Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-04-02
Wall OF DISTRESS.
It Arises from Flood-Stricken Dis
tricts Of the South.
THE LEyEES CONTINUE TO BREAK.
Many Towns In Danger and Many
Lives in Peril from the Raging
Waters-Thousands Fighting
to Save Themselves.

Lives in Peril from the Raging
Waters-Thousands Fighting
to Save Themselves.
Jackson, Miss, March 31.-From the
great Iazoo-Mississippi delta comes a
wall of distress and the cry The levees
have broken" is heard throughout the
valley. Three fresh breaks have been
reported through which immense vol
umes of water carrying death and de-
struction to thousands of happy homes
and devastating us fertile a territory as
is to be found OH the globe. So far no
loss of life except to domestic animals
has been reported, but may be soon, as
the great mound of earth which pro-
tects the tlourishing cities of Greenville,
Rosedale, Stoneville, Arcola, Friar's
Point, Rolling Fork and others are
water soaked, mushy and liable to give
way at any moment. The four breaks
that have occurred have flooded and will
flood before reaching the most of the
Yazoo, perhaps week hence, the coun-
ties of Bolivar, Washington, Sharkey,
Issaquaena, Iazoo and portions OF
others in which are comprised the finest
cotton farms in the world. In this
overlooked district the state has leased
eight plantations and upon which, with
her able-bodied convicts, she was pre-
pairing to make another crop of cotton
and corn, the latter being in fine condi-
tion. The greatest concern is for the
city Of Greenville which, situated as she
is in the hollow of a crescent formed by
the bend of the river and surrounded by
it on two sides. would be wiped out of
existence should break occur in the
immediate vicinity.
The Peril Is Great.
The streets of the city are IL feet be-
low the summit of the level, so that a
break once formed there would be no
way Of stopping the Niagara and every
house in the place would be swept from
its foundations and the remaining in
habitants it is feared hurled into eter-
nifty. Fearing such catastrophe those
who could have migrated to the hills,
but thousands still remain.
The breaks that occurred Tuesday are
both above and below Greenville is and
rs miles, so that the water will pass tc
the rear of the city. The streams on the
delta all flow from the river and down
The opposite side of the valley. The
topography of the country is level but
sloping east and away from the river
for 40 miles in some places to the Yazoc
and it is down this stream the overflow
water must go to again reach the Mis-
sissippi, rs or 100 miles south of where
it has left it.
A Struggle for Life.
Thousands of people, white anc
black, still line the lavees and are max
ing desperate effort to hold what re
mains. 1t is life and death struggle
and for this reason there is no res
night or day. The question has beer
asked: does it pay to maintain this grea
levee system, and old river farmers de
clare it does not, that life and bushes!
were more certain 40 years ago whel
no one expected anything but an over
flow and prepared for it. Though tn,
federal government has been most lib
eral in appropriations to the levees, tn,
planters of the delta have spent mil
lions more in perfecting the presen
system. Every bale of cotton produce,
il this great delta pays tax of one dol
lar and which creates a large sum an
nually for levee purposes.
Harvey Klcmmer and two sons, VIII,
attempted to save some stock, had thei
boat overturned and were drowned
/ 1t is also reported that Mrs. John Mar
shall and Il son, who were alone in lit
tie hut two miles from the break, wer
unable TO escape and were drowned.
Historic Spot Doomed.
The historic and famous plantations O
| Jefferson Davis and his brother, Josepl
Davis, six miles below Nicksburg, ar
doomed to become, a sea of water and lie
struction.
6iNty-two miles below Vicksburg j
the historic plantation of Gen. Zacl
aria Taylor. With the threatened ris
of three more feet ii will he tota
ruin. The household goods are bein
removed and the stock driven to place
of safety. The little church upon til
plantation in which JET Davis was MAJ
ried to Gen. Taylor's daughter, is threat
encd with destruction. The water ha
surrounded it to depth of two feet.
Many Lives in Peril.
Greenville, Miss, March 31.-At thre
o'clock Tuesday morning anothe
cre"asse occurred above Mound Lane
ing, about Is miles north of this cit,
and at four o'clock Monday evening
break occurred near Australia, Miss
about 10 miles north of Rosedale, Be
war county. This, with the cravesse
Lake Lee, ten miles below Greenvill
will deluge the entire great Mississip
; delta. Nearly all of Bolivar and Was
ington counties will go under in I'll
next two days. All OF Issaquena ar
parts of Sunflower aud Sharkey will ais
be flooded. Live stock is drowning
Q great numbers, and people are feein
t to the railroad entertainments and leve,
for safety.
1t is impossible to estimate IL
3 amount CT property which will be d
: stroyed by the water, and sufferil
: throughout this region will be intens
Greenvil!e, Rosedaie, Stoneville, Arco
J. and in fact all the delta towns south
. Rosedale to Vicksburg will be und
water soon.
The greatest excitement prevails {
along the line. The Greenville leve
D are still holding, but are getting mush
r Thousands of. men line the emban
ments north and south of Greenvil
: and are working like demons. All bul
ness is suspended and the people a
fighting for their lives.