The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1903-03-20
ST. FRANC|SLEVEE GAVE way
TWENTY.FoUR MILES NORTH OF
MEMPHis. TENN. F,

The Waters Of the MlssIsslppl Rush.
Ing Through a crevasss Nearly =
Mile Lons-First Break In That VI.
einIty-Homs and Business Houses
In the City are Flooded.
Memphis, Tenn, March 1S.--The 81.
rrancis levee gave way " lAlce.s .
Landing, Ark, "A miles norm VI IAe
city ana the waters OF the Ynississipp,
river are rushing through three quar-.
Ger mile crevasse In the embankment
with a roar that can be heard Tor
miles. This is the first break that has
been made in the vicinity OF Memphis,
but the water ID still rising at rapid
rate and three other points ON the
Arkansas levee north OF Memphis are
in q precariOus condition.
Sunday night the water was ON q
level with the crest OF the levee Al
Hoiybush and the recent rise carried
1t over foot higher, sweeping away
the temporary embankments 1t Trice )
Landing and tearing the leyee itself
from its foundations, giving q new
channel for the food. The break was
Of such extent that the engineers real
ICED the hopelessness of attempting
to repair the break and it was aban-
.doned after the side OF the crevasse
had been riveted with the sand sacks
and stones to prevent further cutting
away of the eribankment. The situa.
ton in the meantime had become criti.
cal at other points and now It is con.
sidered doubtful ii these places can
be held in the face of the rising food.
At Pecan Point, Fogleam's landing,
the food is abreast Of the crowd on tnc
levees and hundreds of men are. Ut
each place working by lantern light.
The engineers of the levee board say
that the damage from the break at
Holybush will not be as serious "A
would have been the case had tho
crevasse occurred at any other point
on the embankment. From this point
a draw leads into the st. Francis river
through several bayous and lakes and
this will hold the water to great ex.
tent and prevent its spreading out.
Flood In Memphis.
In the city the situation is the wors,
that SO far has been reported. IN
Forth and south Memphis many homes
and business houses have been food.
ed.
Appeals are pouring into the city
from all directions by those who have
taken refuge on high points along the
river. and who are now surrounded by
water. All local packets have gone
strictly into the rescue business, but
their capacity Is overtaxed. and they
are unable to respond to all demands
that are received. All day cargoes o.
refugees and their property have been
discharging at the wharf here, and
tonight there are several hundred per.
sons in the city, who are being cared
for by charity.
Situation Critical.
Memphis, Tenn, March 1S.-The
aood situation In the portion of the
Mississippi valley contiguous to Mem.
phis is extremely critical, and reports
OF loss Of life are at hand. 1t waA
thought at first that the break in the
levee at Holybush, near Trice's land
ing. would help matters by relieving
the pressure. of the water and causing
a fall at this point. instead Of this tho
break has complicated conditions by
flooding vast area in Arkansas,
across the. Mississippi from Memphis.
and now a veritable sea exists In the
st. Francis and Mississippi river
basins. extending from the BASIN 10
the other, distance Of many miles.
From this territory call for help
has gone up from persons who have
been surrounded in their homes, but
thus far it has been an impossibility
to send them assistance. a
A few floating bodies have been
found at various points by the rescu-
ing boats, but the number has not yet
been alarming. = '7s'
The town Of Marion is almost total.
~ flooded, and citizens are using sklffa
as their only means Of travel. Ne
.groes and white persons from the ad.
jacent territory are pouring into Mar.
ion every hour. asking that boats lie
sent to rescue their families There
are no means Of reaching them. :.
The negroes at Marion have given
way to fright, and almost panic
exists. They have 'congregated at the
railroad station and cabins In the VII.
lage and refuse to work. ,...h'; ~ .
Memphis, Tenn, March 19.-The
food situation tonight shows mum.
ber of new and. serious developments
and there is scarcely ray Of hope fOr
improved conditions except In the fact
that tributaries of the Mississippi to
the north Of Memphis are reported to
be. falling. One Of the most serious
developments Of the. last "a hours is
the washing out Of all lines Of railroad
entering the city from the west and
the complete tying up Of the railroad
traffic through the Memphis gateway
to that section. There have been nc
trains into or out of the city ovel
the Memphis bridge and there is every
indication that trafiic can not be re
sumed until the flood has subsided u
|'a large degree.
Gould Survey to Los Angeles.
Salt Lake. Utah. March 17.-Engi