The record-union., 1897-04-17
The Swift Current Beating Against the
LeYeeS With Such Force
As to Cause Grave Apprehension Below
Vicksburg.
Rumor Current of Wholesale Loss of
Life on Davis Island, But DiIigent
Inquiry Fails to Show That rlore
"A More Cheerful Feeling in the
Mississippi Delta.


Mississippi Delta.
| MEMPHIS, April 16.--Advices from
NatcheZ and other points below Vivks-
| burg indicate that the supreme test in
| the flood situation is at hand. The
| swift current which is rising steadily
| is beating against the levees with such
/ force as to cause the gravest apprehen-
| sion at many places. AT NacheZ the
river is near the top of the levee, and
everything possible is being done to
| fight back the encroachng waters.
All kinds of rumors have been cur
rent to-day regarding wholesale loss of
life on Davis Island, but diligent in
quiry fails to confirm the story. 1t is
known that three negroes were drown
ed on the island, but outside of these
! fatalities no further loss of life is
known to have occurred.
| AT Vicksburg the river is rising at
| the rate of four-tenths of a foot a day.
The swift volume of water pouring out
of the Yazoo into the Mississippi River
at a point twelve miles north of Vicks-
burg will continue for several days.
The levee between Bedford four
miles south of Delta, La, to Euckport
seven miles above, are in a precarious
condition tonight, and every man and
boy available is at work Strengthening
the embankment. At some points in
| this stretch of levee the water is wash
ing over, and the greatest alarm is
| felt
A more cheerful feeling exists in the
delta tonight. At Greenville The back
water from Stoor's Landing, which has
been rising in the flooded part of the
| town for the last three days, is sta
tionary, and will begin to fall to-mor-
row. Rosedale, Friars Point, Helena
and other places report an encouraging
improvement in the situation. The
river declined one-tenth of a foot at
Greenville to-day, and the fall of two
tenths of a foot reported at Cairo gives
renewed hope that the vast amount of
water will recede in time to make a
good @sfa
At Memphis the river is stationary.
Captain Mccoy, of the steamer Bluff
arrived in port from st. Louis, and
brings a very encouraging account of
the Improvement in the condition of the
overfiowed territory above Memphis In
order to make the trip down the river
in the day time he stayed at Upton
H., all night. He says the water has
receded sufficiently to allow steamers
to land at all places. There is a ma
terial improvement, and the outlook in
up-river is cheerful
ANOTHER BREAK IN THE LEVEE
VICKSBURG, April 16-The levee at
Biggs, in Madison Parish, four and a
half miles below Delta La broke at 10
O'Clock tonight. The crevasse was 100
feet wide 70 minutes after it gave way
Delta is directly opposite Vicksburg.
The Queen and Crescent route train de-
spatcher's Office reported the break at
II o'clock tonight. The news was sent
to Delta at once, the operator being
reused out of bed, and the message of
warning sent along the line of the rail-
road.
The levee is very large one and has
been engaging the special attention of
the levee authorities for weeks. Sew
eral hundred convicts have been en-
ployed upon it, in addition to other
laborers, and so greatly had it been
strengthened that only to-day the belief
was confidently expressed by men living
beside it that it would hold.
The disaster will be great one. The
extent the next day will show.
The situation along the Louisiana le-
wees across the river for 80 miles and
below this city dwarfs every other fea-
ture of the flood problem into temporary
insignificance. The rise shows no sign
of diminution, and the remaining leyees
are actually in danger of being over
topped by the water now pouring out
of the YaZoo Basin in a sheet twenty
five miles wide for a distance of ten
miles opposite this city.
In spite of the evident danger and of
the repeated warnings of the Weather
Bureau, very few persons are removing
stock to the highlands, though 100 head
of mules were brought to this city to-
night from Sparta plantation, in Louisi-
ana, ten miles above here.
At several points the water has
reached the top of the levee. and is now
being held back by sacks and lumber.
The NatcheZ mail steamer ST. Joseph
arrived early this morning with about
$50 persons from Davis Island. Over 200
were taken out in skiffs. The officers of
the United States steamer Florence are
doing good work there
Captain Clark of the Ordnance De-
partment, who has visited the territory
from Vicksburg to the mouth of the Red
River arrived on the mail steamer ST.
Joseph to-day, and states that the suf-
fering and destitution at Davis Island
is great, and in his opinion there is great
probability of further loss of life. The
island is twenty-five miles long and
many parts of it are not accessible. re-
cept by. small yawls or skiffs. and he
fears that when the great flood passes
away, a number will be missing. Many
families coming up on the different re-
lief boats are scattered, and at times
their meeting, when each thinks the
other lost, is most touching
IMMENSE AREA FLOODED.
WASHINGTON, April 16.-Secretary
AIger has received a telegram from one
of his inspecting officers at Cairo, who
has been working in the .Yazoo district.
which says: Il have completed the in
spection of the upper portion of my dis
trict from Asheport to Cairo and find
the conditions slightly improved. The
most extensive crevasse below Ca
ruthersville has widened to $500 feet.