The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-20
READY TO RECEDE
CREST OF THE HIGH WATERS
HAS REACHED MEMPHIS.
A FALL IS NOW EXPECTED.
CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, STILL RE-
MAIN SERIOUS.

Water StiII Pouring Through the
Break in the Levee Mt Trice's
Lnnding-PInn to Send Tug
Through Was Abandoned as TOO
Dangerous - Reports from the
Arkansas Districts Are Encourage
ing-News from Various Points
shows the situation.
Memphis, Tenn. March 19.-It is be-
lieved tonight that the crest of the
Mississippi river flood has reached
Memphis, and that a fall will begin
within less than twenty-four hours.
However, the conditions that exist
above Memphis, with the gap in the
levee at Trice's Landing, Ark. make
it most difficult and uncertain mat
ter to forecast what is likely to occur
in the flood situation. The gauge to-
night shows forty feet and stationary.
a rise of wo-tenths in twenty-four
hours.
While the crevasse has not widened
to any appreciable degree, the levee Is
overtopped short distance further to
the north. and the flooded Mississippi
is discharging much water at both this
point and the CreVaSSe.
A difference of between four and five
feet exists in the hight of the water
on either side of the levee at the cree
vase, and the rush of water through
the opening is terrific.
Tug Could Not Make 1t.
The st. Francis levee board to-day
made a second effort to send the tug
Diana and a barge through the cre-
| vase to assist in reScuing people and
live stock from the flooded area in Ar
kansas. The Diana and the govern
ment steamer Abbott went to the cre>
vase to-day with the purpose fully
formed of sending the tug through, in
| charge of Capt. Fogleman. who had
volunteered for the dangerous work
When the situation was carefully in
spected, the idea of putting the tug
| through the gap was abandoned, as
the fall is so great and the rush of
the water so strong that 1t was feared
the tug could not safely pass.
About 100 yards west OF the leVee
| there is a belt of heavy timber, and
the current sweeps against the 'arge
trees with force sufficient to make
them sway with violence. This con-
| dition made II most probable that the
1
| disabled, or even overturned. These
and other unfavorable conditions made
! 1t impossible to ease the tug through
with cables, as was contemplated, and
consequently the idea has been aban-
doned for the present at least.
More Favorable In Arkansas.
To-day's reports from the food Sec
tions of Arkansas are more favorable.
and for this reason the failure of the
passage through the creVasse of the
tug for relief was not taken with much
disappointment. The Frisco Railroad
succeeded in running relief train to-
day to Marion from the west, but per-
sons there declined to leave their
homes, as they took the view that
they are in no danger for the present.
1t is also reported that all live stock
there is being well cared for and food
is sufficient.
All passengers from the water bound
train across the river were brought to
the city to-day. No repairs have been
made in the washed-out tracks, and no
forecast can be made as to when traf-
fic may be resumed to the West.
The Yazoo and Mississippi Valley
| Railroad has resumed through opera
tion over it's own line to New Orleans
from Lake View. a transfer boat hav-
ing been put into service between this
city and that point.
There were no startling developments
in the flood situation in the Memphis
territory to-day, and all conditions are
| assuming a more favorable attitude,
| except along the levees in Arkansas,
north of the break at Trices Landing.
| Several critical points exist in that
section and other breaks may occur.
The territory north of the break has
| suffered but little yet from the over
49, oh, n Ia.
pains there. A break would, how
ever cause much suffering and loss of
property.
Tonight, Mayor j. J. Williams sent
the following telegram to Secretary of
War Elihu Root:
Refugees from overfowed districts
hockng to Memphis and need shelter
badly. Can you furnish us with sew
eral hundred tents?"