The sun., 1897-04-18

feet deep and its 5000 laborcrs are scattered.
Thousands Of head of mules. horses, and
cattle have been lost, and added to all
this 10 the disaster Of last night. the
breaking Of the great wall OF earth at Biggs
which had 30 long withstood the angry waters
OF the Mississippi and protected the most valu-
able plantations and farms Of northeast Leuisl.
ana. The enormous volume of water rushing
through the crevasse Is increasing every hour,
and at dark the break was said to be fully 800
feet wide, with an average depth of eight feet.
The residents of the little town OF Delta, which
is Immediately opposite this city, little dreamed
as they retired last night that the alarm would
be sounded at midnight telling them of the great
danger that was upon them. Delta Is
virtually the eastern terminus of the Vicks.
burg. Shreveport and Pacific Railroad. At
z A. NJ the backwater from the break
had reached Delta, and at 10 A. NJ
was over the track of tho railroad and rising six
inches per hour. AT dark the little town and
every house in 1t was surrounded by water. The
ferry steamers between the city and Delta will
run all night to bring out the stock and resi-
dents of that city.
Many Of the finest plantations are already un-
der water. and the next forty eight hours will
SEQ much larger territory devastated. Over
1000 persons, white and black, have been added
to the largo number of refugees already in
Vicksburg In the last twenty-four hours. and at
least 1000 head of mules, horses, and cattle
have been driven from the Yazoo delta, Davis
Island. and tho Louisiana side. 1t 10 estimated
tonight that not less than 5000 refugees arc in
the city, nearly all OF them destitute.
Mayor Trowbridge received a telegram to-day
dered the shipment OF tents 10 rs Shelter eli % ZOO St
and SO far no Goyernmont aid has been forth ortS
coming. The relief work is being done
under the direction Of Wesley 0 Grayton. a
well-knOwn colored man. Four United States
steamers are operating from this point: The
comer's fleet and the steamers Megs and Flor
ence Of Major Wizards feet. They are all on
relief duty. Capt; 9. II, Clarke OF the Ordnance
to Visit the region from vicksbnrg to tRo n mouth
OF Red River, will 80 down on the steamer Megs
In the morning to visit Davis's Island and will
60 as far south as Natchoz. -,
levee, which broke last night, was ovor
eighteen feet high, but placed IN a most unfor-
tunate locality swamp stretching back Of IT
to be carried all this distance river sand used
In Its construction, which delayed work ON IL,
and when the present high water began the
A large force Of nearly 1000 was placed at
work upon II, of whom $50 were Louisiana State
conyicts. 1t became necessary to use whatever
and loam were used In tho construction OF the
lovee. the consequence being that 1t was weak.
It has given trouble from the start. Assistant
State Engineers Bolivar. Thompson, and Henry
fought for two weeks against desperate odds.
The leyee broke twice recently, melting away
before the river, but was saved on both occa-
the arduous labors and energy of the conviots.
For tho last few days there have been hopes OF
holding It, but when the river reached b2.6 feet