The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-28
Worst Break in History of the System and Damage VIII
 Be Enormous
ROAR OF RUSHING WATERS
 CAN BE HEARD FOR MILES
Despite Efforts to Prevent the Gre. vase Widening the Banks Are Wasting Away Like Sand.
 Second Break Reported.

Greenville, Miss. March 27.-A volume of water sixteen feet deep and over 500 feet in length, is pouring steadily through a crevasse in the levee five miles south of here, and is flooding thousands of acres of the finest farming land in the celebrat- ed Yazoo delta, regarded by many to be the most fertile in the world
 The break in the levee occurred at Il o'clock this morning and the roar of the rushing waters can easily be heard in Greenville Only 200 feet of the embank- ment gave way at first and a mighty ef- fort was made by hundreds of laborers in charge of the government engineers 10 check the rushing flood by cribbing and sacking, but it was soon apparent that 1t was beyond human power to success fully combat the resistless fury of the current An hour later it was seen that the ends of the levee on either side of the crevasse were melting fast the force of the current cutting the embankment away, as though it were built of sand.
 Intense Excitement.
 When the first report of the break reached this city the excitement was in tense, and many people began to collect their valuables and held themselves in readiness to move away at moments notice Tonight the backwater has reach ed this city, but it is believed there is no danger here from the flood, as tiss water will pass rapidly to the southward. Mai John NJ. Sears, who has charge of the governmen. office here in the absence
 mt. at trict who is ill, in an interview tonight stated that the break Is unquestionably the worst in the history of the levee sys- tenn. He says the entire delta south as far as Vicksburg will be inundated and the fine farming lands in Washington, Bolivar and Sharkey counties will be un- der water for more than two weeks
 First Break on Mississippi Side.
 This is the first break to be reported on the Mississippi side since the present rise began.
 Major Sears says a desperate struggle is being made to prevent the further widening of the breach by revetting the ends of the levee and strengthening them with sand sacks. It is feared that this will not be accomplished as the breach is widening rapidly. Reports from the interior are very meager, but 1t is be- lieved the people were fully prepared for a break and the loss of life, if any, will be reduced to minimum While great number of planters have sent their stock to higher lands others have not taken this preeaution and the loss in this direc- tion may be quite heavy The damage to plantations and the interference with planting cannot be estimated.
 Another Break Reported.
 Another break on the Mississippi side Is reported in the Albermarle levee, in lower Issaquena county, but information from there is that the damage from this break will not be heavy as the country was already partly inundated and the rise of water will necessarily be accom- panied with little force
 The situation at several points on the Arkansas side. where the levee was con sdered to be in critical condition, will probably be greatly improved because of the breaks on the opposite side in draining off the water and relieving the pressure at points where the strain was greatest.
 Situation at New Orleans.
 New Orleans. March 27-Interest in the flood situation here today centered in the break at Hymelia near Lucy, La. forty miles above the city, and the disastrous crevasse reported south of Greenville. Cotton men felt especial concern with re- spect to the latter and the announce ment in private dispatches which were circulated on the floor of the Cotton ex- change that 100000 acres of the richest delta land would probably go under created a feeling of depression While this break will doubtless cause a decline in the river in the vicinity of Greenville and for considerable distance south, re- lieving the strain on the Louisiana Ievees in the fifth district, it is further unfor- tunate in that the water which goes through must inevitably return to the Mississippi through the Yazoo thus pro- longing the period of high water south of that point.
 Much Encouraged.
 The days developments at Hymelia gave much encouragement. Through the cooperation of the LaFourche leyee board, the railroads affected, the govern ment engineers and planters large uuan- titles of material and forces of men were gotten to the scene soon after day. light.
 Under experienced crevasse fighters 700 laborers were put to work early in the forenoon, and a line of cribbing begun from either side of the break Tonights s advices were to the effect that all the cribbing that had been driven during the day was holding owing to the excellent DdlluIe, ana that IL lIe WOTk IS not ln- terrupted by wind and rain, sacking is likely to begin tomorrow and the break be closed by Sunday.
 The upper end of the break is holding and the wash from the lower end is slow. The width of the crevasse is between 15O and POO feet
 A large area of land is already sub merged but if the efforts of the forces at work are successful the water will quickly drain off The crevasse is in the heart of one of the richest sugar districts of Lou isiana. If 1t should get beyond control many valuable plantations will doubtless be covered with water in few days
 The Texas and Pacific, whose line lies twenty-seven miles back from the break, has not thus far been affected. Passenger and freight trains were moved as usual today. but trouble is likely to occur at any time if the crevasse is not immediately