flooded. Sixty-five families have bee,
washed out. Three hundred people are fed
by the city. Boats are plying on the prin-
cipal streets. At Pineville, the Cumber-
land river is rising three feet per hour
West Pineville is under water. Clinch and
Powelrs rivers are flooding the entire coun-
fry