The herald., 1897-03-12
THE RAGING MISSISSIPPI
Has Grown Tired of Its An
cient Bed
THE DANGER LINE REACHED
And Three Feet Further Rise Is Al
most Certain
Dakota Makes the Situation still More
Threatening Damsge Done
Associated Press Special wire

Associated Press Special Wire
MEMPHIS, Tenn, March 1.-THE
Mississippi river registers S42 feet to-
might. The danger line is 33 feet, and it
Is thought the water above will run tas
river up to 36 or 361a feet. which will, so
experienced river men say. overflow the
Arkansas as far as Crawley's Ridge,
forty miles from Memphis The most
serious feature of the present rise of the
river is the possibility of its cutting
out a new bed for itself through Crit
tenden county, Arkansas, and leaving
Memphis high and dry. or at least leav-
ing her on small lake. Should this
happen the $4,000, 900 bridge which stands
across the Mississippi at this city will
end at the new eastern bank of the river.
About five miles above Memphis the
Nicely plantation is partly overfiowed
because of a break in the levee. The
current through the plantation is very
strong and river men say that unless
the heavy timber along Four Mile 5a-
you breaks the current so 1t cannot eat
out a new bed for the river, the Missis-
sippi will change it's course and run
through -Four Mile bayou, coming into
the main river again about ten miles be-
low, and leaving long narrow island
between Memphis and the river.
The waters have already reached n
Bryan now makes daily trips to Marion,
Ark, which ordinarily is three miles in
land. All along the route to Marion
submerged houses cam be seen, and some
stock has been drowned. At Helena
there has been a rise of seven-t tenths of
foot, and since yesterday morning
the height at this place has reached
1913 feet which Is AZ feet above the dan
ger line. At vdcksburg the water stands
at 1874 feet. a rise of five-tenths Of foot
within the past tweny-four hours. The
danger hne at that point is As feet.
A MINNESOTA BLIZZARD.
ST. CLOUD, Mimi. March 1.-THE
greatest sn'owstorm OF the season is
raging all over this section. The wealth
er Is cold. the SHOW rs drifting and a
general blockade will be the result. All
trains from the west are late. All trains
on the Little Falls and Dakota lire
IlttNt 'Utcib dDtHluOlcu, dllQ tl0 CulS OC-
tween here and Norris are full of SNOW.
Business is suspended.
AT ST. PAUL
= ST. PAUL, March lit has showed
furiously all day in this city. several
inches being added to the tremendous
pile already on the ground. The cars
of the street railway companies are
moving with great difficulty and the
steam railway lines are in state of de-
and west of st. Paul trains are wholly
abandoned and little effort is being
made to move rolling stock on branch
lines. So certain 1t is that there will
be a big flood when the snow disappears
that the residents in the low lands are
beginning to prepare for It,
The present storm extending over the
entire Mississippi valley. in the shape
of either rain or snow, will further ham
dicap railway traffic. The railroads that
had not yet succeeded n getting all
their branches open for traffic are again
set back in their work. Before the
present storm came floods were predict
ed in the Red river valley and towns
were reported suffering from want of
coal and provisions on account Of lack.
OF railroad communication. The storm
has prevailed all day throughout South
Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wiscon-
sin, many places reporting full-fledged
blizzard and all telling of heavy SHOWS,
the lightest fall being three or four
inches.
In this immediate vicinity there has
been a snow fall of five feet during the
winter, while the Red river valley has
had over six feet. Much Of this is still
on the ground and 1t is feared that It
will go off with heavy flood.
Farmers are also anticipating the
ground will be too wet for seeding.
IN DAKOTA
ABERDEEN, s. D., March 11.-A bliz-
ard of remarkably light and fine snow
started about midnight and has pre-
vailed over the entire section today. The
Milwaukee road had just opened its
southern lines and now has several
freight trains buried In drifts between
this city and Mitchell. One train was
deserted near Warner station. the two
locomotive crews running through to
this city. There is a probability that
the storm and accompanying blockade
will tie up the roads for another week.
0unboats to BE Tried