The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-17
LOOKS LIKEIr HAD COME
Levee Breaks the Louisiana Side just
Below Vicksburg.

| below tfcksDurg.
Vicks5urg, Miss, April 1.-THE levee
at Biggs. in Madison parish, four and a
| half miles below Delta, La. broke al L
O'Clock tonight. The crevasse was 120
feet wide twenty minutes after it gave
way. Delta is directly opposite Vicksburg.
The Queer and Crescent route train dis
patcher's office reported the break at l.
O'Clock tonight. The news was sent TO
Delta at once, the operator there being
aroused out OF bed and the warning sent
along the line Of railroad. The levee is
a very large one and has beer engaging
the special attention OF the levee authori-
| ties for weeks Several hundred convicts
| have been employed upon it. in addition
| 10 other laborers, and SO greatly had il
been strengthened that only today the
belief was confidently expressed by men
| living behind il that it would nod. The
disaster viii be great one. It's extent,
tomorrow viii show.
The situation along the Louisiana lev
ees across the river, for fifty miles above
and below this city. dwarfs every other
feature Of the flood problem into temper
airy insignificance. The rise shows no
-
levees are actually in danger OF being
overtopped by the water row 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 warn
ings of the weather bureau. very few
persons are removing stock TO the high
lands, though one hundred head Of mu.es
were brought TO this city tonight from
Sparta plantation. in Louisiana, 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 of the overflow in skiffs.
The officers Of the United States steamer
are doing good work there. The St. Jo-
seph did not bring up much stock. as
the greater part of yesterday and last
night was spent in looking after the col
pred people. A telegram was received
this morning from Mr. j. ?. Parks urg-
irg that boat be sent 10 his place al
Sparta, just above Duckport, in Madison
parish, TO take his stock and people off.
The steamer Ruth went up at noon.
Captain Clark of the ordnance depart
ment. who has visited the territory, ar
rived on the mail steamer St. Joseph to-
day and states that the suffering ard des-
titution at Davis Island is great, and in
his opinion there is great probability of
further loss of life. The island is twenty
two miles long, ard many parts Of it are
not accessible except by small yawls or
skiffs, and he fears that when the great
flood passes away number will be miss
ing. Manay families coming upon the
different relief boats are scattered and at
times their meeting. when each thinks
the other lost, is most touching.
Nicksburg. Miss. April 16.-d2 mid
nishu-Addtional reports just received
indicate that the break in the Biggs levee
is serious. People on the Louisiana side
have been rotified to get out OF the way
of the flood.
Since II O'Clock the river at Vicks6urg
has fallen more than an inch. additional
evidence of the size Of the break.
Madison parish, whose interior is thus
invaded by the great flood, Is one Of the
richest and most populous parishes II
north Louisiana, IS in the highest state OF
cultivation and Astounding in stock. Lit
tie OF the latter has been removed I'D 10
the present time. though the situation
was recognized as very grave Indeed. The
e-evaSse viii overflow an immense area.
The Biggs levee is he one on which Boil
var Thompson has been working for sew
era. days with 2 fo-ce % 500 men. free la
borers and convicts. It is q high levee.
said 10 be fully eighteen feet high, but
is built largely Of sand and has a thin
cross section. With insufficient slope. 1;
protected a fine plantation country ana
is backwater viii food much valuable
plantation lard. 4 desperate effort has
been made 10 hold the ievee. but there IS
no chance OF closing the c7evasse. or OF
preventing the development o. serious
break. There IS a strip of swamp land
about two miles wide Immediately behind
TIE BigsS levee. but beyond that tie
backwater viii run over cotton lands.
Secretary Lans OF ;tis Fifth district levee
board IS % the opinion that the 5ackwa-
ter VIII flood Tensss ana Coacoriia par
ishes. L = thought tae lo5d VIII back
up on the Vicksbu-g. Shreveport and Pa
cific road as FAR as TaluIah OF 1a-tazr.
The officials o. that road are hurryinE
warnings 70 al s-aliors slo-C IT'S line.
TRUCE UNTIL TUESDAY