Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-03-14
MISSISSIPPI PAST THE DANGER LINE
AND STILL RISING.
ARKANSAS TOWN INUNDATED.
SEVERAL STREETS OF NASHVILLE
FLOODED AND IMPASSABLE.
At Memphis the River Has Reached
the Highest Mark Since the E.s-
tabIishmcnt of the Wealth
cr Burenu-LcVees Are
Yet Intact.


of the weather bureau. The gauge regis
ters 3I.7 feet. and the water is creeping up
slowly but surely The river reached its
previous highest record on March II 10 Il,
1890. when the gauge marked $50 feet.
News reached Memphis to-day of the
| breaking of the levee last night at Marion,
Ark, and the consequent inundation of
that little city and all the surrounding
country. The waters have swept over the
country for miles around, farther than the
eye can reach. In the town of Marion the
| water is about three feet deep, and the in
habitants are not lingering to take d last
look at their household goods, but are leav-
ing summarily, although the houses at this
point are not considered 10 be in imminent
danger.
Much destruction of stock is reported,
but there Is yet great deal which can be
saved, and every effort will be made to do
this.
AT Presidents Landing all the stock is
destroyed except twenty-five horses, and at
Athen and Chicken islands, the destruction
of stock has been equally great.
The ferryhoat c. c. Bryan left to-day on
u special trip to gather up all the stock
which is yet alive at these and other inun-
dated localities. The Nicely plantation be.
low Mound City is one vast expanse of
have been swept away and are floating
about on the surface of the floods. The
inhabitants there have betaken themselves
to boats and improviSed raftS.
In the neiShborhood of Mound City the
houses are also afioat and the people have
| abandoned them and also taken to boats
and RATS. There are numerous arrivals of
refugees from the overcrowded district.
Across the river, at the other end of the
bridge, a large force of men is engaged
day and night trying to save the fillinS-in
under the trestle from being washed away
by the flood.
Fo. many months the work of filling in
the trestle work leading up to the bridge
has been going on. There is a distance of
800 feet, and instead of beginning at one
end of this stretch and filling to the top
the work progressed, it has been the sys-
TEN of the contractors to fill all along, and
now there is a filling of dirt along the en-
tire distance that rises Il foot or two above
the present stage of the flood.
1t Is the experience of persons used TO
breaks through a line or embankment of
that kind, the passage soon broadens, and
in a short time, there is no way to save
the balance of the work.
About 800 yards from the bridge juno
tion a bayou passes under the trestle and
this has been filled. There is much danger
A large force of men is kept on guard all
along the line They are on duty night
AMI day. ready to repair any small break
that may occur before it gets chance to
spread. The forecast of the weather bu-
reau points to a continuation of the rise
here.
Cairo, indicating that the crest has cer-
tainly been reached at that point during
the present rise.
At Helena. the river was 43.5 feet high.
danger line.
At Vicksburg, a rise of six-tenths of
brought the riyer to a height of 39.5 feet,
which is very near the danger line of forty
one feet. The river continues to rise slow
ly at points below Vicksburg. The Cumber-
land river at Nashville hasrisen 81 feet
in the last twenty-four hours. the gauge
showing 1856 feet with the danger line ct
rh.A TEarOyD
river has passed the danger line. rise of
So feet being recorded in the twenty-four
hours ending this morning when the gauge
indicated S4.9 feet. the danger line being
thirty-five feet.
The railroads are beginning to feel the
effects of the big overflow. The Little Rock
& Memphis abandoned its night train to-
night. not caring to risk the lives of its
passengers under such conditions. Officials
of all the roads entering the city from the
West are at the scene of the high water
and are doing all in their power to protect
the roadbedS.
The water is within six inches of the
Kansas City. Fort Scott & Memphis tracks.
but Superintendent Sullivan. who is here
on the ground with Il large supply of sand
in sacks, states positively that the water
will not be allowed to encroach upon the
roadbed and that there will be no cessation
of passenger traffic.
Passengers arriving from the South on
the YaZoo Valley line tonight report the
water within a few inches of the rails of
that road north of the Mississippi levee
system. AT FOreSC lake. the MOTEL ana
railway station is surrounded by water
several inches deep. The company has
large supply of sand on hand and will make
strenuous efforts to keep us trains NOV
ins. The levees south of Memphis are do
ing splendid service, not a break of any
kind being reported. The government
gineers and the levee boards are having
the banks of the river patrolled night and
day and it is believed the levees can easily
withstand an additional rise of two feet
General rains are reported throughout
Arkansas, West Tennessee and North Mis-
sissippi to-day. In Mississippi. late this
afternoon. a violent hail storm prevailed.
The rain in the vicinity of Memphis ceased
at o'clock tonight and colder weather is
predicted
Back waters cover many of the lowlands
of Nashville and some families have been
driven from their homes. Several streets
between the central part of the city and
North Nashville are flooded and impassa-
BILE. The river tonight is over 81 feet on
the gauge and rising rapidly. Rain began
falling again tonight heavily and the river
is expected by Monday to pass 40 feet, the
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