The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-20
Iowa and Wisconsin Help to
Swell the Mighty Flood.
MISSISSIPPI MORE ANGRY
GOING OVER THE LEvEES NOW
AND PEOPLE FLEEING.
SEVERAL LIVES WERE LOST
The Relief Steamers Bringing in Re-
fugees by the Hundreds. The
Work of Rescue Goes on With
Unabated Zeal.

heHpnlS, lenn., March 19.-IWO ne
groes lost their lives to-day as the result
of the great flood which engulfs hundreds
of acres Of land in the Arkansas bottoms.
The two men were drowned in Fifteen
Mile bayou, near Marion, Arkansas.
There is no cessation in the rise of the
river and tonight the gauge registers
37.2, rise of one-tenth since the morning
report. The railroads are heavy suffer
ers from the high water. The Iron Noun
tain road is the only one available FROM
the West. The Mississippi valley road
had to abandon the sale of tickets over
its line on account of a washout near
Lake View. The Memphis and Charles
ton trains have been forced to stop run
ming for the same reason.
The work of rescue goes ON with una
bated zeal. The rescue boats make as
many trips as possible during the day, re
turning from each trip laden with refu-
gees and such household goods and cattle
as they have been able to save To-day
the most alarming reports concerning the
condition Of the levees above and below
Memphis have been in circulation in
Memphis. They relate particularly to
the levees below this point, and even
places built to extend three or four feet
above the highest water mark in the To-
cality where they are constructed. It
seems now that this allowance of altitude
has been about consumed by the rising
water. There is reliable information that
at ModOc Avenue, Hughey's and other
points below Helena the water has gone
over the levee and the levees being In
such a mushy condition from the rains,
it is not thought possible to protect them
much longer from the ever rising flood.
The people living behind the dykes in the
localities mentioned are already flying for
their lives. The hundreds OF men who
had been at work watching the levees
have about all been taken away and their
labor will be utilized in saving the lives
of other people The government steam
er, Abbott has carried a large number OF
sacks of sand to the MOdoc locality and
to points below
Hundreds of refugees were landed here
by the relief steamers to-day and to-
night are being cared for by the relief
committee. Tonight report is current
of the levee having broken at Hill House.
Mississippi. flooding the fine farms in that
locality. A steamer with men and sand
has been despatched to the scene of the
reported break.
20 INCHES HIGHER THAN EVER.
Memphis, Tenn, March ia spe-
cial to the Commercial Appeal from Car
ruthersville, Mo-, says:
The Mississippi River is now twenty
inches higher than ever before in flood
history, and still rising at the rate of
four inches every twenty-fOur hours with
,1,,., h. sAks
occurred yesterday one and half miles
below here, is now 400 feet wide and
rapidly widening. 1t is pouring in a ter
rible volume of water into the lower
part of this county and into the north
ern part of Mississippi county, Arkansas.
Fortunately, notice of thebreak was Civ
en- at once, and so far no lives were
lost, but many people were compelled to
abandon their homes and seek safety on
high ground. Much stock has been lost.
There is now no doubt that the levee was
cut by some miscreant, for at the point
where the break occurred, the levee was
in fine condition, and two feet above the
water level.
RED ROCK RIVER RAMPANT.
Minneapolis, Mimi, March 19.-Tele-
grams from Luverne, Mimi, says the
Red Rock River there is a mile wide
and is pouring a vast mass of water int
the Sioux. A dozen bridges in South
west Minnesota have been washed away
and stopped traffic OF several branches Of
the Great Northern, Milwaukee and
Northern lines running into northwest
Iowa and eastern South Dakota.
IOWA SMELLS THE FLOOD.
Sioux City, Iowa, March 19.-Every
stream in this locality is out OF it's banks
and the situation is hourly growing more
serious. Leeds, Springdale and Lynn.
Sioux City suburbs, are flooded by the
Floyd, and the bottoms in the city are
under water. Every bridge on the
stream from LemarS to near Sioux City
IS out. The big Sioux is on the rampage,
its waters being reported Eve feet high
IN Hawarden street.
WISCONSIN'S WORST FLOOD.
HIGHLAND Centre, Wis, March 49,
The worst food in years is here. Water
S running through the streets, cellars
ire flooded and sewers overfowed. Teams
md men are at work banking up. the
liver which is rising fast. Mills and
umber yards are in great danger.
IN MENOMINEE VALLEY.
Milwaukee, Wis, March 19.-An ice
,orge in the Menomnee river in the west
rn suburbs of the city has caused a flood
covering a thickly populated part of the
,Ienominee Valley. About 100 families
ire in the upper stories or on the roofs
# their dwellings. No loss of life has
,een reported.