Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-31
THE LEVEE BREAKS.
THAT NEAR GREENyILLE, MISS.
THE WORST, so FAR.
HISTORIC PLANTATIONS DOOMED.
Those OF Jefferson and Joseph
Davis Bound TO he Dcstroyed-Tbat
or Zachary Taylor Threatened
Loss of Life.

break In the levee ten miles below Green
vile, Miss. is the worst which has so far
occurred. Thousands Of feet OF levee.
weakened and softened by the high wa
ters' Is melting away like sand. The
break last night was 1000 feet wide. and
the water is rushing into Mississippi with
frightful velocity. The inhabitants are
fleeing for their lives. leaving all behind
Cattle, horses, and other livestock are
drowning by the thousands. and houses
and barns are being washed away like
driftwood. 1T is estimated that fully o.
600 people are already homeless and at
the mercy of charity The waters have
already gone fifteen miles inland, and
the destruction of hundreds of farm
houses is inevitable.
FATALITIES.
Harvey Klemmer and two sons who
attempted TO save some stock. had their
boat overturned and were drowned. II
is also reported that Mrs. John Marshall
and son, who were alone in little hut
TWO miles from the break, were unable TO
escape and were drowned.
The historic and famous plantation Of
Jefferson Davis, and his brother, Joseph
Davis. six miles below Vicksburg. are
doomed to become sea Of water and
destruction. Sixty-two miles below Vicks-
burg is the historic plantation OF General
Zachary Taylor. With the threatened
rise Of 3 more feet, it will be total ruin.
The household goods are being removed
and the stock driven TO places Of safety
The little church upon the plantation. in
when Jefferson Davis was married 10
General Taylors daughter. Is threatened
with destruction. The water has sur
rounded it TO the depth of feet
SITUATION AT ST. LOUIS.
ST. LOUIS. MO, March SO.-The river
has risen about six inches In the past
tWenty-four hours at this city. Unless
the heavy rain continues for several days.
it is not expected that the river will
go above the danger-line. Word received
this afternoon from Alton. Hannibal,
and Keokuk is to the effect that the
river is about stationary. and that no
fears of food are entertained.
THE WORST THOUGHT OVER.
D. CAIRO, ILL, March 3O.-The Ohio
river has fallen two-tenths Of an inch
during the last twenty-four hours, and
the gauge now reads 51S feet. The re-
ports received from Upper Ohio, Ten
nessee. and Cumberland river points
show that the river is falling, and it
is believed the worst is over
RELIEF-TUG SINKS.
MEMPHIS. TENN, March 30-The
steam-tug El Rio Rey sank in the harbor
here early this morning The crew of
five men had narrow escapes from
drowning. The tug was valued at 5000,
and was owned by John Rattery,
newspaper correspondent OF St. Louis.
The tug had been in the employ Of the
St. Louis Republic, in carrying corre-
spondents through the flooded districts,
and in rescuing refugees.
A BREATHING SPELL
NEW ORLEANS. La. March ga
special to the Daily States dated Helena,
Ark, March 3Oth, says: The river has
risen here two and a half inches during
the last twenty-four hours. The wed-
ther has cleared. and is bright and sun
shiny. giving a needed breathng-spell to-
the people who are working on the
levees. The Iron Mountain trains have
been shut out of Helena, owing TO back
water in the St Francis river having
flooded the track across the Danguilly
River bridge north Of Mariana. Fifty
thousand bags intended for use here in
repairing the levees were thus stopped,
and trains on the Cotton Belt railroad
are bringing them around to Clarendon.
After the severe gale Of yesterday eve
ming repairs are being made in the
whole line of levees. in order 10 be ready
for the bad weather yet to arrive.
RELIEF FUNDS.
A citizens committee raised 5000 yes
terday. and another $1,000 to-day, Tor
the purpose Of prosecuting the work.
Camp Black established by the Relet
Of oil
refugees. is now a village of nearly 200
souls. The refugees, both white and
black. are not averse to working and
Yesterday. when the situation was so
critical they went to work with Will
The rescue steamer Maude came up
from below at noon, and reported the
levee below as being in good CONDITION
and ready for eighteen inches more OF
water. Altogether, the situation Is more
reassuring. Notwithstanding the adverse
weather-bureau reports
HGH-WATER RECORD BROKEN.
NEW ORLEANS. LA. March @.-A
special TO the Daily States, dated Nlcks-
burg. saws: The hgh-water record at TINS
nlace since 1869 was broken this morning
the gauee reading 1913. A third crevasse
is reported i'm Mississippi, seven miles
above Arkansas City. It's waters, adueu
10 those of other creyasses, VIII com
plete the inundation of the lower MIS-
sissicpi delta. ,,..
Ark. has not been verified as yet. Ihe
Louisiana levees are holding, but Lake
providence reports that the water Is run
ming over the Pitchers Point levees Tor
two miles The break at Gunnison, or
pertbsbire short distance below Aus
tra1ia which occurred at O'Clock yes
terdav evening is serious and damaging.
Al noon to-day Il had widened 10 l'"p
feet and was cutting its way fast. II Is
feared that portions of Greenville VIII De
flooded A break occurred at clocA
this morning at Mound Landing, Bolivar
county. seven. miles north OF Arkansas
CITY At 2 p. NJ. to-day this oreak hau
reached a width of 800 feet ana was
,ridening fast. The water was going
through with terrific force.
president Maxwell. of the Fifth Louisi-
ana Ievee District, says to-day that un-
less unforeseen events occur the Louisi-
ana levees will hold Information Just
received states that the large ievees az
Homocbitto. I'm Issaquena county, are In
a dangerous condition.
4 VAIL OF DISTRESS.
JACKSON. MISS, March SO.-From the
great Yazoo- Mississippi delta comes
vail of distress. and the cry, ''The levees
have broken" is heard throughout our
sValIev of the Nile" Three fresh breaks
have been reported to-day, through which
Immense volumes of water are carrying
destruction to thousands of happy homes
and devastating as fertile territory as
is IN be found on the globe So far no
loss of life. except TO domestic animals
has been reported, but there may be sueh
renort nv morning as the great mounds
of earth. which protect the hourishing
cities of Greenville. Rosedale, stoneville,
Arcola Friar Point, Rolling Fork, ana