The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-31
THE BREAKING LEVEES.
The Southern Deluge Grows Hourly
to Enormous Proportions.
HUNDREDS OF MILES FLOODED.

} The Devastating Waters Spreading
Over Territory a Hundred Miles
Long and Twenty-Five to Thirty-fiye
Miles Wide.
Memphis, March 31.-There are now
three breaks In the levee that protects
the Mississippi delta. One is seven
miles below Greenville. Miss, at Way
side, which is 1900 feet wide; one 40
miles north Of Greenville. at the head
OF the delta, which is 1000 feet wide,
and cutting rapidly as the water rush
es through, and the third seven miles
north. Of point opposite Arkansas
City. and at last reports a stream as
wide as the Hudson was rushing
through 1t and flooding the country for
miles in the interior.
The river from the north to the
south break forms o crescent, with
Rosedale, Greenville, Gunnison and
many other small towns between the
arc and its chord. which Is the River
side division of the Yazoo and Missis-
sippi valley railroad. This road strikes
the river at the north break, but from
there the river swings to the west and
the east, striking the north and south
line of the railroad at Wayside, the
point of the lower break. The water
from the uppsr. or Perthshire crevasse,
has already cut through the railroad
and swept over the plantations to the
south.
AtTthe middle crevasse the floods
from the north have Joined forces with
these waters, and together they are
inundating the country southwark,
The upper waters reached the lower
crevasse last night, and the mighty
volume from these flood gates will
with hourly increasing force, rush over
the country and finally be thrown
back into the main river at the mouth
of the Yazoo. q few miles north of
Vicksburg.
Back 80 to so miles from the river
run number of small streams which
empty into the Yazoo. The whole ter
ritory from the main river east to
these streams. will be for the most
part under water in "a hours. The re-
gion marked for destruction is a hun
dred miles long and from rs to IS miles
wide. The country is as fertile as a
garden.
Greenville is in great danger The
water from the middle break will par
TALLY flood that town. II the Ievee
In front of Greenvills should break the
loss Of life and property would be |
enormous.
Probably 10000 people are working
with desperation born of despair to |
save their homes and property. The |
whole machinery of the state and the |
Illinois Central railroad Is being |
brought into play. 1t is currently re-
ported that the levee In front of La
onia Circle, Ark. has broken. If this |
De true. and 1t probably is. 10000 acres
Of fertile cotton land will be flooded
in a few hours.
News has reached Memphis that at
IN early hour yesterday morning. sup
pOsedly between and o'clock, the
evee near Stokes Landing, four miles
above Huntington, on the Mississippi,
gave way. The information came to
Memphis direct from Superintendent
Iilleas, of the Illinois Central, who Is
low on the line. The water from this
break will reach the Yazoo and Mlssis-
'ippi Valley tracks at Scott's Station,
il miles south of Rosedale. and also
It Meore's Station, on the Huntington
branch. The width of the crevasse
ould not be ascertained. but the worst
s feared, as the levee there for miles
S considered rather weak.
News of unquestioned authenticity
onfirms the report that a break of i'm
nense proportions occurred at
'clock last night at the Stokes planta-
ion, in Bolivar county, seven miles
euth of the Perthshire break This
asst break is so situated that the water,
Ldded to that of the Perthshire Gre
'asse. will inundate an immense terri
cry.
Four negroes were drowned while
rossing the back water in canalboat
ne mile south of St. Charles, Ark.
hey were Ned Stilums, Frank Still
lms. Charley Doumas and Edward
)oumas.