Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-04-21
Another Break in the Lower Mis-
sissippi Levee.
CITIZENS WORKING HARDER THAN EVER
Planters, Laborers and Merchants
Give Up Their Occupations.
ALL ALONG THE RIVER

JACKSON, Miss. April 21.-The Green
willie correspondent of the Associated Press
wires this morning follows:
AT $50 o'clock this morning the dreadful
alarm cry of 'levee broke was repeated
for the sixth time in the Yazoo-Misslssippi
delta. when the huge eighteen foot Ievee
at Shipland Landing, Issaquena county,
suddenly crumbled away, letting in with a
mighty rush and roar the ponderous tor
rent of the great river. ShipIand Is on
Promised Land plantation. about two miles
below Lake Providence. La.
At the time of the break back water from
the upper crevasses was already against
the levee some ten twelve inches deep.
and many high places around were still
uncovered. Hope was entertained that the
worst had passed, and that the fearful
flood had spent its fury in the wreck and
ruin already wrought. But it was not SO.
Many fine plantations upon which partial
crops might have been made must now
share the fate of the rest, and in all of
lower Issaquena, Sharkey and Yazoo coun-
ties. where there was foot of water be-
fore, there will now be three feet or more.
Places which have heretofore been Ravens
of refuge for live stock and human beings
Will now have to be abandoned and in a
few short days there will scarcely be a
dry spot in all the country south of this
break and between the Ievee and the
fazoo river. Whether there will be life
lost in the region Immediately affected de-
ponds upon the question whether the peo-
pie are provided with boats. In addition to
the disastrous local consequences of the
break 1t will also have the effect of rails
ing the water in the YaZOo river and keep
ing that stream up at it's mouth to such an
extent as to retard the outflow of water
in the upper delta country
ST. LOUIS. Mo-, April 21.--A special to
the Post-Dispatch from Nashville. Tenn.
says: Five lives have been lost in the
flooded lands of Lake county. A skiff was
upset, causing the drowning of Jose Cans
and his entire fa1liIy-wife, two sons and
a daughter.
NEW ORLEANS. La. April 21.-The
gauge rose to 49, at one time yesterday
line it view of the subsequent fall is that
the flood wave came on a fair day, found
the people prepared and Passed on, never
theless the crest of the flood wave has not
yet been here officially and the river may
go higher.
The work of the past is as nothing to
that going on now. Planters and farmers,
laborers and Merchants have abandoned
everything else and are camping on the
weak spots nursing them with tender care
and holding them against weight and
mass of ter which Is almost inconceiva-
BILE. More material is going out now than
ever before, ard the activity is super
human. Miles of new work of box levees
of revetnents, Of piles of filed sacks, of
earth nave sprung up in every section
Railroads are carrying men and material
free. and no money has been spared by
the levee boards or the people.
Still all the Iew work is but temporary,
calculated only to hold the flood from cross
ing the levee lire, and when the water
falls nearly the entire system will need sub
stantial reHair, If not rebuilding.
ST. LOUIS No. April 21.-Here and at
points on the Mississippi river north as
far as keokuk rise of several inches is
shown. Tie water at Bonneville, on the
Missouri, has risen % of foot, but AT
Kansas City decline greater than that
Is registered. Weather Forecaster Frank
enfield today predicted that the river at
st. Louis will continue to rise slowly. aboat
2I.3 feet being indicated by Friday: also
that the Missouri will continue to rise
slowly.
QUINCY, ILL.,, April 21--The Mississippi
river at this point is steadily rising. The
steamer Harry Hook rescued six families,
whose homes in the bottoms north of the
city were surrounded by water AT War
saw, ILL.,, the Mississippi has passed the
1S-foot mark, and people ere leaving por-
tons of the districts protected by the le-
its highest point for several years. and
the condition of the bottom and island
farmers is pitifuL
KANSAS CITY. Mo-. April 21-The river
off Kansas City had fallen three-tentns of
a foot since yesterday. and Is still reced-
n
no serious damage Is resulting. The water
is gradually running off the railroad tracks
and by another day or two 1t is believed
trouble from that source will have ceased
The Red River District.
Secretary Alger today received the fol-
lowing telegram from the mayor and city
council of Grafton, n. D.: The raging flood
along the Red river bordering Walsh and
Pembina counties. aggravated by cold high
winds and zero temperature, have caused
great destruction of property and suffering
Buildings, with contents, stock and seed
grain have been swept away. Immediate
relief is necessary. or great suffering will
prevail The requirements, etc, beyond
local aid. The assistance of the govern
ment is invoked and at once. Can you aid
us? II so wire funds to Drayton to be dis
tributed by relief committee"
In response to this appeal Secretary Alger
telegraphed at once to the army officer who
recently visited the vicinity of Grafton, and
" no Is now at st. Paul. Mimi. to return
Immediately to the flooded districts in
North Dakota and render all possible relief.
A Cry of Distress.
cry of deep distress has come to the
War Department from Mississippi and a
bitter protest against the efforts of the
persons who are engaged in the distribution
of government relief to the flood sufferers
to carry on the work so as to avoid en-
engagement TO idleness among the labor
ers. At Helena there Is a great number
of negroes who have come into town from
their overfowed cabins to get food and
shelter. Today telegram came to the
War Department from committee headed
by Rev. l.. s. Smith. declaring that many
Of the negroes in Tunica county and the
adjacent country were in great straits and
suffering for supplies. which their employ
ers refused to allow them to secure on the
ground that it would amount to an inter-
| ference with the labor market
The department officials are unable at
| this distance to Judge of the merits Of this
| application. and will probably refer it 10
| the local officers. 1t has been realized from
| the first, however, that there was a great
element of danger In indiscrimirate 6istri-
| button Of government supplies among the
| laboring classes in the flooded sections, as
| the planters might find it Impossible to get
| sufficient farm labor to make crops TO
| repair the damages resulting from the
| floods IL the hands were furnished with
unlimited free food and relieved from the
IA -