Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1897-04-24
ANOTHER BREAK.
Issaquena County, Miss, Covered
by q Ponderous Torrent.
ENORMOUS LOSSES BY The FLOOD.
New Orleans People Camping Out and
Watching the Weak Places on the
River-Pitiable Condition OF
Farmers In Illinois.

GREENvrLLE, Miss, April 22.-At $3.50
o'clock yesterday morning the dread
full alarm cry Of ''levee broke" was re-
peated for the sixth time in the Yazoo-
Mississippi delta, when the huge
is-foot levee ut Shipland land
ing, Issaquena county, suddenly
crumbled away, letting in, with n
mighty rush and roar, the ponderous
torrent of the great river. Shipland
is on the Promised Land plantation,
about two miles below Lake Provi-
dence, La. At the time Of the break,
bacl-water from the upper Gre
vases was already against the levee ten
or IL inches deep, and many high places
around were still uncovered. Many
fine plantations, upon which partial
crops might have been made, must
now share the fate of the rest, and In
all of lower Issaquena, Sharkey and
Yazoo counties, where there was u
foot Of water before, there will now
be three feet or more. Places which
have heretofore been Ravens of refuge
for live stock and human beings will
now have TO be abandoned, and
in few days there will scarcely
be dry spot in all the country
south of this break and between the
levees and the Yazoo rizer Whether
there will be life lost in the region AZ
fected depends upon the question,
whether the people are provided with
boats. In addition to the disastrous
local consequences it will also have the
effect of raising the water in fazoo
river and keeping that stream up nj
its mouth to such an extent rs to re-
tard the outflow of flood water in the
upper delta country.
FLOOD LOSSES ENORMOUS.
WASHINGTON, April aa.-The agricul-
tural department has issued state
ment concerning the overlooked dis
tricts along the Mississippi. 1t shows
that the total area submerged ut this
date is over 10000 square miles. 1t
contained ut the last census 46,935
farms, with total area OF 4,9o4, 4do
acres, nearly one-half Of which was
improved, and total population, agri'
cultural and other, of 4C2,04l. II, to
the value of its farms, farm buildings
and farm machinery, according to the
census of 1890, there be added the
value of its live stock on January
last $50, ia $3.50, and Of its products
of last season still on hand on March
last ia, 595, 1917, the total of 500, no.
1T will represent the approximate
value of the agricultural property Of
the submerged region. Among the
products of this region last year were
I60, O5G bales of cotton, worth SlO,3ls,'
O0O; la.5a5, 645 bushels of corn, worth
81, 995, a7s, and 0, 033, s7s pounds OF sugar
worth s27l, OlG. The total production,
including minor crops, represents
value of SCI. ISL, $50 on the plantation.
WATCHING THE WEAK SPOTS.
NEW ORLEANS, April @.-Thc work
of the past is us nothing to that gong
ON now. Planters and farmers, labor
ers and merchants have abandoned
everything else and are camping on
the weak spots, nursing them will
tender care and holding them against
a weight and a mass OF water which
is almost inconceivable. More
material is going out now thar
ever before and the activity Is super
human. Miles of new work OF DO,
leyees, of piles of filed sacks and cartt
have sprung up in every section. Kali
roads are carrying men and materia
free and no money has been spared oy
the levee board or the people. Still
the new work is but temporary, only
calculated to hold the flood from cross
ing the levce line and when the waite
falls nearly the entire system vii
need substantial repair, II not rebuild
ing.
pIrIrUI. CONDITION OF BOTTOM FARMERS
QUINCY, ILL.,, April ss.-The Missis
sippi river Mt this point is steadil:
rising. The steamer Harry Hocl
rescued six families whose homes II
the bottoms north Of the city wer
surrounded by water. At Waf
saw, ILL.,, the Mississippi has passed tn
ls-foot mark, and people are now iea'
ing portions of the districts protects
| by the levee. At Keithsburg, Ill, tn
river is now ut its highest point TO
several years and the condition OF tn
bottom and island farmers is pitiful.
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