, 1897-04-05
ON The MISSISSIPPI.
THE FATHER OF WATERS is
SLOWLY RISING AT NEW
ORLEANS.
Levees at Helen. Ark, After a Long
Fight, Have Gone to Pieces-The
Loss to the Surrounding Country
Will be Something Enormous
Large Quantities OF Corn Ruined.

Loss to the surrounding country
Will be Something Enormous
Large Quantities OF Corn Ruined.
New Orleans, April 4.-The river here
is slowly rising. Today's guage regis
tered 1T, one-tenth Of E. foot above the
figure Of yesterday. Along the entire
river front OF the Crescent City the vigil
lance OF the authorities has not relaxed,
though all the levees are apparently in
splendid condition and are able to stand
considerable pressure yet.
Reports from Greenville, Miss, state
that the Sunday was gloriously fine, but
the inhabitants of the town were very
naturally in a very depressed state OF
mind. Skiffs and water crafts OF all
sorts are much in demand and some OF
the young people, with the levity that
often with youth, are making
merry with boating parties, even in the
presence of so great a disaster. The
TlNCf NJ 1TttutlllC 10 tlblA6 blO~Iy, UuN
the rise OF back water is heavy.
The most serious crevasse that has
in the Yazoo delta levee district
was reported this morning in 1unica
county, six miles below Austin, near
Flower lake. Austin Is the county seat
OF Tunica county. Disastrous conse-
quences will follow in its wake. affect
ing. as IL does. a superbly fertile stretch
of territory from Memphis bluffs to the
Yazoo river and from the hill lands of
Carroll county to the Mississippi river.
Coshoma county, Sunfiower, Holmes and
T%allahatchie counties will be affected by
this break and the water will sweep
acres of land now planted in cotton and
corn.
From Natchez, Miss, where last night
the river was stationery. comes the re-
port that the water Ia on the rise, mark
ing an upward change OF a tenth OF a
foot In the "a hours up to 4 o'clock this
afternoon. The levees are holding out
well. The levees at Helena, Ark. are
reported breaking. The following is
from that point:
THE expected has occurred. After
weary days and nights OF watching
working and waiting. after fighting the
floods from without, the wind and rains
from above. and the deep water and back
water from behind. u levees have gone
to pieces. This morning at Z O'Clock the
Williamson levee, two miles below this
city. gave way at a point 1000 feet north
Of Long lake levee.
I'm an in%conceivable short time. the
crevasse was $50 feet wide. AT first It
was confined to q depth OF about three
feet. which is the height Of the super
fetal crown, but gradually 1t wore away
the main levee and is now running
through to a depth of IS feet, the full
depth Of the original levee.
1.-THE Long lake levee is in great dan,
ger. It has a base Of about 300 feet and
Is 40 feet high. 1t corresponds in size
and Importance with the Yazoo pass
levee. which is nearly opposite 1t. II
this levee should go II would p%recipitate
a prodigious volume Of water on the
rich plantations along Long lake. AS it
is, the loss is stupendous.
at is safe to say that over 10000 bush
els Of corn In cribs are lost and dam
oroA ku khio bronL In addition 70 Tho
great loss Of cotton seed. hay, etc. With
the exception of two mules and several
head Of cattle, no loss OF stock lie SO far
reported.
The only loss of life reported is the
6-year-old child Of Luke and Missouri
Nancy, respected colored people. living
on the Straub place, just below William
son. This occurred a short time after
the break was reported.
The relief steamer Titan. owned by
the government, went back to the VIII,
hanson store just below the break, and
brought up 90 souls from that and the
neighboring plantations, all Of whom
were taken In charge by Chairman But
Ter Of the relief committee. They will
be Quarterad In the colored Knights Of
Pythias hall tontght;and tomorrow they
will swell the population Of Camp Black.
They were fed b. the committee to.
night. ~ they had no time to ave any
thing. Ono mar who lived Immediately
In frnnt ~ thA hrnnL ~rf NJ ~th> ~~A