Birmingham state herald., 1897-04-04
HELENA NOW IN THE TOLLS
Waters Threaten to Break Over the Levee at That Point.
SITUATION AT NEW ORLEANS GLOOMY
Vessels Laden With Supplies Ready to Go to Breaks in Ievees Above the Crescent City-Memphis Sends Report by
 No Means Encouraging.

St. Louis, Mo-, April 3.-The local weather bureau today sent out sweep ing warning to all points on the Missis- sippi as far north as Keokuk, Iowa. It was stated that the river at St. Louis would continue to rise until the thirty foot gauge would be reached This point was expected to be attained by Sunday night.
 marked 2S7 feet.
 Heavy rain began falling shortly be- fore noon and continued for several hours, accompanied by, high wind.
 Several rain and thunder storms pre- vail throughout Missouri and southern Iowa. and these will swell the streams, which are now running bank full
 Telegrams to the Soripps- McRae Press association from various points are to the effect that the situation is growing worse.
 At Helena, Ark, rain has fallen heavily for nearly four hours, and al noon there was no indication of cessation. A slight break occurred in the levee this morning, but was quickly repaired
 At Little Rock rain falling at 3:3O o'clock this morning, and at noon was still coming down in torrents. The down. pour is the heaviest known in years, and caused considra ble damage to mer- chants in the lower part of the city Rail- road traffic from the north is badly de- layed.
 At New Orleans rain fell heavily in that city and north of there last night and this morning, swelling the levees.
 In the coures of an hour this morn ing five reports came that the city was threatened with breaks along the Gretna. AlQinrS n tr,o c+o were loaded with material to repair the threatened break. Every business house is preparing for the worst. An army of about two thousand are at work strengthening the levees in front of and above the city.
 St. Louis, April 3.-The river at this point continues to rise. All the river front is under water except a space of six blocks from Locust to Walnut street.
 The stretch of low ground beginning at Carr street and running north four miles to the Chain of Rocks and two miles wide is under water. Lumber yards in the Vicinity are in danger of being swept away. Losses have been materially re- duced by the warnings sent out by the government weather bureau. River men fear the Missouri more than they do the Mississippi
 Yesterday the former was rising slow ly, with indications that it would come 10 stand before night.
 Today's bulletins showed more water had fallen in that territory than had been estimated. The Osage and Cas- conda rivers rising in the Ozark moun- tains and subject to rapid and extreme fluctuations, had today overfiowed their banks and were reported rising.
 An evening paper prints thirty-three brief telegrams from as many points in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri Arkansas and Nebraska, and all note heavy rains and rising rivers since Friday morning. Railroad traffic here is not satisfactory. but is not in the paralyzed condition re- ported by some sensation vendors here. The Iron Mountain branch of the Mis- souri Pacific road, which was reported at standstill, is running trains on time