The San Francisco call., 1897-04-15

levees must be weakening. Three steam
ers have reached this city in the past
twenty-four hours, bringing over 1000
head of mules, horses and other stock,
and as many people, the greater mum Der
of whom are colored. Many of them are
without food and shelter At6P NJ the
river had reached 51.6 feet on the gauge
HELENA, ARK, April IA distress
ing accident occurred ten miles west of
this city day, resulting in the drowning
of family of seven negroes. Sylvester
Sanders. tenant on Joel Higgins farm,
where the current had been so swift as to
threaten the destruction of houses, left
with his wife and five children for high
ground. Unfortunately, they took into
their hatboat bull which they valued
highly.
When within a mile of the hills the
bull, which was almost famlshed, at
te enpted to eat the small linn bs of willow
tree through which the boat was being
pushed. This action tipped the boat and
frightened the occupants, who made
frantic efforts to right it. In his excite
ment the bull kicked the side of the boat
10 pieces and the entire family were
drowned.
NEW ORLEANS, La, April 14-The
river is rising steadily. Shortly after noon
1T registered 1873 feet-above all records.
All wharves along the front of the main
portion of the city are submerged and
N uch freight stored on them Is afioat. At
few points the river has been washing
into the streets. In the lower part of the
city the ground is very low and the sur
face OF the river at its present stage is on
level with the second stories of houses
nesting under the levees.
A break at this point would do gre at
damage. At the slaugh ter house below
the barracks the river is washing over the
levee.
At Amesvilie, the scene OF the great
crevasse of few years ago, the river is
again washing over the levee and the
situation is critical. Heroic efforts are
being made to hold the levee and save
thousands of acres of rich sugar lands.
Two very weak places have developed in
Lake Borgne district, the worst being at
Pecan Grove, below this city. The situa-
ton on Bayou Lafourche is still regarded
as desperate, and along at Cnatafaiaya it is
little ii any better. The depots OF the
Southern Pacific and New Orleans and
Northeastern railroads are under water.
Along the city front there is now margin
OF only eighteen inches between the flood
level and the top of the levees, and most
OF this is composed of sand and boys.
Senator Cordilia's telegram from Ten
sas Front last night declaring that the
Louisiana levee could not be held caused
Decentralization here. but the spirits of the
people revived when CordilIa teiegraphed
that the district would not give up the
tight. He and other leading men have
warned the people to prepare for an over
flow.
The back country on the bayous Tensas
and Macon is filed with population OF
small farmers, all of whom are threatened
with ruin.
All reports prove that the worst of the
hood is past in Arkansas, and that the
Mississippi, Yazoo, Sunfower and other
streams are falling. But while the situa.
tion is more promising there, it is the
contrary. in Louisiana, which will have
several weeks yet to fight the rise.
break in the Tensas district would
relieve the country south of Red River
temporarily, but would only delay the
end of the food.
An attem pit was made to cut the leyee at
Davis, just above New Orleans, last night.
by skiff-load of men who came from the
New Orleans side of the river. They