The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-29
Inch by Inch Water is Rising
 in the City.
At Catfish Point, 30 Miles Above, . Critical Place Has Developed and Desperate Work is Be- ing Done to Hold the
 Embankments.

Greenville, Miss, March 2s.-The situa- hon at this city tonight is quite as serious Is it was last night, and inch by inch Ehe flood is spreading to new sections of he city; foot by foot the great crevasses n the levee five miles to the south of yhe city is widening, and mile after mile Df fertile delta land is being covered by lhe waters as they rush inland from the zap.
 The developments of the night are lwaited with uneasiness. The disasters which have thus far occurred have been )ufficient to shake the stoutest heart and make almost any new calamity probable. At the crevasse forces of men have bat tled all day against the raging torrent, lighting stubbornly and desperately with he flood for each foot of the levee that s being eaten at either side Of the lrevasse by seething waters. It is very probable that this effort must be aban- loned and the crevasse allowed to pursue It's own course as it has grown wider with bach hour until tonight it Is more than N0 yards across and the engineers say
 
 zap to increase to a miles width
 Water Rising in Town.
 In Greenvile there is very little of the town free from water and the rise con- tinues although the river itself has fal- len more than foot because of the crevasse. It seems probable that the entire city will suffer a disastrous deluge and that the loss of property and damage will reach large figure
 Rescuing parties have 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 families being drowned in their homes and individuals being swept away. but without exception there has been no confirmation in this sity of these reports.
 With the situation as gloomy as 1t pecessarily Is from the city being over bowed with the electric light plant sus- pended and the town in total darkness ind with the water rising inch by inch, he night will be a fearful one for the people of Greenville. But these condi- lions of themselves are not the most llarming feature of the situation. and Ill through the night men and women will set with ears strained and eyes peering Into the darkness toward the north, awaiting with dread a sullen roar from that direction. For 1t is now in this quarter that danger Is most present, critical point having developed in the levee thirty miles north of Greenville at Catfish Point.
 Desperate Work Done.
 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 being sent to aid those who are there making their fight for the city's safety. Reports this afternoon from this point nre hopeful, but the damage that would result from 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 occur at Cathsh Point there Is no calculating what would hap pen at Greenvile. The city would be placed in a most precaHous position and the more sober mined decline 10 DISCUSS what would happen.
 Ii Is estimated that fully 1,500 square miles of territory between Greenville and Vicksburg 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 hoats are husily engaged in taking the peopl4 out of this large section Of country and if is hoped that there will be no loss of life. One boat today brought out seventy-five souls.
 The situation on the Arkansas side Of Ahe river remains unchanged and no break is now threatened
 If is very probable all railroad com nunication will be shut off tonight.