Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-03-16
MISSISSIPPI RIVER HIGHER THAN
EVER KNOWN BEFORE.
AND THE END IS NOT YET.
RISE LIKELY TO CONTINUE FOR TEN
DAYS OR TWO WEEKS.
Serious Break in the Levec System
and nm Entire Arkansas County
Inundnted-SIany People Re
ported DrOw wncd-Terri-
bic Suffering.

Memphis. Tenn. March l5.-The river has
broken all records. the gauge registering
36.4 feet The rise continues at Cairo, New
Orleans and all intermediate points. News
of the first serious break in the levee sys-
TEN reached this city to-day 1t occurred
Saturday near Nodena Ark, fifty miles
above Memphis. The river is raging
through the creVasse at a terrific rate, hay
ing the tremendous fall of fifteen feet to
give it force and send it to deal death and
destruction in the lowlands of Mississippi
county. Ark. There will be no attempt 10
stop the break. as the st. Francis levee
board has no boats or wor:<men on the
scene. and the people are busted about saw
ing their lives and stock. The break is the
more terrible because loss of life will sure
~ occur from il. Indeed. the most SAN
guine of those who know of the conditions
there do not dare 10 hope that all the peo-
pie in the lowlands escaped from the flood
when it came upon them Saturday night.
The levee which gave way is in front OF
Mississippi county, and it is thought the
wato< will almost. if not entirely, cover this
county. The steamer City Of Osceola passed
down a short time after the break oc-
Cured and rescued number of the unfor-
tunate people.
For miles and miles to the west of Mem
phis not home is habitable. On the over
flowed land where the current is not
strong, it is not difficult for the people to
escape with most of their household truck
on skiffs, dugouts or RATS. and the surface
of the water in every direction is dotted
with these little craft.
At Marion, Ark, all day yesterday and
to-day the available steamers fir for such
duty have been employed rescuing the
flood victims, and some of the sights that
rhat N
on the Ievee are stored great stacks of
goods of all kinds. the household property
of fugitive negroes or poor white folks.
and there are great numbers of live stock,
horses and cattle that have been saved.
willie still greater numbers have been lost
| before relief could ccme. When the first
| relief boat, the c. B. Bryan, got to Ma
| rion. there was "a great rush on the part
| OF the people. white and black. to get
| aboard with their property Negroes mad
| been standing in the water with their stock
| for hours, waiting for this moment. There
| is not in the city standing room for doZ-
| en- people that is not under water. except
| or the railroad track.
| Up and down the river very few signs OF
| life are manifested on any of the planta-
! tions and as there has been no means OF
all has perished Nearly all of the refu-
| gees that are brought to this city are to-
| tally without means: Many of them slept
on the levee last night while others found
4
| of friends in the city.
| A hundred citizens of Memphis got to-
gether this morning an and devised means ,s;l1s1, to
| and to furnish support to the Hood victims
| when they are brought to this city from
| the surrounding country. A relief fund of
| $1,000 was Immediately subscribed by citi-
| Zens present -
i is reported t95night that five persSms s;a1,
! Ark, were drowned in the flood to-day. AT
| West Memphis. this afternoon. Jake car
/ ter, coIored. and child. were swept away
by the torrent and both perished. All of
| the islands in the vicinity of Memphis are
| entirely submerged and many people have
been rescued and brought to this city,
this afternoon the river gauge stood 4i9
feet. 10 feet being the danger line. and to-
| Nashville. a feet has been reached. and by
"Wednesday morning it is believed at Nash
more rain along. the Upper Cumberland.
But little rain fell to-day. and tonight the
| chances for rain are about even. All the
lowlands about the city are being gradually
flooded. and along some of the streets near
| the river merchants have moved their
stocks. Many families have been forced
ties. From different portions of Middle
Tennessee reports have been received of
| night and Saturday. On the sparta branch
| of the Nashville. Chattanooga d st: Louis
brags Sraeeb of tb also
road. Tho water works of Manchester Were
| badly damaged, and forced to suspend
operations. In the interior counties the
high waters have caused immense damage
| to farms. fences and bridges.
Washington. March 15.-The following
| special river bulletin was issued by the
| weather bureau tonight:
| THE weather bureaus reports from the
| Central valley indicate continued rise IL,
| the lower Mississippi river during the next
! ten days or two weeks. and from the water
| now in sight and rainfall likely to occur
| within the next few days it is probable the
| impending flood will prove very destructive
| III Arkansas and Northern Louisiana. The
most destructive overflow is likely to oc-
cur between the mouth of the Arkansas
| and the mouth of the Red river, and the OBJ
| servers of the weather bureau in that re-
| gion have been directed to warn the public
generally of approaching danger. The flood
| will probably attain its maximum stage IL
the threatened region about April l. This
| timely notice is based upon the present
| river conditions as compared with those at
tending previous floods