Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-18
WATER COVERS RED DESERT
Stands Against Union Pacific Embankmsut
Twenty Feet Deep.
FLOODS TAKE HUMAN LIVES IN SOUTH
Hundreds are surrounded i'm Tennes-
see, while Floating Bodies Tell
Tale of Death and Dis
nster TO Others.

ROCK SPRINGS, wyo., March 17.-The
Red dessert is Inundated for miles east uf
Rock Springs and the salt wells drilling
station is completely under water. Large
quantities Of supplies belonging to the
BelEo- American Drilling company have
been ruined or swept away.
The water has backed up against the
Union Pacific embBnkment to q depth OF
twenty feet in places The emhankment
has not yet been cut, but there is danger
that this will occur and track walkers are
kept constantly on the move over the
threatened section.
Situation at Memphis Critical.
WASHINGTON. March 17.-special river
bulletin. The river situation in the Mem
phis district has become critical. The stage
this morning is 39.4, a rise OF .5 foot since
Monday and IL feet above the hight water
stage Of 1898. Unofficial reports Of the
breaking OF levees north Of Memphis have
been received.
These breaks, Il extensive, will doubtless
modify the conditions somewhat. Never
theless a further rise to forty feet may he
expected at Memphis within the next
thirty-stx hours Below Helena the situa-
tion is unchanged The stage at NicksburE
is 40 feet rise Of O.2 foot, while at New
Orleans the river is stationary at 1872 feet.
The Louisiana tributaries continue to
rise, the Shreveport gauge recording S1.9
feet this morning. The Ohio is falling ex
cept al Cairo where the decline will prob
ably begin today.
Waters Take Lives.
MEMPHIS Tenn. March 1.-THE food
situation in the Mississippi valley contigu-
3g
night and reports Of loss Of life are at
hand. The break made in the levees has
complicated conditions by flooding q vast
area and tonight q veritabe sea exists in
tho st. Francis and Mississippi basins ex-
tending from one to the other, a distance Of
many miles.
Many persons are surrounded in their
homes and on high lands, but thus far II
has been impossible to send them assist
ance.
A few floating bodies have been found at
/ various points by the rescuing boats. hut
the number has not yet become alarming.
/ Marion is almost totally flooded and citi-
/ zens are using skifis as their only means
/ Of travel. Negroes and white persons from
the adjacent territory are pouring in every
! hour, asking that a boat be sent TO rescue
/ their families. There is no means Of reach-
| ing them except by making a break in the
I levee near Memphis, and this may be done
! tomorrow II conditions show no improve
! ment.
! II is estimated that several hundred peo-
! pie are surrounded In the flooded .Arkansas
/ territory and II seems that IL Will be I'm
peratfve TO send a steamboat to their aid
Negroes al Marion have given way to
panic and refuse to work A relief train
! the last that reached the village arrived
early this morning with 900 sacks to be
used in dRmming back the water but labor
cannot be secured to unload II.
The river is again rising tonight
Floods Re-enter Rivers
NATCHEZ, Miss. March 1T.-ReportI
from Bougere. La, tonight say the breah
| in the Texas & Pacific embankment is nov
more than three miles long. The water is
filling the swamp and flooding the lower
section Of Concordia parish across TO Blach
I river. This water will make its way TO the
Red river and back again into the Mis-
/ sissippi.
! The river here was stationary yesterday
! but rose two-tenths in the last twenty-fOuI
! hours
NEW ORLEANS, March 1.-THE hoot
situation shows no material change In the
lower Mississippi beyond a slow continuet
rise in the river. The break two miles be.
low Bohemia is of no Importance. II il
now $50 feet wide and about four feet deep