, 1897-04-03
MISSISSIPPI o o
The Situation Has Once Again Become
Very Acute.

Memphis, Tenn, April 1.-The flood
situation has onc more become acute
from a point u few miles above Austin,
Miss. as far down as the first break at
Perthshire, Miss. Another crevasse in
this line of levees would not be surpris-
ing. The pressure OF the levee is
brought about by the waters Of the St.
Francis basin. which are here longest
ed between the levees in front Of Hele-
ia. There is no levee on the Arkansas
down from San Souci to a point above
Helena, n distance OF 100 miles, and it
is at Austin that the levee system on
each side OF the river begins and goes
to the passes below New Orleans. The
water is now so high in the st. Francis
basin that the current rushes from the
west and cuts along the east shore levee
for miles, and several alarming tele-
grams have been received from near
Austin today.
Boats have been requested to run on
slow bells, and laborers are constantly
strengthening the entertainments.
A crevasse at Austin would inundate
a strip of fertile country in the Tunica
and Coahoma counties 20 miles wide and
go miles long.
Reports from Helena, Ark, show that
the river there is slowly rising, and it ia
almost miraculous that the levees OF
Helena have not broken. Thousands OF
people have been working day and
night, and their energies are seemingly
exhaustless. The Missouri Pacific and
Cotton Belt roads have rushed train
load after train load OF sacks of sand
into the beleaguered city and still stand
ready to help the Helena people. The
railroads have rendered great assistance
to the levee boards. The Illinois Central,
Missouri Pacific and Cotton Belt rail-
roads have devoted all their grea. force
to the work of saving the country. and
that without charge.
Greenvillle is on an island, and Rose
NNAiS .i q Ia "oISl ' W ~
feet deep. The funds Of n bank in Rose
dale have been moved to the second
story. Thousands of head OF cattle are
standing on the levee and many unfor-
tunate refugees sleep there, with no COW
ering to protect them from the water
soaked winds of night. Back OF Rose
| 1n n md =, flrl,i tt,, u-n r-.1 r~,l
die delta country everything is under
water. In many villages communica-
ton with the outside world has beeu
cut off for several days. The threaten.
ed rise at Cairo is now a certainty. Tht
Mississippi above Cairo and the Cum
berland and Tennessee rivers will SEM
a great food into the already filled st
Francis, and from Cairo t Memphis i
is feared that the deluge will mark
high water figure that will be withou
precedent.
At Memphis the river is falling to
night, the gauge reading 1868 feet, q fal
Of one-tenth OF a foot since last night
The calls for assistance from numerou,
points along the river ae becoming
more and frequent at headquarter.
OF the relief committee in Memphis.
The committee Is in receipt Of infor
nation that there are some IS or q
white people, principally women ant
children. in great distress at a poin'
near st. Claire's landing, about Is mile
up the river. which is some six miles
from Mound City. The people are 10.
Gated in houses. the lower floors Of
which are overflowed. and they have nc
food and no ear Of obtaining 1t. Ar
rangements were made to end supplies.