Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-03-14
THE RAGING MISSISSIPPI.
Whole Lower Valley Threatened
With Inundation.

whole Lower Valley Threatened
With InundatiOn.
The food in the Mississippi river and
it's tributaries has reached an alarm
ing stage, and uneasiness as to possi-
BILE consequences has become wide
spread.
The levees on the White river in
Knox county, Indianna. burst last
Wednesday, and thousands Of acres of
wheat lands were overflowed. The
water came 80 swiftly and spread over
the country in such volume as to en-
danger whole villages. The people es-
capped in boats.
The people of Evansville, Ind, have
been in a state Of alarm on account of
the highest water that has ever threat
ened them before; but reports Of Thurs
day indicate that the floods are SUBJ
siding and apprehension is not so
great.
Governor Longino, Of Mississippi, has
been receiving kilograms during the
past few days from all points along
the river asking for assistance In case
the worst comes to the worst. Thou
sands of people who have been
driven out Of their homes want
tents to serve as temporary shell
ters. The governor on Thursday Or
dered all the convicts in the state
sent to the river to do service on the
levees, and 1t was arranged that the
trains be kept at the most convenient
points to haul the people out Of dan
ger in the event Of the bursting Of the
levees.
New Orleans is thoroughly alarmed.
On Thursday the gauge showed a
stage Of 1877, rise Of three-tenths OF
a foot in the previous twenty-four
hours and only eight-tenths Of foot
less than the highest point reached by
the great flood Of 1897.
The force Of men at work on the
levees was greatly increased during
the day, and the authorities were get
ting matters in shape to still further
increase it.
A Memphis dispatch Of Thursday de-
scribes the situation as seen there as
follows:
The river is steadily rising at Mem
phis, the gauge today marking 1856
feet. The local weather bureau off,
cials have issued a warning bulletin, in
xuhf foh fhof ha
reach 3S feet and advising that 80
feet is probable.
Reports from Caruthersville, where
the levee Is reported to be washing
away, state that the banks have caved
badly in front Of the junction of
"loops" necessitating the abandonment
of the old levee. Engineer Fitzpatrick
telegraphs that the new levee can hold
five additional feet of water, and that
the situation is we'll in hand.
The levee two miles south Of Ca
ruthersville is caving badly and the
greatest danger is looked for at that
point. The country for fifty miles
around Caruthersville is flooded and
railway traffic has been suspended.
Landing places along the river are
submerged, many towns are entirely
surrounded by water and the river has
backed up for miles.
Another weak spot in the levee sys-
tenn apparent now, Is at Vaucluse,
Ark. A sand boil' appeared there
just back Of the levee Tuesday be-
tween the horns of a bend in the river
west Of Lake Chicot. The "boil' was
promptly suppressed, but it's appear
ance indicated an underground fissure
that may prove dangerous. Vaulchuse
is in the third United States district,
under the supervision of Captain
Charles L. Potter.
The work Of distributing supplies
and establishing sub-stations along
the levee will continue until all dan
ger Is past. The st. Francis levee
board and Captain Lucas are continu-
ing their work Of supervision from
New Madrid, Mo-, to the beginning Of
the third division, near the mouth Of
the White river.
Many refugees from the lowlands are
arriving in Memphis.