The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-29
GREENVILLE FEARS
MIGHTY WATERS MAY RUSH DOWN
UPON 1T.
BAD BREAK TO THE SOUTH
AND ANOTHER THREATENS TO THE
NORTH.

to the North of the City Gives Way
the Disaster VIII BE Vast-Cur-
rent Would Sweep Through
GreenviIIe, Minimizing the Terror
Now Caused by the Waters That
Back Up From the Break Below.
River at other Points.
Greenville, Miss, March 2S.-The sit
uation at this city tonight is quite
as serious as it was last night and
inch by inch the flood is spreading to
new sections of the city; foot by foot
the great crevasse in the levee five
miles to the south of the city is WIDEN
ing, and mile after mile of fertile delta
land is being covered by the waters,
as they rush inland from the gap.
The developments of the night are
awaited with uneasiness. The disasters
which have thus far occurred have
been sufficient to shake the stoutest
heart and make almost any new ca
lamity probable.
At the crevasse forces of men have
battled all day against the raging tor
rent, fighting stubbornly and desper-
ately with the flood for each foot of
the levee that is being eaten at each
side of the crevasse by seething wa
ters. 1t is very probable that this eff
fort must be abandoned and the crew.
asse allowed to pursue it's own course,
as it has grown wider with each hour
until tonight it is more than 400 yards
across, and the engineers say that 1t
is not improbable that the gap VIII
increase to a miles width.
Little That Is Not Flooded.
In Greenville there is very little of
the town free from water, and the rise
continues, although the river itself
has fallen more than a foot because
of the creVasse. 1t seems proba Bile
that the entire city will suffer dis
astrous deluge. and that the loss of
property and damage will reach
large figure.
Rescuing parties has been busy all
day, bringing persons in boats from the
low-lying portions of the city to the
higher sections, and thus far there
have been no known losses of life.
There have been many reports of fam
lilies being drowned in their homes
and individuals being swept away, but
without exception there has been no
confirmation in this city of these re-
ports.
With the situation as gloomy as 1t
necessarily is from the city being
overlooked, with the electric light plant
suspended and the town in total dark
ness, and with the water rising inch
by inch the night will be a fearful one
for the people of Greenville.
Fear Another Break.
But these conditions of themselves
are not the most alarming feature of
the situation, and all through the night
men and women will sit with ears
strained and eyes peering into the
darkness toward the north, awaiting
with dread a sullen roar from that
direction. For it is now in this quar-
ter that danger is most present, a
critical point having developed in the
levee thirty miles north of Greenville,
at Catfish Point. A desperate effort
is being made to hold the levee there,
and a large force of men is at work,
and all available laborers are be-
ing sent to aid those who are there
making their fight for the city's safe
ty.
Reports this afternoon from this
point are hopeful, but the damage that
would result from a break at Catfish
Point is so enormous that fear for the
leVees safety must remain until the
water subsidies, even in the face of
hopeful reports. Should the break oc-
cur at Catfish Point there is no calcu-
lating what would happen to Green
vile. The city would be placed in a
most precarious position, and the more
sober minded decline to discuss what
would happen.
$4,000 Square Miles Flooded.
1t is estimated that fully 1900 square
miles between Greenville and Vicks-
burg are under water. and that this
area is being made larger with each
hour For this reason no estimate can
be put on the loss of property and the
damage that will result from the
break. Rescue boats are busily en-
gagged in taking the people out of this
large section of country, and 1t is hop
ed that there will be no loss of life.
One boat to-day brought out seventy
five souls.
The situation on the Arkansas side
of the river remains unchanged and
no break is now threatened.
It is very probable all railroad COM
munication will be shut off tonight.
Protecting Waterworks.
The city has now in place it's pumps
and will protect the water works from
any serious danger. Business is para
lyZed throughout the city, out up I'LL
now nobody is suffering except plan
tation hands. who come in with moth
ing at all except what few clothes they
had on their backs.
The convicts tonight have again
been divided. Fifty were sent back to
Huntington. and in the morning the
balance will go down to the break and
help tie the ends. The city has turned
into shipyard, and every man who
can use a saw and hammer can be
seen constructing a boat.
The unfavorable condition Of tonight
is a high wind, which has increased
some in force since dark. The city is
still without light. but pumps have
been sent for 70 keep water out of the
electric light plants, and the two COM
panies expect to be running by to-mor-
row night. More people have left the
city to-day than at any one time since