The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-03-23
THE LEVEEs
At Many Points on the Mississippi
River Give Away.
Disheartening Reports Comes From the
Iowa and Dakota Valleys-GOvernm ent
Relay Boats Busy-There Are Ru-
mors of Great Loss of Life.


ST. LOUIS, March 22.-Latest advices
from the flooded country south of here
state that the situation is hourly grow
ing worse. Walls of water have beat
en- down the levees at many points and
riparian jewellers are at the mercy of
the flood. Out of 3S kilograms re-
ceived here from the lower river
but one records a cessation of
the rise. This was from Cairo,
ILL.,, but the halt of the flood
there is due to the breaks in the lev
ees in kentucky and Missouri. The
most disheartening intelligence comes
from the Iowa and Dakota valleys of
the Missouri river. Warm weather
has turned the snow to water, which
is added to the already overhowed
streams. Work on levee barriers is
practically abandoned in Arkansas and
Mississippi as useless. AtChicot, a barge
load of sand bags was dumped into
a levee break They only served to
widen the breach. This is the exper-
fence at other points and work on the
outer barriers is abandoned and every
hand is turned to save the inner levees.
A dispatch from Ripley, Tenn, says
there is a strong current through Reel
Fool lake and the old river bayou.
1t is feared the river will seek its
old channel through the lake, which
was shifted 90 miles west by the earth
quake of 1872 South of Helena, Ark,
the levee breaks are most numerous
and the damage greatest. The five
steamers employed by the Mem
phis relief were reinforced Sun
day by two government boats
towing bargcs. These steamers
pick their way through tree tops. The
c. B. Bryan, steamed due west from
Memphis, So miles and returned with
$50 people and barge load of live
stock. At Austin, Miss, 40 miles be-
low Memphis, but two houses remain
on dry land From these "a people were
rescued. Relief work is now occupying
more attention than endeavors to fight
the food with levees- A relief COM
mittee was organized in Little Rock,
Ark, Saturday. Memphis continues
to save life and property unaided by
the governor of Arkansas
Saturday night Maj. Ambury, in
charge of the river and harbor work
at st. Louis, received telegram from
Secretary Alger, directing that help
and rescue measures be at once under
taken by the United States fleet in this
vicinity.
Gov. Jones, OF Arkansas, Saturday
sent a company of militia to guard the
levees of Desha county, as there were
fears that Mississippi men might try
to save their own homes by cutting the
levee on the Arkansas side.
Uncon firmed rumors of great loss of
life are met at every hand, but the
death-roll can not even be approx
mated till the flood subsidies. The Sit
uation is indeed gloomy. with small
prospect of immediate bettcrment.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. March 22-The
levees for stretch of Is miles from
and south of Osceola. Ark, went all to
pieces Sunday.
Sensational reports were current
Sunday night of series of big cutoffs
on the Missouri above Sioux City.
The stream is said to have shortened
itself score of miles and to have
swallowed up much farm property.
The Little Sioux, near Otto and Cor
rectionville, is rising and driving set
tiers to the hills
SIOUX CITY, Ia, March 22.-The
Floyd river, which had a considerable
part of Sioux City under water last
week, is again within it's banks The
Big Sioux, however. is still rising and
causing untold damage between Sioux
City and Sioux Falls. Other streams
in this locality are about stationary.
Bridges are out everywhere and little
damage is left to be done even should
there be another rise.
DIES MONIES, Ia, March 1.-The
Des Moines river has risen three feet
since Saturday night, and is now over
sixteen feet above normal and still
rising. About three hundred families
have been driven out of their homes
by the water, but aside from this the
damage thus far is not heavy.