Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-04-08
FLOOD SITUATION.
The Mississippi River Now Like
an Inland Sea.
THE LOSS OF HUMAN LIFE SMALL.
Miles Below Helena, Ark.-Several Other
Breaks In the Banks Reported
uatiOn Gloomy ut vicksburg.

uati0n Gloomy ut vicksburx.
MEMPHIS. Tenn, April IA heavy
rainfall accompanied by stroLg gale
from the west added to the horror OF
the flood situation $50 miles below
Memphis in the Mississippi delta.
There are four breaks and each Is let
ting in a stream as large as the Ohio
river at Cincinnati or the Hudson at
Albany, and this tremendous outflow
has caused fall of only one-tenth at
Vicksburg, Immediately below the last
break. The rain and wind will prob
ably cause more breaks. The river is
now like an inland sea, and yesterday
afternoon telegram from point be-
low Rosedale, Miss, announced that
great waves were pounding against
the levee and that at frequent inter
walls the water tore itself loose from
the main channel and dashed over the
embankment.
On the Arkansas side the levee from
Helena to Arkansas City last night
was as full Of holes as the outer wall
OF fertilization after siege. There
is a break at Westover which occurred
at an early hour yesterday morning.
A thousand men were at work on the
levees when the crash came For a
moment thin thread of water began
to trickle from the inner wall of the
embankment. Experienced levee men
saw the danger and cried out word
of warning, and the laborers rushed
back. but in five minutes gap 50 feet
wide and six feet deep was torn in the
wall OF earth. The break grew until
it is now several hundred feet wide.
This crevasse is ten miles below Helena
and the water rushing through it will
destroy dozen splendid plantations,
and may back up to Helena. Other
breaks will probably occur on the Ar.
kansas shore.
The Laconia circle country, few
miles below Westover, is under water
This circle is surrounded by levee.
The levee in the rear went to pieces at
a late hour Monday and the water
rushed n and spread itself over 10000
acres OF the most fertile land in Arkan-
sas, cut up into plantations, giving sup
port to no less than 5000 people.
Last night Gunnison, Rosedale and
other small towns were under water.
The whole country will be inundated
The water is spreading over the terri
tory from Perthshire, Miss, to point
zen miles north of Viclisburg and back
rom the river 80 Or 40 miles, Already ,
The loss of cattle has been enormous
The corn that was planted and grow
ng is under the water and the prepare 6
ions for cotton planting We're well I'M ,
Ter way. 1t is difficult to estimate the ,
oss. A thickly settled country con. 9
aiming an area of about 1000 square
niles, settled with farmhouses, negro )
abins and small villages, will be flood a
ID. The Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
abroad will have $50 miles of track !,
nder water before the flood is over.
The loss Of human life SO far has a
cen small. Not half dozen people s
ave been drowned in the delta, and b
robably dozen on the Arkansas
de, south Of Helena The upper
Gods, which have prevailed in the st.
rancis basin for two weeks, claimed =
robably no more than so victims, all n
olored. Greenville, Miss, is still safe.
A telegram from Vicksburg says the
tuation at this hour is certainly
loomy. kilograms from Assistant
ngineer Thompson report the situa- '.
on on the East Carroll and Madison p
ont, Louisiana, as critical. In order Ut
comprehend fully the area Of coun- OF
y threatened by the overflow, take
)int just south of Rosedale, Miss, on II
lie east bank Of the river, in Bolivar
'unty, and thence south to the Yazoo .
yer and west as far, and in all proba- =
lily beyond the main line of the va III
70 4 Mississippi Valley railroad. This
rye scope Of country, the finest. cot
n lands in the world, and con-
lining estates or plantations rivaling q
extent many small kingdoms of the me
orld, is seriously threatened, and al AZ AZ
ady an immense amount of damage hil
Is been done. Greenville has been l IRE
DIVIDED with refugees principally ne dai
oes, for week past and gangs of Acc
EN- are marching hither and thither
day long from point to point of
niger, directed by their captains, the
remen who are acting under instruc-
ms from their superior officers, the
gineers, who may very aptly be COM
red to generals in charge of an army
the heat of action. ~
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