The herald., 1897-04-03
ALARMING
MESSAGES
From Workers Along the
LeveeS
WATER RISING PITILESSLY
NARROWING SCENES CAUSED
BY THE FLOODS
Cattle and People Crowded on the
Levees While Breaks Are to Be
Expected Momentarily

Associated Press Special Wire.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, April 2.-The flood
situation has once more become acute
from a point a few miles above Austin,
Miss, as far down as the first break at
Perthshire, Miss. Another crevasse in
this line of levees would not be surpris-
in, The pressure on the levee is brought
about by the waters of the st. Francis
basin, which are here congested between
the levees in front of Helena. There is
no levee on the Arkansas down to Sans
Souci to a point above Helena, dis
tance of 100 miles, and it Is at Austin
that the levee system on each side OF
the river begins and goes to the passes
below New Orleans. The water is now
so high in the St. Francis basin that the
current rushes from the west and cuts
several alarming kilograms have been
received from Austin today.
Boats have been requested to run on
slow bells and laborers are constantly
strengthening the embankments. A
crevasee at Austin would inundate a
strip Of fertile country in Tunica and
Coahuma counties twenty miles wide
and sixty miles long.
Reports from Helena, Ark, show that
the river there is still slowly rising, and
1t Is almost miraculous that the levees at
Helena have not broken. Thousands of
people have been working day and night
and their energy is seemingly exhaust
less. The Missouri Pacific and Cotton
Belt roads have rushed trainload after
trainIoad of sacks into the beleaguered
city and still stand ready to help the
Helena people. The railroads have rem
dered great assistance to the levee
boards. The Illinois Central, Missouri
Pacific and Cotton Belt railroads have
devoted all their great forces to the work
of saving the country, and that without
charge.
Greenville Is on an island and Rose
dale, Miss, is in water from five to ten
feet deep. The funds of bank in Rose
dale have been moved to the second
story. Thousands Of head Of cattle are
standing on the levee. and many unfor-
tunate refugees sleep there with no COW
ering to protect them from the water
soaked winds Of night. Back Of Rose
dale and Throughout the lower and middle
delta country everything is under water.
In many villages communication with
the outside world has been cut off for
several days. The threatened rise at
Cairo is now certainty.
The Mississippi above Cairo and the
Cumberland and Tennessee rivers will
send a great flood into the already filled
st. Francis, and from Carlo to Memphis
it is feared that the deluge will mark
high water figure that will be without
precedent.
At Memphis the river is falling to-
night, the gauge reading 1868 feet, fall
of one-tenth of foot since last night.
The calls for assistance from numerous
more and more frequent at the head
quarters of the relief committee in
points along the river are becoming
Memphis. The committee is in receipt
OF Information that there are some 18
or 20 white people, principally women
and children, In great distress at point
near ST. Clair's Landing, about Is miles
up the river and some six miles from
Mound City. They are located In houses,
the lower floors of which are overfiowed,
and they have no food and no means of
obtaining IT, Arrangements were made
to send supplies.
EFFECTS OF RAIN.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-. April 2-The heavy
rains Of the past two days are having
an effect on the streams tributary to the
Mississippi and Missouri rivers in Iowa.
Illinois, Missouri and Kansas. AS
result, they are pouring torrents into
these mighty waterways and flooding
the lowlands through which they flow,
causing considerable damage, but. as far
as known. no casualties.
Weather Observer Frankenfield today
warned people on this side Of the river
and in East st. Louis, whose places are
in danger Of being flooded. that the dan
ger line Will be reached within the next
4S hours. Additional warnings were also
sent to Clarksville, Canton, Lagrange
ard Louisiana. Mo-. and Quincy and
Grafton, ILL.,, apprising them of the ex-
pected rise.
Mr.. Frankenfield says the two points
where the greatest danger will exist for
the next "a hours are Hannibal. Mo-, and
Quincy, Ill.
Railroads running west and south
were in much better shape today than on
Thursday Two trains were dispatched
from here over the Iron Mountain, but
none was due to arrive before late this
afternoon.
The Missouri, Kansasand Texas trains
and those on the Mobile and Ohio aro OIL
late. but they are getting through. Great
care is being taken, for the tracks are
under water at many points
At Alton, ILL.,, the Mississippi river has
risen 81 inches during the past "a hours
and ID now above the danger line. River
men predict a further rise of feet,
which would cause great damage.
IN NEBRASKA
OMAHA. April A. A special to the
Bee from Woonsocket, s. D.. says: This
taNp aIthevGh eight miles from running