The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-13
THB FLOODED DISTRICTS.
THE SITUATION, IF NO BETTER,
DOES NOT GROW WORSE.
A Heavy Wind StOrss Does No Damage to
the Levees-The Water Failing 1t II, lena
and ACCOMPLISHMENTS Volume of Wat.
er Returning to the Mississippi Through
the YAzoo-The Heavy Strain Therefrom
on the Louisiana Levees.


Memphis, Tenn, April 9.-Notwith-
standing the high winds and heavy
rain storm reported rom the over
flowed Mississippi delta last night, the
situation in the flood district OF this
section, If not better. is certainly not
worse tonight. The water which has
been pouring through five big
for more tEan a week. is rapidly flow
ing into the Mississippi again at a point
twelve miles north of Nicksburg and is
sweeping southwark. The strain on
the Louisiana levees will be very great
for a week and if they Withstand the
powerful pressure for hat length Of
time, all will be well.
The Sunfiower river, which traverses
the counties Of Coahoma, Bolivar and
S~unfower, in Mississippi, is on a ram
page tonight. Two-thirds of the wa
ter from the Flower Lake crevasse
is rushing into this stream and a large
area will be inundated from the over
flow. The T~allahatchie and Coldwater
rivers are gradually falling.
AT Helena, the river is slowly falling
and indications are that the big stream
will continue to decline. The backwa-
ters below the Arkansas Midland levee
are at a standstill tonight. The num-
Der of refugees is increasing at Helena
almost every hour. The steamer Maud
arrived there late this afternoon with
more than 100 flood sufferers, swelling
the list already there to 1900 people.
AT Rosedale, nothing of special in
terest has occurred in the situation.
After a stormy night that caused build
ings to rock and sway, the sun came
out bright and clear in that section to-
day, but a cold north wind is blowing.
In the Bogue-Phalia country much suf-
fering is reported. Members of the
ROsedale relief committee will visit
that section tomorrow and distribute
provisions to the needy.
At Greenville the situation has not
changed. All the levees along the Mis-
sissippi front withstood the terrible
wind of last night.
At Memphis, the river continues to
fall, a decline of one-tenth of a foot
being reported by the weather bureau
tonight. The railroads, with one eXceD-
ton, are again open for business and
in good shape and all trains are being
IL on schedule time. Many Dispatch
es from Memphis have stated that the
Iron Mountain was the only road en-
tering the city from the west side. This
is erroneous. The Cotton Belt has
been open during the high water in
Arkansas, dispatching it's trains
promptly and regularly. By raising
the tracks in the vicinity of Birds
Point, opposite Cairo, the road has had
an uninterrupted service to and from
st. Louis.
Vicksburg, Miss, April 9.-Informa-
ton from all points on the Louisiana
side from the Arkansas state line down
to the lower end of the district, some
25O miles, is that while the high winds
have done considerable damage, no Sc
riOus results followed last nights storm
along the entire front line OF the levee
banks that are put to such a severe
strain by the waters coming out of the
YaZOO. Lieutenant Newcomer. with
headquarters in Memphis, United
States engineer in charge of this, the
third district, which extends from the
mouth of White river down to War
%ranton, ten miles below this city, tel
egraphs Captain Brown, his assistant
in charge, that more money is available
if necessary and to do everything pos
sible to hold the levee to prevent over
flows.