Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-03-28
SITUATION VERY CRITICAL.
LARGE AREAS LIE ON THE BORDER
OF DESTRUCTION.
Upper Mississippi Rising and Immi-
nent Danger Exists Along Its
Lower Course-Life and Death
Fight to Protect Levees,

Quincy, ILL.,, March "a flood crisis pre-
walls here tonight. At o'clock the Mis-
sissippi river passed the Il feet inch mark
and is still rising at the rate of one-third
of an inch per hour in spite Of the fact
that the river is from three to eight miles
wide above and below Quincy. Ferryboats
to-day moved a number of families and
droves of stock from Horizons island. which
Is now almost covered with water. The
residents on the opposite side of Quincy
bay were forced to abandon their homes.
Farmers have been fighting the rising wa
ters night and day OH 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
Greenviiie; Miss, March 2.--The citizens
of Greenville and surrounding country
abandoned their usual vocations to-day and
worked upon the levees, headed by Govern
OF MoLaurin. Railroad Commissioner ]: J.
Evans, Warden of the Penitentiary Walter
McLaurin and prominent railroad officers.
In response to q call from the governor
special trains were run over the Southern her
ley. carrying about 600 men. These forces
were divided into squads and put to work
Sose6 ana
body was put to work. The levees are in
tact all along the line on both sides Of the
river rive In this vicinity. but as the river Is
HI Helena, L ArS.. March N@The water is
rushing through the large crevasse a mile
and a half above Modoc with tremendous
force, tearing up trees and handling them
as if but small sticks. Considerable diff
Guilty Is being experienced in getting Ia
borers, but this morning Sheriff Burke and
several deputies took every man in sight
and forced them into service. Dinner was
served on the levee to-day. that no time
inches inches to.daY to- @ and III to-niSht Stands | at fifty @
feet, five feet above the danger line.
The plan of sending supplies to those
ans Instead Of more people
the city is proving satisfactory. The relief
work here In the city will be systematized
the negro refugees have already been guar
tered In Camp Congo, The rest win be
sn he and as soon
Every arrangement has been made for their
health and comfort.
the local weather bureau official says: The
river at st. Louis will reach about 23.5 feet
by Sunday morning and will then remain
nearly stationary for day or two. 1t now
The Missouri will fall and the Upper
Mississippi will continue to rise, a stage Of
14,6 feet being indicated at Hannibal for
Monday morning.
Memphis, Tenn, March 2I.-The gauge
at Memphis tonight registers 1854 feet, a
fall Of two-tenths of q foot. The condition
Is all the more favorable because the river
is falling above. The serious phase of the
situation has been transferred to Green
vile, Helena and points south. as the river
is slowly rising at these praces and great
alarm is manifested. The feeling in and
around Memphis Is more cheerful than at
any time since the distressing conditions
began to be felt. The members of the re-
lief committee still have their hands full
pi Cviding for the wants OF the refugees
lived through the relief stations estab-
iishd at several points along the river.
Vicksburg, Miss, March A.-The rise in
the river now seems the most serious dam
ger to the levees. being without a precedent
at this stage Of water. Latest reports
Vile. Miss, on both sides of the river are
that the levees are being held at all points.
A special from Lake Providence. La, COM
plains of the lack of tools and material, of
which large quantities, however, are now
en- route from this city. Its i Is hoped they they
more grave and a crisis seems near at
hand The people everywhere are display
ing the most devoted courage and en-
durance. The river here rose six-tenths
in the past twenty-four hours. Gauge at
Eairo. Ill. March 27.-The situation here
continues to improve. The gauge shows a
fall tonight of about an inch. 1t reads
51.0 feet tonight. The winds last night
were very severe on the levee in this neigh
borhood.
tressing. twenty-five or thirty Of the
houses there have been washed from their
foundations, and water stands from an
inch to FIVE feet deep in those that remain.
A large amount of the Cotton Belt tracks
has been washed away. and from seventy
five to 100 yards of the levee there is gone
This. however. works no harm to the
neighbcrhood. as the water stands on both
sides of the embankment.