The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-03-18
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER GAUGE
AT MEMPHIS REGISTERS
35.7 FEET.
THE LEVEE GAVE way At MARION
And the Little Village and Surrounding
Country is Inundated Inhabitants
Seek Safety-The Situation is
Quite Alarming.

Memphis, March 13.-Tonight at Mem
phis the Mississippi river has reached the
highest mark since the establishment of
the weather bureau. The gauge registers
1871 feet, and the water is creeping up
slowly but surely. The river reached its
previous highest record on March 14-17,
1880, when the gauge marked 1856.
News reached Memphis today of the
breaking of the levee last night at Ma
rion, Ark, and the consequent inundation
of that little city and all the surrounding
country. ....
The waters have swept over the coun-
try for miles around further than the eye
can reach. In the town of Marion the
water is about three feet deep, and the
inhabitants are not lingering to take a
last look at their household goods, but
are leaving summarily, although the
houses at this point are not considered
to be in any very immediate danger Of
being transferred into floating RATS.
Much destruction of stock is reported,
!. but there is yet great deal which can
ssbe saved, and every effort will be made
to do this.
At Presidents Island all the stock is de-
stroyed, except twenty-five horses, and at
Hen and Chicken islands the destruction
of stocks has been equally great. The
steamer G. B. Bryan left today on spe-
cial trip to gather up all the stock which
is yet alive at these and other inundated
localities.
The news of the disaster at Marion was
brought by the steamer Bryan. j. A.
Couch, clerk of the boat gave graphic
account to a reporter of the spectacle
presented by the waste of waters over the
country between Memphis and Marion. as
seen from the decks of the steamer. The
Neely plantation, Mound City, is one vast
eXpanse of water, while the houses which
once occupied terra firma on this prop
erty have been swept away and are float
ing about on the surface of the flood. The
inhabitants have taken themselves to
boats and improvised RATS and are max
ing haste to shake the dampness off their
heels in dryer quarters.
In the neighborhood of Mound City the
houses are also afoat and the people have
abandoned them and taken to boats and
many other water vehicles. The clerk of
the boat said he saw one man roosting in
a tree, with his cook stove, on which he
was trying to cook breakfast.
The river rose .O6 of a foot during the
twenty-four hours ending at 8 o'clock
this morning, the gauge at that hour in
dicating 1913 feet. The forecast of the
weather bureau tells of a continued rise
here.
At Helena the river was 435 feet high,
a rise of .05 of foot, and 6.5 feet above
danger line.
- AT Vicksburg rise of .06 of foot,
n tnd 6.5 feet above the danger line, has
4 Brought the river to Al feet The river
continues to rise slowly at points below
\ Vicksburg.
The Cumberland river at Nashville
= has risen 81 feet within the last twenty
four hours, the gauge showing 1866 feet,
with the danger line at 40 feet.
At Chattanooga the Tennessee river
has passed the danger line, rise of Ga
feet being recorded in the twenty-four
hours ending this morning, when the
gauge indicated $40 feet, the danger line
being SO feet.
The railroads are beginning to feel the
effects of the big overflow. The Little
Rock and Memphis abandoned its night
trains tonight, not caring to risk carry
ing passengers under such circumstances.
officials of all roads entering the city
from the west side are doing all in their
powers to protect the roadbed.