Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-04-08
THE HIGH WATER.
It Is Spreading Over Land That
Had Not Been Overlooked.
SITUATION APPALLING At FARGO.
Sidewalks Are AflOat and Being Used o.
Rats by People to Get to Dry Land
All Bridges Rendered
Unsafe.

MEMPHIS, Tenn, April THE fea-
ture of the food condition in the Mis-
sissippi delta now is the gradual spread
of water over an area that hitherto
was never overfowed. The upper
crevasse in Tunica county is 1000 feet
wide, and so great is the outpour that
water from below the break is being
drawn up to and hurled out over the
fertile valley through the crevasse
The supreme question is the duration
of the flood. If the lower levees along
Louisiana and southeast Arkansas
should hold, which it is believed they
will not do, the emptying of the delta
and St. Francis basin will be slow. If
they break and the river continues to
fall at Cairo, the upper st. Francis
basin and the delta will be clear Of
water by May s. If this should prove
true, there will be no difficulty in
growing cotton. At New Orleans the
levees are declared to be in as good
condition as could possibly be expect
ed, but the authorities are exercising
answering vigilance in the oversight
OF the earth embankments
At Cahoma, Miss, for while yester.
day the water rose two feet an hour
until all the low country was filed. 1t
is now over all but the very highest
places Many families have been
forced to leave their homes and move
into box cars furnished by the railroad
company. No fatalities have occurred
yet, but the work of rescuing will be
more dangerous as the water rises.
The railroad company will sustain loss
in bridges and track that are washing
literally off to the woods. Three
bridges within a mile of here have sue
cumbed to the flood One is gone and
two rendered useless Word was re-
ceived last night that the people be-
tween this place and Friar's Point
have lost everything they possessed
save their land, they being in main
current from the crevasse at Flower
lake.
SITUATION APPALLING AT FARGO.
FARGO, n. d., April THE situation
is appalling. While the Red river rose
only three inches last night the Big
Call west of this city took a big squirt,
and went up IA inches, flooding the en-
tire west side of town and driving hun
dreds of people from their homes. 1t
Is populous resident district and the
effect of the food is most forcibly felt.
All that part of the city south of Front
street is inundated. Six blocks of
Eighth street paving went out yes
terday morning, and the flood from
the west side Of town is so
high that paving on West Front
street is going out rapidly. Sidewalks
ire all atloat, and are being used as
rafts upon which families are moving
10 dry land. All along Front street
The water is within a few inches of the
loors of principal business houses, and
/ rise Of another foot would practically |
put the entire city afoat. The North
I'm Pacific people were afraid to use
,he bridge yesterday and passenger
rains were brought across from Moor.
head over the Great Northern bridge. |
Passengers were transferred and a
ipecial went west in the afternoon.
All bridges are condemned except the
treat Northern which is steel bridge
,ut in last spring. The waterworks
Vt the reserve station were compelled
o shut down, and pumps were started
Up and are doing all in their power
o supply the city. There is much suf-
ering among poor families, who have
,een practically destitute all winter,
md this last blow is most serious.
The relief committee, operated jointly
" the city council and county COM
established headquarters
yesterday morning and will take care
4 the poor. Sections Of this city that
10 one ever dreamed could be reached
" the food are now undar water and L