The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1897-04-02
The Raging Waters.

| There has been no Improvement in
the water conditions since our last re.
port from II local standpoint. In the
/ fnrepart of the week the upper lissis-
/ sipp at ST. Louis was rising steadily.
At Cincinnati, Louisville and points
along the Ohio river the fall was rapid
At Cairo n one-tenth fall was register.
ed. At Marked Tree, the point where
the X. 9. NJ & d. II. r crosses the st.
| Francis river, the rise was. l.3 ft. in IS
hours. At Memphis tile Oh Fl. fall was
/ kept up. At Madison 40 It. a . rise
was maintained for several days. At
Helena the water stood at 504 It.
above zero, which with rise of Oh
put the water line 10 IL. above
danger line. At Arkansas City the
gauge stood 5l.9 or 8 #. above danger
line with a rise of Ga IT. Tie gauge. at
Greenvile showed &c #. which. is G 6
above danger line, with rise CT 0.5 TT.
AT Vicksburg the water has risen to
Is IT. above the zero of the gauge,
which WAS 7 s above the danger line,
with a rise of 60 of Il foot in AS homs.
Thus a comparison of the foregoing
stages with our table of the day will re.
veal the changes, practically speaking
since our last report.
All last week the ST. Francis basin
continued TO fiji up by the water pass
ing through the numerous breaks in
the levee along the Mississippi .riyer
front, Until the first part of the week
that region was practically a sea of
water. Some few of the citizens living
in that district moved out while others
are clinging to home and possession
! with vim akin to desperation. They
have scaffolded up, built RATS, taken
possession of mounds, etc. and most of
them report they are getting along very
well. Verv little restitution or loss of
property have been reported. Some
few families have had to have aid in
the way of fat and steamboats, in
assisting in their flight from their
watery homes. Aside from the damage
wrought in Mississippi and Crittenden
counties the districts below Helena on
The Arkansas and Mississippi sides
were the next sufferers. The water
has for several days threatened the
destruction at Helena by bursting the
levee. All the available forces OF the
city were called out during the week
to help in raising the levee. The levee
has given way at Modoc below Helena,
and from that point to Arkansas City
several distressing breaks have occur
red. Several distressing breaks have
occurred along the, Mississippi line OF
levee, south of Friars Point, by which
several counties will suffer. Monday
the Helena train on the Iron Mountain
was cut off from her destination at
lLAngylle river, south of Haynes, the
water being over portion of the abut-
)ment of the bridge. Communication is
however kept up by a transfer boat
which came up from Helena, by which
freight and passengers are ferried
across the river.
Water is also over portion of the
L'Anguile tressle on the l.. II. & NJ. II
r., FIVE miles west of the city. Trains
on the Iron Mountain, X. G. and J.. r.
u NJ. Railroads still go into Memphis
over the Iron Mountain track from
Wynne. Wednesday morning ut nine
O'Clock large section of the levee at
MISSIONER, opposite Friars Point, on
the Arkansas side, gave way which, in
connection with the breaks below that
point. will inundate large area iof
finely improved and fertile plantations
and it is thought by some will back up
AS far as the suburbs of Helena.
1t will be seen from the tables that
our county is receiving the crest of the
/ rise, aud the crevasse in the lower
levee will have tendency to draw the
water out of the basin. This overflow
has carried some pecularities with it
never before noticed in the way of cross
and counter currents, which have prob
ably been responsible for the many in
accurate attempts of experienced minds
in forecasting changes. The present
! flood has swept aside all previous
records in way of destruction to life and
. property Half million acres OF till
able land is now lying submerged, in
addition to other attendant features,
entailine loss of life, personal property
and public loss from the washing away
of miles of expensive levee work.
| Prof. Jackson has opened a private