The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-30
THE FLOOD AT a CRISIS.
SEEMS NOW TO BE GENUINE
CAUSE OF ALARM.
Solid Line of Ievees Breaking ard Ris-
ing Waters Rushing Through
500 Yards Crevasses,

800 Yards Crevasses,
Memphis, Tenn, March 29.-Tbe food
| situation In the city OF Greenville. Miss
Ia alarming The reported break NJ Wov'
side, nine miles south of that CITY. Ia mi.
| ly confirmed and the latest reports are
| 10 the effect that the water Ia nouriny
through crevasse 500 yards in width
with tremendous force. A telegram from
Perthshirc. forty-eight miles north of
Gresnvile. md Immediately at the head
| OF the fertile Yazoo Delta, states that n
| break has occurred In the man ievee
Just how serious this break Ia the tcle-
| gram does not state, but special trains
loaded with laborers and sacks of sand
| have been hnrriedly despatched to this
scene. If the break at Perthshire as
| sumes anything like the dimen-
| sions OF the crevasse at Way
| side, the destruction will be euor-
nous. Ten thousand men line the levees
between Memphis and Vicksburg watch
Ing and working. The warnings Of the
Weather Bureau from Washington last
night is having it's effect. Many of the
| inhabitants of the Delta have taken their
| animals to high places and moved their
families out Of dangers reach. The stu
alton at Memphis is about the same as
ON yesterday. The river continues to
| fall slowly, the gauge tonight registering
1862 feet A despatch from Gunnison,
Miss, says that a break in the levee is
monentarily expected at Sunnyside, but
it is thought this catastrophe can be
averted II $50 men and material could be
had at once. Accordingly 100 white
men were despatched on a special train
from this city to the scene. The negroes
at Camp Congo were offered one dollar
per day and all expenses to lend a help
ing hand, but with one exception the Of
fer was refused.
A CRISIS PREVAILS.
Quincy, ILL.,, March ga food crisis
prevails here tonight. At 6 O'Clock the
Mississippi passed the IA feet 8 inches
mark, and is still rising at the rate OF
one-third OF an inch an hour in spite of
the fact that the river from three to
eight miles wide, Is above and below
Quincy. Ferry boats to-day moved a
number Of families and droves Of stock
from Horizons Island, which is now al
most covered with water. The residents
Of the opposite side Of Quincy bay were
forced to abandon their homes, farmers
having been fighting the rising waters
night and day on the levees north of
town. 1t is feared that all the levees
will go by the board tomorrow unless
the rise ceases. The first break in the
levees will mean the flooding of thousands
Of acres Of valuable farming lands.
TEARING UP TREES.
Helena, Ark, March 29.-The water is
rushing through the large crevasses q
mile and a half below Modoc with ire
mendous force, tearing up trees and
handling them as if they were small
sticks. Considerable difficulty is being
experienced in getting laborers, but this
morning Sheriff Burke and several depu-
ties took every man in sight and forced
them into service. Dinner was served on
the levee to-day. The river has risen
two inches to-day, and tonight stands at
SOB feet above the danger line.
SIX CHILDREN DROWNED.
Seneca, Kans., March 29.-Six child
rem of John McGrath, a farmer residing
in the northwestern part of Nemeha
county, were drowned near their homes
Sunday evening while attempting to ford
Pole creek. which is running bank fulE
The six children, with their mother, were
riding in heavy lumber wagon. A four
teen year old boy was driving, turned
the team into the swollen stream at
point where the family had been aceuts-
toned to fordinG The wagon was over
turned, and it's occupants swept away on
the raging torrent. The mother man
aged to reach the bank and saved her
self, but her children, ranging In ages
from the fourteen year old boy to q
babe months, were drowned. At last
reports only two OF the six bodies had
been recovered:
MOST CRITICAL DAY.
Helena, Ark, March 29.-To-day has
been the most critical day in the history
Of the city. The river has been, steadily
rising, and stands tonight SOS feet.
All night long the wind blew and the
waves beat upon the levee and eager
hands piled sacks of dirt where breaches
were showing. 1t was a gallant fight,
and it lsft everybody exhausted. This
morning the mayor issued proclamation
reciting the desperate circumstances sur
rounding the city, and requesting all
stores to be closed and all able bodied,
men be sent TO the front. The proclama-
ton met with a hearty response. and iR
few minutes several hundred fresh
men, with spades in their hands, were
taking the places of the. tired men who
had labored all night.
Tonight the wind has abated some
what, but the work Of watching and
working goes on. The government boat
Titan arrived at ten o'clock this morning
with 81 refugees from Knowlton. Capt.
Nolty of the Titan, reports another big
break about 800 yards above Wood Cot
tage landing. which is mile and half