Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-03-20
FLOOD SITUATION
STILL CRITICAL
Relief Now Being Rushed to
Sufferers.
MEMPHIS GAUGE REACHES 40 FT.


or Conditions Water Will Begin to
Recede Soon-Weather Bureau Gives
Warning To Lower Points.
Memphis, March 19-The highest
stage of water predicted by the wealth
er bureau was realizing this morning
when the gauge registered 40 feet.
The crest of the high water is be
Heved to be near, however, and it is
confidently prophesied that with an
other "a hours decline will be noted
and from that time on a steady fall
will set in. The situation in the flood.
ed area of Arkansas today is practical
ly unchanged from yesterday.
The direful effects of the flood are
being felt more severely at Marion,
Ark, the county seat of Crittenden
county. There are over 200 people
there awaiting succor and relief which
left Memphis today in an effort to
reach the little village. Two gov
ernment boats started for the break at
Trice's Landing at o'clock. A bounti-
full supply of long ropes was attached
to the Diana, the smaller of the two
crafts, and an attempt will be made to
ease the vessel through the crevasse.
Once through the swirling gap the
small boat can proceed to Marion.
Captain Fogleman, well known
Crittenden county planter and eX-
steamboat captain, volunteered his
services as pilot for the dangerous
voyage President Killough, of the
ST Francis Ievee board, says that If
the trip ia successful, it will not be
necessary to cut the levee. A feet
of skiffs was sent to the two passen-
ger trains which are hemmed in by the
waters on the Iron Mountain tracks
3 miles west Of Bridge Junction. One
half Of the 200 passengers were trans
ferred from the trains to this city by
handcar yesterday, but the remainder
refused to leave the cars because of
the dangerous condition of the tracks.
The skiffs will relieve the people from
their temporary position, and 1t Is be-
lieved all will be safely housed in
Memphis by nightfall.
The engines and cars will be forced
to remain IN their present position un-
til the waters recede. Yesterday the
Frisco officials sent IS cars of rock
to the break behind the trains. All
OF the rock was dumped into the
break, but not single stone appeared
ON the surface of the water
The levee at Osceloa, Ark, Is report
ed to be in a critical condition this
morning. Hundreds of men are piling
sacks of sand high on the embank.
ment and a desperate effort is being
made to hold it. The waters are
seeping through, however, and a break
is imminent at any hour. There are
some unusually valuable farm lands
ip this vicinity. With the crest of the
rise due here today, or tomorrow at
the latest, the danger for the long line
along the Yazoo front in Mississippi
Is at hand.
Major Dabney, in charge of the up
per district to the Coahuma line, and
Charles West. in charge from there
to the end Of the line In Issaquena
county, just above Vicksburg, both re-
port their districts in good condition
and express the strongest hopes of
holding the entire line.
So far as can be learned the situa-
ton along the White river front is as
good as could be expected. The
same Is true of the upper Tensas
levees about Arkansas City.
The railroads entering this city from
the west are completely tied up. The
water Is rolling over their tracks and
no effort Is being made to move trains
for the present. The city last night
was filled with west-bound passengers
but the local managers were equal to
the occasion. Boats were chartered
by the Cotton Belt and Iron Mount
ain lines and their passengers were
taken to Helena and sent around the
water to their destinations. The
Choctaw railroad sent a special train,
carrying 300 passengers, over the IL
linois Central tracks to Cairo from
where the travellers will be sent to
their objective points.
The water rose considerably In
North Memphis last night and today,
but otherwise the situation is un.
changed
New Orleans, March 19.-The river
has risen tenth of foot in the past
"a hohrs registering at o'clock this
morning 1914, a tenth under the ex.
treme high water of 1897. There is
comparatively little change in the To-
cal situation which will improve with
the continuance of good weather. The
local engineers say that the emergen-
cy work along the river front is so
much advanced that there is absolute.
ly no need for local apprehension even
If the maximum stage of water pre-
dicted by the weather bureau is real.
lied. Advices from points between
here and Baton Rouge are to the effect
that all weak places have been graet-
ly strengthened and that the whole
system Of levees is sustaining the
strain without deterioration.
Washington, March 19.-The wealth
er bureau this morning gave out the
following river bulletin:
The stage of water this morning at
Memphis is 40 feet, a rise since Wed
nesday morning Of A foot. This rise
was probably due to overflow water
from the Arkansas side, as the Missis-
sippi has fallen above Memphis. While
g. further slight rise Is possible, the
decline may begin at any time
! Still UndOne.
Wife-A woman's work is never done.