The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-16
HOMES UNDER WATER
Many Victims Of the Mississippi
Flood in Memphis.
PATHETIC TALES OF DEsTITUTIoN.

A Great Break In the Levee Near Nor
dsna, Ark, which Has Doubtless Re.
suited in Loss Of Lifo-wholesale de-
struction Of Live Stock.
Memphis, March 16.-The river has
broken all records, the gauge last night
registering 1854 feet. The rise contin-
ues at Cairo, New Orleans and all in
termediate points. News of the first
serious break in levees reached this
city yesterday. 1t occurred Saturday
near NordeHa, Ark, so miles above
Memphis. The river is raging through
the crevasse at a terrific rate, having
the tremendous fall of Is feet to give
it force and send 1t to deal death and
destruction In the lowlands of Missis-
sippi county Ark. There will be no
attempt to stop the break, as the st.
. Francis levee board has no boats or
workmen on the scene, and the people
are busy saving their lives and live
stock.
The break Is the more terrible be-
cause loss Of life will surely occur from
it, Indeed, the most sanguine of those
who know the conditions there do not
dare to hope that all the people in the
lowlands escaped from the flood when
II came upon them Saturday night
The levee which gave way is in front of
Mississippi county, and 1t Is thought
the water will almost, If not entirely,
cover that county.
The steamer City of Osceola passed
down a short time after the break oc-
CURED and rescued number of I'M
fortunate people. For miles and miles
to the west Of Memphis not home lie
habitable. On the overflowed land,
where the current is not strong 1t is
not difficult for the people to escape
with most of their household truck on
skiffs, dugouts or RATS, and the surface
of the water In every direction Is dot
ted with these little craft.
At Marion, Ark. the available
steamers fit for such duty have been
employed rescuing the flood victims.
and some of the sights that have been
met are truly pathetic. Down on the
levee are stored great stacks of goods
of all kinds, the household property Of
fugitive negroes or poor whites, and
there are great numbers of live stock,
horses and cattle that have been saved.
while still greater numbers have been
lost before relief could come.
When the first relief boat, the c. B.
Bryan, got to Marion there was great
rush on the part of the people, white
and black, to get aboard with their
property. Negroes had been standing
in the water with their stock for hours,
waiting for this moment. In Marion
there is not standing room for dozen
people that Is not now under water
except on the railroad. Up and down
the river very few signs of life are
manifested on any of the plantations,
and as there has been no means of
saving the stock 1t is certain that
nearly all has persisted.
Nearly all the refugees that are
brought to this city are totally with
out means. Many of them slept on the
levee last night, while others found
temporary accommodations at the
homes of friends in the city. A hun
dred citizens Of Memphis got together
and devised means to send relief boats
to the overlooked district, and to fur
nish support to the flood victims when
they are brought to this city from the
surrounding country,
1t Is reported this morning that five
persons living on Four Mile bayou,
near Marion, Ark, were drowned in
the flood yesterday. At West Mem
phis yesterday afternoon Jake Carter.
coored, and child were swept away by
the torrent, and both persisted.