The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-20
ITS EFFECT DISCOUNTED.
PEOPLE AND LIVE STOCK HAD
BEEN MOVED TO PLACES OF
SAFETY.
ADDS LARGELY TO DEsTrTUFIoN.
Serious Trouble Is Now Appre-
hended.

States engineer, has just received a
dispatch from the master of the steam
er Florence, ordered last night to Coons
Landing, La, to rescue flood sufferers
asking him to send him all skiffs OBJ
ta1nable by first steamer, as people
are drowning and cannot be reached
except by skiffs. Coons' Landing is
about thiTty-five miles from this city
and is being flooded by Biggs crevasse.
A dispatch arrived at midnight from
Ashwood, La, saying the water is
rushing rapidly into the swamps Of
Tensas parish, which are inaccessible
by steamer and this dispatch arouses
many apprehensions. SKiffs cannot be
sent tonight
Later A dispatch from the Valley
route operator at Hays, Miss, referring
to the foregoing, says the calamity at
Coons Landing Is due to a break in
the levee there, and that another has
occurred opposite Rodney. No details
have been received. Boats cannot be
sent before morning.
NATCHEZ, Miss, April 19-The first
break on the Concordia parish front
occurred when the Glasscock levee
gave way. This levee is about eighteen
miles below Natchez and is near the
lower end of the parish 1t is
an old levee and has received no
attention since 1891. There was large
force of men at work on lit Sunday,
raising and strengthening 1t. They
were working their way to the lower
end of it when suddenly the laborers
saw the muddy water begin to bubble
up at the lower end, and in less time
than 1T takes to tell 1t the seething
water tore a great hole through it.
After the break started it was impos-
sible to stop it, and work on the en-
bankment was ait once stopped The
water rushed through at a great rate
and began spreading out in the low
lands adjacent. The catastrophe was
not unexpected, and it's disastrous eff
fects were in a measure discounted.
all the stock and other perishable
property having been previously re-
moved The water from this break will
inundate the lower part of the parish
Of Mooreville down to Brabston, COW
ering a number of fine plantations, but
1t was expected that most Of this sec
ton would go under anyhow from
the overflow that will take place I'm
Black river from the Biggs crevasse
below Delta. 1t will entail vast
amount of suffering on the poor of the
neighborhOod, and relief will have to
be extended to them. This levee was
twelve feet in height and when the
crevasse occurred the water on the
front was between ten and twelve feet
nigh against 1t and four feet on the
back, while the fall of the water run
ming through it is from six to seven
rect. The break is near the old Bou-
gere creVasSe, through which the river
has been running, and the waters of
the two will mingle. Capt Derby, the
United States engineer in charge of
this district, and Assistant Engineer
Hardy went down to the break TODAY.
carrying fifty men with them for the
purpose Of trying to cite" the ends Of
the break. Tonight the crevasse is
reported to be from 800 to 1000 feet
wide and still caving.
NEW ORLEANS, La, April 19.-The
river has attained the nineteen-foot
stage. There are now several hundred
addluonal laborers engaged in
Strengthening the entertainments. and
all necessary vigilance is being exer-
cised by the local authorities. At the
Carrollton section of the parish levees
the greatest activity prevails Consfd-
cradle Inconvenience continues in the
handling of merchandise to boats and
depots, but all is being done that Is
possible to meet the emergency strain
The levees in Plaquemine parish are
reported as standing the pressure ex
cellently. On the right bank Of the
river, the levees are patrolled night
and day, and fascine work is being ex-
ecuted all along the line. The levees
are also being raised. All Of the rail-
roads entering the city are all assist
ing in the work Of protection. It can
be reiterated that though for a time
the local situation was certainly pro-
duct1ve Of apprehension, there is real
ly nothing critical about the condi-
ton. The levees during the past few
weeks have stood a fearful strain.
something in itself that is an admira
bic testimony as to their stability. and
with the extra precautions now being
taken there Is little foundation for an
impression that a break will occur.
Public sentiment clearly approves of
the actions Of the officials in charge
OF the levees in this city.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, April 19.-Another
break in the levee on the Louisiana
side is reported from a point twenty
miles below Natchez, Miss. The de-
tails at this writing are meagre and
the extent of the break cannot be
learned. The situation at Biggs, where
the water Is rushing through the Gre
vase in torrents is growing worse
Madison parish Is fast becoming in
undated and the water will extend to
other parishes, destroying thousands
of acres of newly planted crops. Vicks-
burg, NatcheZ and other river points
are crowded with refugees and every
thing possible Is being done to alleviate
the suffering of the poorer classes.
Calls for aid have been sent out from
sections Of the overlooked Mississippi
delta, and While the waters are SLOWLY
receding, the suffering and restitution
increase. The situation throughout
the delta tonight is about the same
as on yesterday. 1t was q beautiful
day in the flood stricken section, and
the planters hope that the waters will
be carried away in time to make q
good crop. At Memphis the river is
slowly falling and at Cairo a decided
fall is reported.