The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-04-07
IF The Levee Breaks
Greenvllle, Miss., May Be
Swept From the Earth.

Jackson, March 30.-From the
great Yazoo Mississippi delta comes a
vail of distress and the cry of "tbe
leqess have brokeo' is beard through
out oar valley of the Nile. Three
fresh breaks have been reported to-day
and through these immense volumes of
water are carrying destruction to thou
sands of happy bones aud devastating
as fertile territory as is to be found
on the globe. So far 90 loss Of life ex-
cept to domestic animals has been re-
ported. but it may be by morning, as
the great mouuds of earth which pro-
tect the a,urishipg cities Of Greeuville,
Roseiale, Stoneville. Arcola, Friar's
Poias, Rolling Fork and others are
watetsoaked. mushy and liable to give
way at any moment.
The four breaks that have occurred
have flooded or will food before
reaching the Yazoo. perhaps week
hence. the counties Of Bolivar. Wash
ton, sbarkey, Yazoo aud portions Of
others 10 which are comprised the finest
cotton farms 10 the world 10 this
ovetaowed district. the State has leased
eight plantations upon which with her
good, sble-bodied convicts she was pre-
pairing 20 make aoo,her crop of cotton
and corn, the latter being
10 fne condition The great
est concern is for the city Of
Green vile. which, situated as it is,
in the hollow Of crescent formed by
the bend of the river and surrounded by
it 90 two sidos would be wiped out Of
existen ce should break occur in the
immediate vicinity The streets Of the
city are IL feet below the summit Of
tie levse, so that break orce formed,
there would be no way Of stopping the
Niagara, and every house 10 the place
would be swept from its foundations
aud the remaining inhabitants hurled
into eternity. Fearing such catas-
.rophe, those who could, have MI
grated to the hills, but thousaods still
remain.
The breaks that occurred to day are
both above and below Greenville. Is
aud 70 miles above, so that the
water will pass to the rear of the city.
The streams on the delta all flow from
the river and down the op-
posite side Of the valley. The
topography of the country is level but
sloping east, away from the river for
40 miles in some places to the Yazoo,
and it is down this stream the overflow
water % nss 60 to again reach the Mis-
sissippi, Is or 100 niles south Of where
it has left it. Thousands Of people,
white ard black, still line the levees
and are making desperate effort to
hold what remaios It is life and
death struggle aud for this reason.
there is 30 rest 6ighs or day. The
question has been asked to day, docs it
pay to maintain this great levee system,
and old farmers declare it does not, that
life aud business were more certain 40
years age when no one expected any,
thing but an overflow aud prepared for
it Though the Federal government
has been most liberal 10 appropriations
to the levees, the planters of the delta
have spent millions more in pefecting
the present system. Every bale of COT
too produced 10 this great delta pays
tax Of 81, which creates large sum
annually for levee purposes. There are
doubtless many who after this will be
convinced that this 81 per bale might
be more pro6,ably expended. How
ever. the crisis is on tonight aud By
no .niug 1t is probable several other
breaks will have occurred. The water
is reported higher than ever before
known from Memphis to Vicksburg
| Nhorao nhof Gpooruillo WI II