The age-herald., 1900-04-24
If the Crash Comes Fearful Des-
 truction Will Follow.
THE HEAVIEST TEST TONIGHT
Officials of the L. & N. Are Hard at Work in the Waters-Situationl at Merrill on Pascagoula
 is Improved

Mobile, Ala. April 23.-A heroic fight is going on at Scranton and Moss Point by railroad and lumbermen to save the large property interests in that locality. The Louisville and Nashville railroad men, headed by General Manager Metcalfe and Superintendent Marshall, are working like beavers trying to hold the track against the flood Both Metcalfe and Marshall are in the thick of 1t like common laborers, inspiring their men to great exertion.
 The logs and drift wood coming down on the flood have to be guided between the bents of the trestle and pushed away wher- ever they lodge. Then the work of re- building the bridge at the break is at hand, the material is gathered and the forces already engaged in the prelimi- nary work. It Is understood that the work will be rushed and a temporary bridge thrown across the gap made by the loss of the three spans of the iron bridge.
 If nothing untoward happens the road ought to be in working order by Friday. There is great danger, however, that the Scranton bridge, two miles east Of the west Pascaguola bridge, may go All de- pends upon whether the big log boom at Moss Point holds or not. There are one hundred and fifty thousand logs in that boom. It extends nine miles upstream. and is five and six logs deep. It is held by steel cables, but the fear Is that the trees to which the cables are fastened will not stand the strain. Tonight is the heaviest test. the water being now at it's highest point. running abou twelve miles an hour and in great volume
 The value of the logs is up in the millions,
 
 & Co.,; Patterson, Downing & Co.,, of Mo- bile; and the Dantzler Lumber company, of Moss Point.
 Transfer Boats Can't be Used
 It has been decided that the flood is too violent to permit of the use of transfer beats at night. It is difficult to navigate in the day time, but at night 1t cannot be attempted with safety. Consequently there was no night train out of New Orleans. But the 12 o'clock mail was made up hero and proceeded nearly on time.
 De Wolff Hoppers "Charlatan" company came through from New Orleans today, ar- irving at o'clock, having obtained spe- l cial trip of the transfer for the company, scenery and baggage. The performance went off here without delay or alteration. The situation at Merrill on the Pasca- gcula river, is improved, the water having fallen considerably.
 On the Mobile and Ohio there is some good progress in the work of re-establish- ing communication, the road being opened today from Enterprise to Meridian. There is still heavy work at Buckalunna, and | several other points. Superintendent l Fonde thinks that the line can be com pleted to Mobile by Friday night provided that there is not discovered below a more serious condition of things than has yet 1 been discovered.
 | A special from Scranton to the Register | at Il o'clock tonight says that the river 1 is now at a stand at Moss Point, and it Is thought the river will begin to fall in the morning. There was heavy rain this morning, however, that may make this prediction fail The boom is still holding, and the mill men are hopeful of saving 1t.