The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-17
BICCS LEVEE BROKE.
A Strong Louisiana Lcvec Near Delta
Gave Way.
BREAK ALMOST OPPOSITE vICKSBuRG
Rich Parish of Madison Will Be
Flooded.
THE SITUATION IN THE DELTA.
Reports From Several Points In the
the mississippi Delta Arc More
Encouraging.
HE SITUATION IN THE DELTA.

Vicksburg. Miss, April iG. Tho situation
along tho Louisiana levees across the river
| for fifty miles above and below this city
dwarfs every other feature OF the flood
problem into temporary inalgni6cancc. Tho
rise shows sign of diminution and the
loNoes are actually in danger Of being over
flowed by the water now pouring out Of tho
lazoo basin in sheet twenty Ave miles
wide for distance of ten miles opposite
this city. In spite of tho evident danger
and of the repeated warnings of the wealth
or bureau very few persons are removing
stock to the high lands. though all arc
taking other precautions, 1t is believed.
Ono hundred head of mules were brought
to this city tonight from Sparta planta-
ton in Louisianu, ten miles above here.
The belief that the end is near finds ex-
| preston in many quarters. 1t is not that
| the ievoes are weak, but the fear that they
can not be raised fast enough to keep
ahead of flood that is pliug over four
| inches of water daily In II river already
| at ga feet on the gauge. In spite of these
| conditions the levee forces arc battling
doggedly against the flood, night and day.
| Ii IL the finest example of human energy
| aud consistency of heart to be seen at this
moment the planet.
| The work OF relief Is going on systemat-
| lcally. Some of the negro refugees are
finding employment in the uplands, few
having gone to Kinds county and here and
there planters overlooked plantation In
heard of who has removed his people TO tho
| hills, determined to make u cotton crop
| there and plant his home place in corn
when the waters fall.
Captain NJ. G. Martin having completed
| his inspection of the flood conditions In
! the Groenville and Vicksburg district left
| for Washington this evening to report
verbally to the secretary of war.
| THE LEvEE AT BiGGS, -FOUR AND
ONE HALF MILES BELOW DELTA, LA,
| BROKE AT 10 O'CLOCK TONIGHT. THE
| CREVASSE WAS, ONE HUNDRED AND
| TWENTY FEET WIDE TWENTY MIN
| uTES AFTER n GAVE WAY. DELTA
is DIRECTLY OPPOSITE VIcKsBuRG.
| The Queen and Crescent route train dis
| patchers office at L. O'Clock tonight re-
ported that Bggs levee, In Madison parish,
| broke at 10 O'Clock and that the break
| was 100 feet wide twenty minutes later.
| The break is four and -half miley south
| of Delta. La. and one-haif mile above the
upper end of Reds levee. The news was
| sent to Delta at once. the operator there
| being reused out of bed and tho message
of warning sent along the limo OF the rail-
road westward. The levce Is very large
one and has been engaging the special at
tention of the levee authorities for weeks,
or ever since the Mississippi creyassoa.
Several hundred convicts have been em-
ploycd upon II in addition to other labor
ers and so greatly had II been strengthened
that only today the belief was confidently
expressed by men living behind IL that 1t
would hold The disaster will be great
one, Its extent the next day will show.
The information has been confirmed and
the people notified TO get out OF reach OF
the food Blggs Is sandy levee. generally
speaking, though It can not be asserted
that this Is the case at the crevasse. It's
importance may be estimated by the fact
that such efforts have been expended to
maintain it, Since II o'clock the river at
Vicksburg has fallen more than an inch.
additional evidence OF the size OF tho break.
Madison parish, whose interior Is thus
invaded by tho great flood Is one of the
richest and most populous parishes in
North Louisiana In the highest state OF
cultivation and Astounding In stock. Little
of the latter has been removed up 10 this
time, though the situation was recognized
as very grave indeed. The ravages OF the
Hood likely 10 ensue may be estimated by
the fact that the river stood at 80. 4 ON
the gauge at O'Clock Friaay evening. De-
tails can not be obtained tonight as the
place Ia inaccessible. The creyasso Win
overflow an immense area.