The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-20
THE WORST BREAK
THAT HAS YET OCCURRED IN THE
MISSISSIPPI LEyEES.

The Crevasse at Biggs q Mile Wide and
Perfect Deluge of Water Pouring Over
Several Counties-Ths Situation Above
Improving-The Water in the Delta Re.
ceding-Pumping the Water Out OF He.
lena-People and Cattle Threatened With
Starvation.
Vicksburg, Miss, April 7.-(Midnight)-
An official report says the crevasse at
Biggs, four miles below Delta. La, Is
nearly mile wide at this hour, and the
roaring torrent is spreading over the low
lands OF Madison parish with startling
rapidity. This is unQuestionably the
most destructive break that has yet oc-
CURED and the loss to property and live
stock will be enormous. Madison, Tensas
and Concordia parishers will be inun
dated, while the fine farms Of Franklin
and Catahoula parishes in immenent
danger. The fertile lands of these par
ishes have been prepared for this years
crop and in many instances cultivation is
well underway.
Memphis, Tenn, April ia break in
the levee at Biggs, four miles below Delta,
La, which occurred at 10 o'clock last
night, has Widend rapidly and tonight
a solid stream Of water is passing
through an opening more than 1900 feet
wide The roar Of the water as it rushes
through the crevasse can be heard for
miles. The town Of Delta is now inun-
dated and the waters are spreading over
the low lands and will soon cover many
fine plantations in Madison parish. All
the convicts who were at work on the
levce, when the crevasse came, have been
safely put on board steamer and SO
far no loss Of life is reported in the vi
cinity of this latest break The outflow
of water at Biggs will do much to relieve
the levees on the Mississippi side. 1t will
! also hasten the passage of the flood
! through the Mississippi delta thus ensur-
| ing crop in that rich valley. There
| many weak spots reported in the Lous-
| ana leVee and another break may occur
| at any hour.
Throughout the flooded Mississippi delta
today the situation is more encouraging.
The backwaters are slowly falling, pass
| ing through the Yazoo into the main
| channel north of Nicksburg. At Helena
the river has fallen nearly five feet since
| April 4th. In the northern part of that
| city which has been under water more
| than three weeks, the water has fallen
sufficiently to allow many people to move
| back into their houses. The water inside
! the southern part of the city is fast dis
| appearing by means of gigantic pumps
which q nnrea, are kept running night and day
and other delta points, the river is fall
ing.
S5.7 at o'clock.
At Cairo, Paducah. Cincinnati and
! Louisville the rivers continue to fall. A
| large amount Of supplies were forward
| ed from Memphis today.
| The steamer Harbin carried provisions
and food up the ST. Francis river to sup
ply the relief stations established there.
| Lieutenant Carnahan went ON this trip
to superintend the distribution of sup
| plies. The steamer ROwena Lee left this
| port with a cargo Of supplies for the re-
lief stations between Memphis and Ash
visited by the Rowena Lee on this trip.
Little Rock, Ark, April 17.-Governor
Jones today received a telegram from his
private secretary, who is distributing
a most deplorable state of affairs exists
in Monroe county. He estimates that
stock in that county in need of imme-
date assistance to prevent starvation
This estimate, he says. is conservative
The people have been temporarily relieved
by the Memphis and Little Rock relief
committees, but the stock is dying fol
want OF food No crops were made there
there is no feed in the county.
Vicksburg, Miss. April 1.-THE ere
vase in the Biggs levee. La, about six
miles below this city. was LOO feet wide
at last reports and rapidly widening The
water is rushing through with a roar like
Niagara and all day long refugees have
been fleeing to this city with their stock
and other property. The, water was
fifteen feet deep against the levee when II
broke, and the men who were on the spO
say that 1t poured through in vast circu
lar masses or whirlpOOls twenty fee
high. A large part Of Madison, Tensas
Catahoula and Concordia parishes were
over flowed by 1t and the resulting dis
trees will be very great. The number Of
refugees in the city has been largely in
creased. and they are coming on every
boat. The water flooded the Vicksburg
Shreveport and Pacific railroad, In a few
hours and the trains west OF this place
are abandoned In consequence. The towI
OF Delta is Overflowed deeply, and plant
ers say that the water will back up tt
Millekins Bend, sixteen miles north
| Three white persons, two men and wo
| man passed twelve hours in the mids
Of the furious waters of the crevasse
them from their beds and they had onl,
time to seek safety in it's boughs when tn,
> mighty flood was upon them. The.
: made their presence known by pisto
shots during the night and several at
'temptS to rescue them were made. but i
| was not until 10 o'clock a. m, when al
adventurous crew from the gOveT nmen
issteamer Eta Ethridge, Mate John Bird
well and Deckhands Frank Goodrich ant
Henry Hubbard, the two latter colored
put out in a yawl and rescued them. n
| further disasters have occurred and tn
,crevasse is thought to have relieved tn
| is falling here. The levee engineers will
now endeavor to the rena amin;
5 levees. a task which is very hopeful a
, | this time.
An English AL and Answer.
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