The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-26
White River Levees Cut. Many People
Driven from Their Homes and
Much Live stock Drowned.
WATER FALLING At MEMPHIS
But CONTINUING To RISE At CAIRO
AND ALL POINTS ABOVE.
Work Of the Relief Steamers ut Hell
enu and other Piares-Floods In
Georgia and Elsewhere.

HELENA. Ark. March PA startling
rumor reached the city this morning So
startling is il that few people credit it, al
though stranger things have happened
along this raging Father of Waters in times
of excitement like the present. The rumor
was TO the effect that the lower White
river levee from Modoc down had been or
dered cut by the Desha leves board the
levees being cut I'm half dozen places. the
released waters devastating the fertile
country between Hugheys Landing and La .
coma Circle. drowning cattle. horses and
mules and driving the defenseless inhabi-
tants TO the levee for protection. Presi-
dent Greenfield Quarles. of Cottonbelt levee
district No. l. received Information TO this
effect over the telephone from Modoc to-
day, and il afterwards repeated from
Old Town Landing.
a reporter Immediately called up James
Harden. who is temporarily i'm charge OF
the Modoc telephone. and learned that there
good foundation for the rumor. Mrs.
Harden says that Mr. Clint Haghey, near
whose house the first break In the levee
occurred. called TO her husband from the
levee this morning saying ne had seen the
engineer cut the Ievee with his own hands
at point near the Dixie plantation. There
were already three breaks between Modoc
and the Hughey place. the smallest OF
which was 800 feet wide. and as there are
now four breaks below the Hughey place
the Inference is that the Desha levee board
has had the White river levee system rid
died i'm order TO save the evee around the
rich country contained i'm the famous La
COMA circle. 1t will be remembered that
in 1882 the Mississippi river ran over the
tops of the Laconia circle levce, inundating
more than $4,000 acres OF land contained
therein and entailing untold loss and suffer-
ing to the defenseless whites and blacks of
that rich section. The levees have been
greatly enlarged and strengthened since
then, but the indications undoubtedly
pointed to a similar calamity this year. as
the gauges at Modoc, Avenue and Beiths all
showed stage of water unexpected and
unprecedented.
The government boat Titan, In command
of Assistant Engineer August Eolty. came
up from Yellow Banks bayou early this
morning and took a tow of tive barges
loaded with thirty tents. one hundred skiffs
and a number of spades and sacks which
had been sent from Memphis by the tug
Welcome. Captain Nolty believes that
there are good prospects of holding the
levees from here to Modoc. but thinks that
from the latter place down to and includ-
ing Laconia circle the whole leyce system
| will be as badly riddled and ruined as has
| been the case on the st. Francis front.
Here i'm Helena the situation is prac-
ticalIy unchanged, although there rs still a
| slight rise which is coming out Of the St
| Francis basin. The weather is excellent
| The town is gradually filling with unfortu-
nate refugees from the inundated districts
| below here. The entire fleet of steamboats,
and tugs, more than half dozen, are kept
busy day and night bringing people. stock.
| feed stuff and household goods 10 this city,
| where they are being cared for by the
lief committee appointed by the Chamber
| of Commerce