Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-04-20
SERIOUS BREAK ABOUT THIRTY
MILES BELOW NATCHEZ.
is ON THE LOUISIANA SIDE.
WATER WILL COVER 4 NUMBER OF
FINE PLANTATIONS.
Relief VIII Have to BE Extended to
the Victims-Situation Mt Riggs
Is Growing WOrse-Thou-
sands of Acres of Crops
Are Doomed.

Memphis. Tenn, April 19.-Another break
in the levee on the Louisiana side Is re-
ported from a point thirty miles below
NatcheZ, Miss. The details at this writing
are meager and the extent OF the break
cannot be learned. The situation at Biggs,
where the water is rushing through the
crevasse in torrents, is growing worse.
Madison parish is fast becoming inundated,
and the water will extend to other parishes,
destroying thousands of acres of newly
planted crops. Vicksburg, Natchez and
other river points are crowded with refu-
gees and everything possible is being done
TO alleviate the suffering of the poorer
classes. Calls for aid have been sent out
from several sections of the overiiowed
Mississippi delta and, while the waters are
slowly receding, the suffering and destltu-
tion increases. The situation throughout
the delta tonight is about the same as on
yesterday. 1t was a beautiful day In the
fiood-stricken section, and the planters
hope that the waters will be carried away
in time to make a good crop. At Memphis
the river is slowly falling, and at caro-
decided fall is reported.
Natchez, Miss, April 19.-The first break
on the Concordia parish front occurred on
Sunday morning last, when the Glasscock
levee gave way. This levee is located about
twenty-eight miles below Natchez and IS
near the lower end of the leyee system
of the parish. IT is an old levee and mas
received no attention since 1891. There was
n large force of men at work on 1t Sun
day morning, raising and Strengthening IT.
They were working their way to the low
er end of it when suddenly the laborers
saw the muddy water begin 10 bubble up
at the lower end. In less time than 1t
takes to tell 1t the seething water tore
great hole through it. After the break
started it was impossible TO stop it and
work on the embankment was at once
stepped. The water rushed through at a
great rate and began spreading out in the
loTlandS adjacent.
The catastrophe was not unexpected and
its disastrous effects were in measure
discounted by reason of all the stock and
other perishable property having been pre-. pre-
Vi0usly removed. The water from this
break will inundate the lower part OF the
parish, from Morville down TO Brabston.
covering number of fine plantations. but
II was expected that most OF TINS sectlon
would go under anyhow from the overflow
that will take place in Black river from
the Biggs crevasse below Delta. 1t VIII
entail a vast amount of suffering of the
people of the neighborhood and relief VIII
have to he extended 10 them. This leyee
was twelve feet in height and. when the
crevasse occurred. the water on the front
was between ten and eleven feet hish
against it and four feet on the back, while
the fall of the water running through IL
is SlA 10 seven 1ttl-
Vicksburg. Miss, April 1a.-Midnight--
MAJOR ]. II. willard, United States engi-
neer. has just received dispatch from the
master of the steamer Florence, ordered
last night TO Coon's Landing. La. to rescue
flood sufferers, asking him to send all skihs
cbtainable by first steamer, as people are
drawning,~ and cannot be reached except
by sliffs Coon's Landing is about thirty
five miles from this city. and is being food
el by the Biggs creyasse-
4 dispatch arrived at midnight from Ash
wood La saying the water is rushing rap
idly into the swamps of Tensas parish.
which are inaccessible by steamer and
This dispatch aroused many apprehensions.
SkiaS cannot be sent tonight:
Relief work here is depending upon pri-
vate charity. upon which the burden is
Gaily heavier
Thousands have arrived and thousands
are coming, for the leVees are covered with
fugitives Chairman Crayton, of the col
ored relief committee, says 1000 persons
are in distress here.
Iater-A dispatch from the Valley route
operator at Hays. Miss. referring 10 the
foregoing. says the calamity at Coon's
Landing is due to break in the ievee
there, and that another has occurred op-
posite Rodney. No details have been re-
ceived. Boats cannot be sent before morn
ing.