The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-03-22
RAGING OF WATERS.
kiver Failing at Memphis. but the
Danger Is Not Over.
MANY BREAKS MADE IN THE LEVEES.
Hush OF Waters Through Creyasses
Heard for Miles.
RISING SOUTH OF VICKSBURG.
AMY BREAKS MADE IN THE LEvEES.
RISING SOUTH OF vICKsBuRG.
The Work of Rescue Goes On-vic-
Tins In n Dcplorablc Condition.
Traffic Almost Suspended.

! Memphis, Tenn, March 81 .--Tonight for
the first time In several weeks the Mlsis-
sippi river is reported falling at Memphis.
the gauge reading 81 feet against 81 at
| I o'clock this morning. Several breaks
In the river are known to have occurred be-
tween Osceola, Ark, and Memphis, and the
| fall of the river here is attributed to these
| crcvasses The break at San Souci is Wild
ening. and the mad rush of the waters
through the opening can be heard for miles.
Three additional breaks all near san
Souci, are reported today and the suffer
ing of the people In Eastern Arkansas Will
surely be greatly intensified.
The conditions Of the leyees south OF
Memphis are about the same as yesterday.
a dispatch from Vicksburg says that the
reported break at Modoc. near Helena, is
confirmed by officers OF the steamer state
Of Kansas, which passed there last even
ing. and by dispatches received at Vicks-
burg. The leyee at Modoc has been con-
sidercd In a hopeless condition for several
days. The water will run into White river
very fast and find It's way back into the
Mississippi In day or two. Levee men
| Say lut Will pc ulcItly
but a decline ia reported of two inches
along the Cohoma county Mississippi icyee,
where the struggle against the high water
has been most desperate. The Kansas also
reports breaks lower down. but these are
probably protection levees. The officers
Of the Kansas say that the scenes at night
along the shore OF the big river from Mem
phis south everywhere show the general
| a..
and guards and inspectors are covering
every inch Of the territory. The river at
Nicksburg has risen three inches since
q. M. and tonight registers 4o.4
At Greenville the river continues to rise
rapidly. and a stage OF IS feet may be eS-
pected before April II the levees remain
| intact. The break last night at Modoc
lowered the water along the front OF Friars'
Point about five inches. but gave no relief
to lives and property below the mouth tf
the Arkansas river. as the water from one
creyasses will find its way back into the
Father Of waters through the White and
| Arkansas rivers, swelling those streams
far above the danger line.
| The river continues to rise at all points
south of Ncksburg. The railway sltua-
ton at Memphis Is somewhat better to-
night. The Mississippi Valley sent It's train
south to New Orleans tonight, tho track
between Memphis and Lakcview having
been raised above the water level. The H.
linos Central south, and the Kansas City.
Memphis and birmingham, east, are run
| ming on time.
The Memphis and Charleston and Nash
Vile. Chattanooga and ST. Louis roads are
moving local passenger trains, but the for
mer can not 70 beyond the Big iIatchie
river while the latter road can not cross
the Tennessee Railroad communication
with the Nashville Is entirely cut of.
The Iron Mountain tracks on the west side
are still above water. and all roads enter
ing the city from that direction are NOV
ing passenger trains over the Iron Noun
tain tracks. over in Arkansas the town OF
! Marion is In bad condition. All the houses
, are surrounded by water, and the whole
face of the earth Is submerged, except here
and there small Indian mound that Is
above water. There are many breaks In
the levee or places where water runs over
tho leyee like "A mill race The water Is
also pouring over the Kansas City railway
at three places In the town Of Marion and
Dosslbly at more Al these places the cur
rent is exceedingly rapid and the waves
roll and dash ten feet high No further
loss Of lives Is reported today.
/ II is hourly expected that tho levee az
I.uxora will break,
The high waters caused by the breaking
: of the lcvoe al Osceola Will reach from the
NtssissiDpi river to Big Lake and VIII
I'M the St. Francis BASIN In the houses
} the water is already from two to fifteen
r feet deep The most Of the live stock In
this district will surely perish. No deaths
have vet been reported. but the people Will
| suffer Immensely peiore the iiVou re-
cedes.
The government boat Itasca returned to-
dav from Island Forty with two barges
heavily loaded with live stock. There were
about thirty flood refugees on beard All
the inhabitants OF Island Forty have now
l. -. l.1a L. Alatn
The tasca found the few people who re-
NAMED on the island in fearful condition,
some Of them having been In the water
for several days No deaths reported
The Hardin made another trip down the
. river as far as Horn Lake and returned
IN the city with 100 persons and a large
number Of horses and cattle on board. AT
Four Mile Bayou quite number OF negroes
were rescued They were all In the usual
dlIpidated condition. yawl was dispatched
Ia the Illinois Central tracks near Horn
Lake where a large number OF negroes
were reported to have taken refuge per-
feet swarm OF negroes were found along
tho tracks. They were shooting craps ana
J having good time generally, and ex-
dressed no desire 10 leave the railroad
presidents Island has been depopulated by
The resouing boats and the inhabitants are
now in this city.
The Law Patton left for Lambetbyllle,
which Is situated twenty-five. miles up
the river today. The Patton carried some
tbarres up In order to rescue stock The
current is so swift over the banks OF Old
river that a steamboat can not enter the
fields beyond The barges will be let down
over the Central road. To-day 1900 Mem
phlans went on excursions 10 view the
river. which is four 10 five miles wide at
this point. ..
There is probably not man more Ia
miliar with the country back OF the leyee
than Captain Pharr. chief engineer OF the
81 Francis ievec board. and yesterday be
said that he was sure that the water from
the various breaks In the system had
hooded ,440 900 acres OF land. He based his
calculations on the amount Of land In the
district subject IN taxes for the leyee sys-