The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-04-03

MEMPHIS, Tenn, March 90, ITO a. m.
Message just in that a large break
has occurred in the levee at Wayside,
Miss, nine miles below Greenville.
The break is reported to be a bad one,
and in a section of levee high and re-
garded as measurably safe.
All Special Danger successfully Combatted.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, March 2S.-Another
day has passed with no break in the
levee system either above or below this
point, and tonight finds those most di-
rectly concerned in the stability of the
levees decidedly o confident in pre-
venting disaster.
The chief interest of the day CEN
tered at Helena, Ark, and Greenville,
Miss, and every hour at those places
was turned to hard work by the male
population, reinforced by hundreds of
volunteers, and at other shaky points
in the systems hundreds of convicts
have been kept busy. In this way the
chances are decidedly in favor of hsld-
ing the levee againstthe food pressure.
Maj. 7. G. Dabney, chief engineer of
the Yazoo-Mississippi levee board,
wires tonight that they. we sue
cessfully combatted all special danger
that has arisen so far and l feel more
assurance than heretofore that we will
pull through, though the pressure is
enormous along the lower 40 miles of
my line"
NJ. Gileas, assistant general superin-
tendent of the Valley line of the Hi
nois Central railroad, wires at ) p. ~:
Have just seen the Longwood levee
that was reported to have been broken.
The levee is yet intact and a large
force is raising it."
There are no new Developments OF an
important characterin the levees along
the Arkansas front. River here stands
36.3, a fall of one-tenth in "a hours.
The local weather bureau tonight
reports that the cyclonic disturbance
near Austin, Tex, this afternoon is
sweeping in the direction of the Missis-
sippi valley and will probably strike
tomorrow afternoon. bidding fair tc
create havoc with the ieveeS.
The Situation Growing Worse Hourly.
QUINCY, Ill, March 2S.-The Missis-
sippi continues to keep up its average
of the past week and marked another
rise of six inches to-day, bringing the
stage up to Is feet above lOw-water
mark. Reports from northern points
are very discouraging and the indica-
tions are that tomorrow will see an
other siS-inch rise. The situation is
growing worse hourly. Hundreds OF
families have been driven out of the
lowlands which are unprotected by
levees. The water has inundated
the Missouri bottoms for a dis
lance of seven miles back from
the river bank. Up in the levee
districts things look gloomy. AL
though the water has not yet reached
the top of the levee, a break is expected
at any time, and a big force of men are
working night and day to strengthen
the weak places. Another force is en-
gagged in patrolling the levee. The
damage already done by bic flood is
great, but will be nothing compared to
what it will do to the thousands of
acres of cultivated land between here
anu NdTSd" SllOull IA ' OlCohs
The Bohemian Flats Half Under Water.
ST.. PAUL, Mimi, March 2S.-The Bo-
hemian flats on the east side of the
Mississippi river are half under water
tonight and the residents nearest the
river have been forced to take to the
hills. The remainder of the residents
will remain up all night to watch the
rise of the river. The gauge shows
that the river had passed the ten-foot
mark shortly before ten o'clock this
morning and since that hour there
has been a steady but slow rise.
The ice has been going out all
day and gorged at the high bridge
at South st. Paul. AS it is thawing
very rapidly the gorged ice is becoming
rotten and will break away probably
during the night. Lake Pepin, the
arm of the Mississippi at Lake City, is
reported still solid, but is expected TO
break up during the next three days.
All the rivers to the north are rising.
Big Rains In Texas Make the Flood Worse
Than Before.
DALLAs, Lex, AldTCh So.-lhS pAk
rains that subsidized two.days ago broke
loose again last night and precipitated
q worse flood than before. All rail-
road traffic centering at Dallas is tied
up and much damage done. The
bridges on the Santa Fe south of Dali
las have been swept away and one on
the Missouri, Kansas & Texas. Rad
wash-outs are reported on other Inca
There are rumors of u cyclone ha~
ing passed over the country TO the
southwest of Dallas this evenip +, hui
confirmation is lacking.