The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-31
Strip of Fertile Cotton Land 100 MILES
TO BE Deep Under Water.
GUNNIS0N, MISS, FLOODED
BETWEEN TWO CREVAssEs THAT
ARE RAPIDLY WIDENING.
Region Making Heroic Efforts to
Save Their Property.

MEMPHIS. Tenn. March 3o.-There are
now three breaks in the levee that protects
the Mississippi delta from the waters of the
river. one is seven miles below Greenville.
Miss. at Wayside. which is l,200 feet wide:
one forty miles north of Greenville. at the
head of the delta, which is thousand
feet wide and becoming deeper and wider
as the water rushes through it. The third
occurred early this morning seven miles
north OF a point opposite Arkansas City
and at last reports stream wide as
the Hudson was tearing through IL and COW
ering the country for miles i'm the interior.
The river from the north to the south break
is like a mighty crescent. with Rosedale.
GreenviIIe Gunnison and many other small
towns between the arc and its chord. which
is the riverside division OF the Yazoo &
Mississippi Valley Railroad. This road
strikes the river at the north break.
but from there the river swings to the
west and above Greenville. turns again to-
wards the ST, striking the north and south
line of tnR railroad at Wayside. the point
Of the lower break. The water from the
upper or Perthshire crevasse has already
cut through the railroad and is tearing
through the plantations TO the south. At
the middle crevasse, the Hoods from the
north have already joined forces with these
waters and together they are inundating
the country southwark. The upper waters
will reach the lower crevasse tonight and
the united water from the three flood gates
will, with hourly increasing force and
volume, rush over the country and finally
be thrown back into the main river at the
mouth of the Yazoo. a few miles north OF
Vicksburg. Back thirty TO fifty miles from
the river runs number of lateral streams
which empty their waters into the Yazoo.
The whole territory from the main river
east TO these streams will be for the most
part under water within forty-eight hours.
The region marked for destruction is proba-
bly, a hundred miles long and from twenty
TO thirty-five miles wide. The country il
one of the most fertile sections of the South.
Greenville is in great danger. The water
from the middle break will partially flood
that town. If the levee in front of Green
vile should break no man can conceive
what the loss TO life and property would be.
Railroad communication has already been
cut in two places and before tomorrow
night the Georgia Pacific road running east
from Greenvile may be flooded. Probably
ten thousand people are working with
desperation born of despair 10 save their
homes and property. The whole machinery
of the State and the Illinois Central Rail-
road is being brought into play.
OTHER LEvEES BROKEN.
Ii is currently reported tonight that the
levee in front OF Laconia Circle. Ark. has
broken If this should be true. and most
probably is correct, thirty thousand acres
of fertile cotton land will be flooded by
morning.
The news reached Memphis through
telegram from Capt NJ Cheek. of the
steamer Kate Adams. At an early hour this
morning. supposedly between and
o'clock. the levee near StOkess Landing.
four miles above Huntington. on the Mis-
sissippi side, gave way. The Information
came TO Memphis direct from Superin-
tendent Gilleas, of the Illinois Central. who
is now on the line. The water will reach
the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley tracks at
Scott's Station. thirty-one miles south OF
Rosedale and also at Moore Station. on the
Huntington branch. The width OF the
crevasse could not be ascertained. but the
worst is feared. as the levee there for miles
is considered rather weak
News received at 10 O'Clock Of unques-
toned authenticity confirms the report that
a break of immense proportions occurred at
O'Clock tonight at the Stokes plantation
the Perthshire break. four miles below
Gunnison and a few miles above Rosedale.
The crevasse is i'm an immense levee and
the water will join with that of the Perth
shire break and add 10 the distress OF the
people OF the Bogue Phalla and Deer creek
sections Of Bolivar and Washington coun-
ties. Almost superhuman efforts have been
lsed to save the levee I'm the section OF the
break The Ievee board and residents have
spared neither time nor money or material.
but i'm vain The work OF the river proved
greater than that of the men and the flood
has come This last break Is situated so
that the water flowing through ii. added TO
that of the Perthshire crevasse. will inun-
date an immense territory and VIII soon
stop the trains on both the fazoo a. Mis-
sisippi Valley lines and also on the South
ern The heroic efforts of the people OF the
delta have not been able 10 prevent one OF
the most disastrous overfiows In the history
of this great delta. That much Is now
settled fact.
The river is stationary at Memphis to-
night. the gauge indicating S6-2 feet The
s,stionarv condition instead OF the usual
fall. is thought to have been brought about
nv the rainfaIs in the territory which
drains into the Mississippi north of Mem
phis. For the same reason IL Is predicted
nv the local observer OF the Weather
Bureau that there viii probably be a slight
rise in the river at Memphis during the
ensuing twenty-four hours At Helena
rise of but two-tenths of a foot In the
twenty-four hours ending to-day Is re-
ported.
At Arkansas city. instead OF the consider
able rise fall OF two-tenths of a foot IL
indicated This fall in the river at that
point is attributed TO the fact that breaks
I'm the Arkansas levee above Arkansas City |,
have afforced an outlet for a big volume
OF water which would otherwise swell ths