The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-20
A Slight Rise in the Mississippi Means
Unparalleled Destruction.
RIVERS ABOVE MEMPHIS ARE RISING.
The Floods Now Partake OF the nature oi
aDeluge Hundreds Rescued and
Many Are Drowned-Property
ofAII Kinds Swept Away.


fifty miles below Caruthersyille, Mo.
A stretch Of country over one hundred
miles long from point seventy miles
uorth Of Memphis to a point fifty miles
south Of the Tennessee metropolis, IL
submerged ia places to the depth OF ten
feet.
The Fertile valleys Of Tennessee and Ar
kansas are completely inundated anu
many lives have been lost, ana STOCK
drowned, fencing and dwellings swept
away. inhabitants destitute and homeless.
and left to strave or drown by the re-
morseless rising tide.
TRIBUTARIES RISING.
Reports from tributary streams snow
rains and rapidly rising rivers, Hoods
from which will soon be emptied into the
Mississippi, adding 10 the danger when
hurled against the already weakened
lcyoes.
The levees are patrolled hourly by arm
ed and desperate men. provided with sand
bags. 20 strengthen weak places or 10
close threatened creyasses, and rifles TO
shoot down any miscreant who would
venture to cut the embankment and al
low the waters on his plantation to find
vent into the low lands OF his neighbor
The floods now partake OF the nature OF
a deluge. As far As the eye can see moth
ing but water meets the gaze.
Six hundred people were rescued yester-
day on the Arkansas side Of the river.
and taken to Memphis. but there are flood
districts so situated that relief boats cam
not reach the stricken ones.
on Island ~ one hundred sufferers and
considerable live stock were rescued by
steamer Itasca Neither man nor beast
had tasted food for over twenty-four
hours.
Human beings and helpless brutes are
huddled together. awaiting assistance an
along the Iron Mountain and Kansas city
! nd Fort Scott and Gulf tracks.
Five hundred people We're forced to fee
from the floods In Dyer and Ober coun-
ties. Tenn.
BREAKS IN LEVEEs.
The latest break in the levee system
IN this district occurred al o'clock this
| evening at Austin. Miss. a hundred
! miles south. Particulars are not avail
able.
Reports from other points I'm that sec
ton Indicate positive mistrust Of great
deal Of the system on the Mississippi
side. and other breaks are expected TO
occur az any moment.
All that money. engineering. and labor
can DO Is being oXcrted but the water
pressure is very great.
Tho break reported at Glendale. Miss,
! last night was to-day proved Incorrect,
| though t0-nighrs break is in that VI
cinity.
Tho Carruthorsyi'le Oo) break occurr-
| od about daylight yesterday morning ana
! last nisht there was also a break IN tie
towns second or protection lcyee. whicn
flooded the lower part of the town. The
main break was about fifty feet wide.
/ but has now grown 10 four hundred fett.
and sill widening No lives were lost
| there. so far as known. The conviction
40 Carruthersville is that the leyee was
cut in order 90 relieve pressure on the
Tennessee leveos.
The steamer city Of Oscoola arrived
! from above this afternoon. and reports
| the towns OF Ashport and Golddust on-
! uroly submerged. II brought sixty rcfu-
| gees whom it rescued from the water.
There were four additional cases OF
| drowning across from Memphis to-day
two men. a woman. and her infant.
on THE CUMBERLAND.
NASHVILLE. TENN. March lo.-The
| Cumberland river IS rising Rain fell
an day yesterday and last night and CON
tinuos 10 come down necessarily to-day
| There is prospect OF the greatest food
ON record The highest recorded water
in tine Cumberland river was IN ls>3.
when 30 registered So fcct-nine feet high
cr than nc present. The outlook IS that
This mark viii be eclipsed.
Much damage has already resulted from
| the 0vcrfowei low lands and more will
follow when the flood increases. Large
sections OF East Nashville have been un-
der water foc several days Tho river
is already climbing to the business houses
on Front street Boats are anchored 10
the side walks and the prospects are that
tho first ao0rs OF buildings will be SUBJ
merged.
Dispatches from the southern counties
or Tennessee and from northern Ala
bama report thlrty-six hours OF rain
fan and terrible floods I'm tho region.
Great damage has been done 10 bridges
and fences. Trains have stopped run
ming on the Nashville, Florence and
Sheffield railroad.
GOING TO HIGH-WATER MARK.
CAIRO. ILL. March 19.-rhe river here
rose four-tenths Of q foot IN twenty-four
hours. and the prospect IS that st will 80
90 high-Water mark. which IS 562 The
citizens have organized 10 be prepared 10
meet any emergency and watch the leeyos
around the city thoroughly.
4 large area OF wheat land has been
flooded I'm the nelghborhoOd OF CONNER
olal Point in this county. Until the
rise OF the heavy rains are over, predic-
tions of the extent Of the rise are inn
possible. Birds Point is entirely under
water and tile Cotton Belt and the Iron
Mountain trains cannot enter Cairo.
The steamer Mary Morton arrived from
the lower river this morning. reporting
the levecs intact from Osceola up, but
momentarily fearing a break. The
Morton rescued large number Of people
and live stock.
TRAFFIC. DELAYED.
LOUISVILLE. Ky, March ia dis
patch from Wicklfe. Ky. says that part
of the approach TO the Brisbes over the
Ohio at East Cairo KY. has been wash
ed away. Traffic on the Illinois Central
IS badly delayed. More damage is eX-
pectad. The river is rising here with
eighteen feet on the falls one and thirty
eight -hundreths inches Of rain has fallen
IN the past twenty-f0ur nours.
long LIST or FATALITIES.
GAVIN, ARK. March l9.-For many
miles the country Is flooded and the water
Is mp to the Iron Mountain tracks. Hun
drods OF section hands are striving 10
keep il back with dirt bags. At every
station the negroes are gathering waiting
10 be taken away. Many board the trains
and are carried without pay.
The list OF fatalities IS said 20 be long
and probably never will be known. VIII
liam Cartwright and william Cox. work
ing on Judge Hodges farm. at Rosebud
Island. lost their lives Thursday by the
unsetting OF "dug out" Jake Carty was
drowned at Gavin Thursday night from
the same cause. Amanda Chipman (col-
ored) lust arrived from below. reports the