The herald., 1897-03-28
Threaten to Yield to Ris.
ing Waters
SERIOUS CRISIS AT QUINCY
KEEPS MEN AT WORK DAY AND
NIGHT
At Points Below Memphis Every
Ablebodied Man Is Forced to
Work on the Levees
Associated Press Special Wire.

1
| prevails here tonight. At 5 o'clock the
Mississippi passed the IA feet inches
mark, and Is still rising at the rate OF
one-third of an inch per hour. in spite OF
the fact that the river is from three to
eight miles wide above and below here
| Ferry boats moved a number of families
and a drove of stock from Horton
| island, which is now almost covered with
water. Residents on the opposite side
| of Quincy bay were forced to abandon
| their homes.
Farmers have been fighting the rising
water night and day on the levees north
of town. 1t is feared that all OF the
levees will go by the board tomorrow
unless the rise ceases The first break
in the levees will mean the flooding of
thousands of acres Of, valuable farm
lands.
AT CAIRO
CAIRO, ILL.,, March 27.-The situation
here continues to improve. The gauge
shows a fall tonight of about an inch.
1t reads 81 feet tonight. The winds last
night were very severe on the levees in
this neighborhood.
Al blEQ 1Olll, x4Os lnc olludliOh ~
distressing. Twenty-Five of the thirty
houses have been washed from their
foundations and water stands from an
inch TO five feet deep in those that re-
main. A large amount of the Cotton
Belt tracks have been washed away, and
from 75 to 100 yards of the levee there
is gone. This. however, works no harm
to the neighborhood. as the water stands
on both sides ofSthe embankment.
LEvEES THREATENED
vICKSBURG, Miss. March 27.-The
rise in the river now seems to threaten
the most serious damage to the levees,
being without a precedent. Latest re-
ports tonight from as far north as Green
vile. Miss, and from both sides of the
river, are that the levees are being held
at all points. A special from Lake Prov
idence, La, complains of the lack of
tools and material, OF which large guam
titles. however. are now en- route from
this city. 1t is hoped they will arrive in
time. The situation is daily more grave
and a crisis seems near at hand. The
people everywhere are displaying the
most devoted courage and endurance.
The river here rose six-tenths of an inch
gauge at s p. m. reads 4S.1 feet.
AT MEMPHIS
MEMPHIS, Tenn, March 27.-The
gauge at Memphis tonight registers 3C.4
feet. a fall of two-tenths of foot. The
condition is all the more favorable be-
cause the river is falling above. The
serious phase Of the situation has been
transferred to Greenville, Helena and
points south, as the river is slowly rising
al these places and great alarm is man.
ifested.
A BRAVE FIGHT.
GREENvILLE, Miss, March 27.-The
mayor has issued proclamation warn
ing all merchants to close their places
Of business and every ablebodied man to
go to the levee. The city is almost de-
serted and a brave fight is being made
to hold the great embankment.
The citizens Of Greenville and sur
rounding country abandoned their usual
vocations today and worked on the lev
ees. headed by Gov. McLaurin, Railroad
Commissioner J. J. Evans and promi-
nent railroad officers. In response to
call from the governor special trains
were run over the Southern railway and
the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley rail-
road carrying about 600 men. These
forces were divided into squads and put
to work under competent engineers. The
levees arc intact all along the line on
both sides of the river in this vicinity,
but as the river is still rising the dan
ger is great.
FORCED TO WORK.
HELENA, Ark, March 27.-The water
is rushing through the large crevasse a
mile and a half north of Modoc. with tre-
| mendous force, tearing up trees and
| hurting them as if but small sticks.
| Considerable difficulty is being ex-
| perienced in getting laborers, but this
morning Sheriff Burke and several dep
uties took every man in sight and forced
them into service Dinner was served
| on the levee today, that no time might
be lost The river here has risen two
| inches today and tonight stands at fifty
| feet, five feet above the danger line.
A GEORGIA FLOOD.
| QUITMAN. Ga, March 27.-The coun
| try around here Is at present flooded
| with water. The creeks and rivers are
out of their banks and they are in many
places impossible.
A CALIFORNIA STORM.
SAN FRANCISCO. March PA rair
| storm commenced here this Afternoon
and has ragged furiously all night The
wind has been blowing a gale and tn,
rain has poured down steadily for sew
eral hours A number of vessels tina
were due to sail today have postponed
their departure until fairer weather
The battleship Oregon was to hav'
sailed for Puget Sound today but re