River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-04-22
THE FLOOD SITUATION.
Mach Suffering Results from Breaks
an the Levee System.

IN the Levee system.
Vicksburg, Miss, April IL. - The
levee at Biggs, eHs miles below Delta,
La, broke At ten o'clock Friday night.
The creyasse was 100 feet wide 20 min
utes after il gave way. Delta is directly
opposite vicl1sburg.
Washington, April 17.-It is sug-
gested that a ten days supply of ra-
tions De sent at the earliest practicable
moment TO supply 1000 destitute per-
soDs and 100 head of stock in Quitman
cour.y. Miss, in which ID townships
are inundated; also for 5000 destitute
persons and 500 head IF stock in Goa
bona county where ~ townships are
flooded, for 5000 destitute persons and
600 live stock in Bolivar county, where
nine townships are Inundated. On the
Arkansas side it is reported there are
5000 destitute and 400 live stock in
Phillips aud Monroe counties requiring
assistance. Thirty TO 40 days is the
estimated period of time before labor
ers can 20 TO work in the inundated area.
Natchez, Miss, April 20.-1'he first
break in the Concordia parish front oc-
CURED on Sunday morning last, when
the Glasscock leyee gave way. This is
located about 2S miles below Natchez
and is near the lower end of the levee
system OF the parish. II is an old levee
and bias received no attention since 1891.
There was large force of men at work
on II, raising and strengthening it.
They were working their way TO the
nF ha 4 -
laborers saw the muddy water begin
TO bubble up at the lower end, and in
less time than it takes TO tell it the
seething water tore a great hole
through it. After the break started il
was impossible to stop il, and work
On the embankment was at once
stopped. The water rushed through
at great rate and began spreading out
in the low lands adjacent.
The catastrophe was not unexpected,
end its disastrous effects were in d
measure discounted by reason of all
the stock and other perishable proper
ty hsving been previously removed.
The water from the break will inun-
date the lower part of the parish of
Mooreville, down to BTabston. cover
ing number of fine plantations, but it
was expected that most of this Sec
ton would go under anyhow from the
overflow that will take place in Black
river from the Biggs creyasse below
Delta. 1t will entail vast amount of
suffering on the people of the neighbor-
hood and relief will have to be extended
TO them.
Memphis, Tenn, April 20.-The situa-
tion at Biggs, where the water is run
ming through the crcvasse in torrents.
is growing worse. Madison parish is
fsst becoming inundated and the water
will extend TO other parishes, destroy
ing thousands of acres of newly-planted
crops. Vicksburg. Natchcz and other
river points are crowded with refugees
and everything possible is being lone
to alleviate the suffering of the poorer
classes. Calls for aid have been sem
out from sections of the overflowecl
Mississippi delta, aud, while the waters
are slowly receding. the suffering and
restitution increases.
New Orleans, April 20.-The river has
attained the 19-foot stage. There arc
now several hundred additional labor
ers engaged in strengthening the nm
bankment and all necessary vigilance
is being exercised by the local authori-
ties. The levees are patrolled night and
day, and fascine work is being executed
all along the line. The levees are also
being raised.
Baker City, Ore, April 20.-Powder
river is higher than ever '<nown, and is
doing great damage. Only one bridge
remains in this city and If the warm
weather continues it will go out. The
Sumpter Valley railroad is Hooded for
miles and trains will not be running
for weeks. The northern residence por'
tion of the city is inundated.
Wellington. n. T., April 20.-The Ma
pier district of Hawkes. bay. IN the east
coast of the North island, rs suffering
from severe floods. Napier itself is al
most inundated. IL is estimated that
the damage will reach 100000. Twelve
persons have been drowned while try
ing TO effect the rescue of others
hemmed in by the waters.
builluts ION, Id. NpiIi t''-1 NC iNti
at Burlington is now eight miles wide
and extends over the low lands at Glad
stone, H.. 10 miles from Burlington.
The roadbed of the burlington system
has the appearance of a dyke, running
for miles through lake which extends
to the Illinois bluffs in the distance.
Omaha, Neb., April 19.--Tbe river is
not likely TO resume IT'S old channel a,
the foot OF the bluffs on the Nebraska,
side, as many have feared. II recedecl
three inches Sunday, but work on the
levees has not stopped. No lives have
bcen lost in the locality thus far. Sew
eral thousand dollars worth OF live
stock has persisted, however. The total
loss is estimated at from 100000 to
100000. The foundations of many of
the big buildings and perhaps of one
of the bridges are permanently inn
paircd