The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1897-04-09
LIFE AND DEATH STRUGGLE.
Mississippi's Cotton and Corn Crops
Under Water.
GREENVlLLE IN GREAT DANGER.
Condition of the Rivers and Lcvces.--
The Situation Extremely Critical.--
Daily Bulletins.

a special from Jackson, Miss, dated
March 30th says: from the great
Iazoo Mississippi delta, comes wall
of distress and the cry; The lcvecs
have broken" is heard throughout our
valley of the Nile Three fresh breaks
have been reported and through which
immense volumes of water are carrying
destruction to thousands of happy
homes, and devastating as fertile II
territory as is to be found on the globe.
SO far no loss of life, except to domestic
animals, has been reported, but may be
as the great mounds of earth which
protect the fourishing cities of
Greenvlle, Stoneville, Arcola,
Frier's Point, Rolling Fork
and others are watersoaked, mushy
and liable to give way at any
time. The four breaks that have oc-
Cured, have flooded or will flood before
reaching the YaZoo, perhaps week
hence. the counties of Bolivar, Wash
ington, Sharkey, Issaquaena, laZoo
and portions of others, III which Is com
prised the finest farms in the world. In
this ovcrtiowed district the State has
leased eight plantations, upon which
. was preparing to make another crop of
cotton and corn, the lattor being iii fine
condition. The greatest concern Is Tor
the city OF Grcenvill", which, situated
rs it is, in the hollow Of crescent
formed by the bend OF tho river, wu"ld
be swept ont of existence should
break occur III the Immediate vicinity.
The streets of the city are twelve feet
below the summit of the levec, so that
l. 4 Il
no wey of stopping the Niagara, and
every house in the place would be
swept from its foundations and the re-
naming inhabitants hurried into eter-
nifty. Fearing such n catastrophe, those
who could, have migrated 10 the hills.
but thousands still remain. The breaks
that have occurred are both above and
below Grecnville, l5 and - miles
above, SO that the water will pass to
the rear of the city. The streams on the
delta all flow into the river and down
the opposite side of the valley. Thou
sands of people, white and black, line
the levees and are making a desperate
effort to hold what remains. 1t is II
life and death struggle, and for this
reason there is no rest night or day.
The question has been asked, does it
pay to maintain this great levee system,
and old farmers declare that it does
not, that life and business were more
certain forty years ago when no expect
ed anything but an overflow and pre-
pared for it.
The Weather Bureau en- the after
noon OF March 3Oth, issued the follow
ing special river Bulletin: During the
past ~ hours the Ohio. Cumberland.
Tennessee and Arkansas rivers have
fallen slowly. and the Red river has
risen two feet since Saturday. and Is
still rising rapidly. The upper Missis-
sippi from st. Paul to Dubuque, has
risen slightly and Is above the danger
line at La Crosse. The Mississippi has
fallen slightly from keokuk to Cairo,
and risen from New Orleans to Helena,
except slight fall at Arkansas City,
due to II crevasse near that place. 1t is
above the danger line from Cairo to New
Orleans. and from Memphis to Ar
kansas City Is above the extreme
high water OF any previous years. From
Davenport to st. Louis no flooding has
occurred except on the islands and low
lands, of which ample warning was
given last week. In no case has water
rsached the tops of levces III this dis
trict. nor is itlikely to do so. Serious
breaks in the levces have occurred
within the last forty eight hours ut
Australia. Stop Landing and Wayside,
Miss. The water from these crevasses
will flow into the GaZoo basin, and 1T is
paybable that the counties Of Bolivar.
Wnshington Issaqucnn and Sharkey,
Miss, will he flooded. The situation
at Grernvile, Miss, is considered eX-
trcmcly critical. Until the period Of
extreme danger from floods in the low
or Mississippi is past daily bulletin
will hc ISSUED.