The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-03-13
Levees in Memphis District
Guarded Day and Night.
Cotton Plantations Near
Ashland, Miss, Submerged
Conditions at Evansville.
Ind, Slightly improved,
But Additional Rise Is
Feared-Big Wheat Loss.

MEMPHIS. Tenn. March 15-The hood
situation in the Memphis territory Is
becoming critical. While the ievees are
all reported as holding their own against
the waters, watchfuI guard is keps day
and night and boats patrol the river on
the lookout for any possible breaks.
Railroad officials are conferring on the
food situation.
NATCHEz. Miss. March 13-The wa
ter has gone over the top of the private
levee at Ashland and Cypress Grove.
Jefferson county. forty miles north OF
this place. The food will cover eight
or ten plantations. comprising 5000
acres OF rich cotton lands
Gum Ridge and Buena Vista are
threatened by the overflow. as the levee
is all but washed away
Railroad Strengthening Levees.
The Ievee at Bougere is holding out.
and is being strengthened by bags OF
sand and dirt. The Texas and Pacific
Railroad is working a large force Of men
there TO save property.
Levee Contractor James Marlow re-
turned yesterday from the Hole in the
Wall. La. where le is building a levee.
He reports everything in good shape.
''The Ievee." he said, will hold the
water that is coming"
Rain is seriously interfering with the
levee work.
Improvement at Evansville.
EVANSVILLE. Ind. March Is.-The
Ohio River food scale this morning reg
/ isters 42.1 feet and is falling slowly
l r.
is coming this way, and there is pros
/ pect OF another rise of some two feet
before another week.
The Cairo observer says there will be
/ but slight change here during the next
two days All the streams along the
liver in this section are stin full and
their condition prevents rapid fan
lbove. while il accelerates the rise be-
lOw. The lowIards above and below are
still submerged. but the greatest dan
nay be washed away.
While the situation here has i'm
proved. IL is growing worse down the
river Messengers arriving in boats say
he Ohio at many places between here
and Cairo resembles a lake At one
| point the river is thirty-five miles wide
| Farmers Losses Enormous
The farmers losses will be enormous.
and there will be much sickness when
the food subsidies. Advices from Prince
ton. Ind say the White. Patoka and
| Wabash rivers viii be stationary 6y
/ Sunday. If there are no further rains
| All the IowIands are entirely submerged
| The town OF East Mount Carmel has
/ not an inhabitant the water being
from three to fifteen feet deep in its
| streets Thousands OF acres Of grow
| ing wheat will be lost.
The people at Shawneetown have for
he present abandoned the idea OF cut
ling the Ievee and allowing the town
ITO become flooded Since the disaster
there a few years ago. when the Iesee
broke and a large number OF people
| were drowned. the Government has en-
Iarged and strengthened the levee. yet
as the water crept up gradually the cit
izens took alarm and a meeting was
called early in the week at which the
| question OF cutting the levee was dis
| cussed.
Planned to Cut Levee.
By cutting the leyee now the town
could be flooded without danger Of
wrecking and sweeping away buildings.
as was the case at the time the former
| leVee broke
travelling meu from Shawneetown re-
| port that business is at a standstill.
| Many merchants have carried their
! stocks TO the hiIlsides beyond the town.
} while others have removed their stocks
! 10 second and third stories OF their
| stores. People living in two-story
| houses in most cases have removed all
| their effects 10 the upper floors and have
| laid in quantities of coal and other fuel
| so they would not lack fires. Most OF
those living in cottages have moved TO
! the hills and are living in tents and i'm