The new North-west., 1897-04-02
TEN THOUSAND MEN
AN ARMY or WORKERS ON rIrYn
MISSISSIPPI LEyEEs.
angry Waters Are Pouring Through
Number of Crevnsses-Hours
of Intense Anxiety.

I Memphis, March 29.-The river situation
| IN the vicinity of Greenville, Miss. is
| alarming. The reported break at Maysifie.
| nine miles sourn or that city. is fully con-
| Iia!ned, and the latest reports are to the
eHect that water is pouring through a
| crevasse 800 yards in width with tremen-
| ouo u iorce. But the most startling news
| .eiehed memphis at o'clock this even
| ing. A telegram from Porthshire As miles
north of Greenville, states that a break
mas occurred in the main levee there
several trains loaded with lumber and
SACKS OF sand have been hurried by de-
spatch to the scene. If the break at
Perthshire assumes anything like the pro-
portions OF the crevasse at Mayside the
destruction will be enormous.
Zen thousand men line the levees be-
tween Memphis and Vicksburg, watching
ana working with a desperation most pit
iaple. Many of the inhabitants of the
delta have corralled their animals on
nlgh strips Of land and moved their fam
mes out OF dangers reach. The river
at memphis continues to fall slowly, the
gauge tonight registering 36.2 feet.
A dispatch from Gunnison, Miss, says
that break in the levee is momentarily
expected at Sunnyside. One hundred
white men We're dispatched on special
train from this city to the scene. The
negroes at Camp Congo were offered a
dollar day and all expenses to lend a
helping hand, but with one exception the
offer was refused. There is much indig-
nation among the citizens at this action
of the negro refugees.
Bringing in Refugees.
Helena, Ark, March 29.-Today has
been the most critical day in the history
of the city The river has been steadily
rising, and stands tonight at sos feet.
Tonight the wind was abated somewhat
but watching and working still goes on.
The government rescue boat Titan arriv-
mr.
refugees from Knowlton Captain Nolty
of the Titan reports another break about
300 yards from Wood Cottage landing,
which is a mile and half above Knowl-
ton This break floods the entire county,
and as that section is more thiclSly set
tied than Modoc Avenue front, the loss
and suffering will be greater.
The levee at Knowlton is also in dan
ger and Captain Nolty adheres to his
opinion that it will go to pieces from there
circle levee will crumble to pieces.
Washington, March 29.-Co1onel Giles
pie. president of the Mississippi commits
sion. has telegraphed General Wilson,
chief of engineers, from Vicksburg, un-
der date of yesterday:
Gauges along the river from Mem
phs to Vicksburg give flood readings
varying from one and one-third to three
feet above any previously recorded read
ings. The feeling everywhere is one of
uneasiness. All the state levee boards are
battling against the rising floods, regard
less of cost. AS yet no widely spread
damage has been reported. though sever
al breaks in levees above Greenville. on
both banks, have occurred. Levees are
seriously strained at all points,
Greenville, Miss, March 29.--A crevasse
occurred last night in Lake Leo, seven
miles south of Greenvlle, on the Missis-
sippi side, through which an immense
volume Of water is pouring into the
Black and Steele bayou country. The
opening is 500 feet wide Unless it can
be stopped which is highly improbable,
all the country west of Deer Creek and
the most prosperous part of the Delta
will be overtiowed south of the Yazoo riv-
er. This break relieved the pressure
somewhat on the Greenville front.
Jackson, Miss, March ga late dis
patch from Greenville, dated p. M, says
the break at Lake Leo is now 600 feet
wide, and widening. All hope of closing
the crevasse has been abandoned. The
levee along the Greenville front is still
holding, and a superhuman effort is be-
ing made to keep it intact. The wealth
er conditions are very unfavorable, the
rain now coming down in torrents