New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-29
WORhING ON THE LETEES.
MlssIssIPPrs ARTIFICIAL BANKS UNDER
a TERRIBLE STRAIN.
CREST OF THE FLOOD WAVE PASSING SLOWLY
DOWN TO THE GULF-IMMINENcE OF
a GREAT DISASTER.


A GREAT DISASTER
Washington. March 2S.-Professor Willis L.
Moore. chief OF the Weather Bureau to-day Is
sued the following special bulletin:
The crest of the flood wave is still at Cairo,
which shows a stationary gauge reading 5l6
feet for the last four days
There is great danger yet to come from the
flood In the region from Helena southwark to
NewOrleans.
THE river will continue to rise for at least
ten days In the region from Helena southwark
to Vicksburg. and to rise during a longer period
from Nicksburg southwark
If no break occurs before, levees will be sub
Jected to the greatest strain about April 10 In
Southeastern Arkansas. Western Mississippi; and
in Louisiana. Should the levees break the
suit will be of the most disastrous floods
ever known Weather conditions now indicate
additional heavy rainfall in the middle and
lower Mississippi valleys. which will materially
intensity the flood conditions.
Those living in districts overlooked In former
years should be on the safe side and transfer
stock and movable property to places OF known
safety while there is yet time"
Memphis Tenn, March 2S.-A dispatch to
THE Commercial-Appeal" from Greenville.
Miss. says: The gauge reads 46.6 a rise Of
four-tenths within the last twenty-four hours.
The weather Is warmer and partly cloudy.
Though the day was Sunday. every hour
utilized by labor on levees. No time Is being
lost while the weather remains good. All
realize that they must watch and work. Nearly
one thousand men at work upon the levees
for the ten miles covering Greenvilles front
An army OF 800 new laborers fresh from the
plantations will arrive here tomorrow. The
Of men. while barges are being loaded with
lumber and sacks to be sent to weak points in
the levoe. The boats Etheridge Mitre Parker
Nidette. Mayflower. Ruth. Annie Laurie. Brown,
Chicot. Tourist and Greyhound being used
almost exclusively in the transportation OF men
and material to be used in strengthening the
earthworks. Every energy is being used to pre-
vent crevasse and with some hope OF success.
While the water is above the regular levees In
some places. dirt. lumber and bags Of sand
have been used to elevate the embankments
above the water level.
Everything is intact tonight. The Govern
ment boat Mississippi. with the Mississippi River
Commission aboard, stopped here this morning
and in an Interview Judge Taylor. member Of the
Commission from Indiana, and one Of the Oldest
men in the service said that OF the LOO miles OF
levees less than seven miles have given way un-
der the terrible pressure, only one-haf of per
cent Of the system. He thinks it possible that
other breaks will occur during the next few
days, as he expects one more foot Of water for
this section To be prepared for the rise to come
is now the purpose of those In authority here. If
the weather continues propitious it is believed
that the entire line Of levees along the east bank
"a continuous line OF nearly four hundred miles
will be made to hold. Several weak places re-
Cd Of la uic Oyy
under control. The Arkansas levees opposite
Greenville are said to be in fair condition.
Governor A. J. McLaurin. who has been In the
Delta for several days left for Jackson this
morning but said before his departure that his
services were at the command OF the people here
Lieutenant II. c. Newcomer. with headquarters
in Memphis, in charge of the Government work
in the Third district. is doing everything In his
power. The crisis is upon this section now. the
situation is grave, and the strain upon the levees
and the people is severe.
The flood situation around Memphis is
changed The river Is slowly falling the gauge
tonight registering 1868 feet. Many Of the
refugees are returning to their abandoned homes
in Arkansas, and altogether the outlook is moro
encouraging than at any time suce the flood
set in.
Vicksburg. Miss. March 2s.-To-day has been
one Of increased anxiety for those depending
upon the protection of the levees. Orders for
sacks and other material have been plentiful.
Major Willard. United States engineer, sent
boat out this afternoon TO meet the demand
The river at Vcksburg has risen five-tenths
since last evening, and is now iS.6. six inches
below the highest water since 1862.
The most that can he said Is that the levees
are being held on both sides of the river under
circumstances a little short of desperate. The
Government bulletin issued to-day announcing
that more rains are probable in the upper val
leys was most depressing news President Max
well of the Fifth Louisiana Levee Board urges
planters to send labor and teams to the levees
Immediately. The supply Of sacks here is ex
hausted, and he has ordered ,O0OO from New
Orleans, which left there by special train this
evening The State convicts at Diamond ISL
and will he sent at once to Illawara and
Pitchers Point levees. which are in danger.
Cairo H.. March 2S.-The situation here con-
tnues to improve The gauge shows a fall OF
about an inch since yesterday
At Birds Point. Mo. the situation Is distress
Ing. TWENTY-FIVE thirty Of the houses there
have been washed from their foundations, and
water stands from an inch to five feet deep in
those that remain. large amount of Cotton
Belt track has been washed away, and from
81 to 100 yards Of the levee there is gone
This however works no harm to the neighbor
hood as the water stands on both sides Of the
embankment
CIGARETTES KILLED HIN.