The Indianapolis journal., 1903-03-29
And Residents Sitting I'm Their Homes
Awaiting with Dread a saIIen
Roar from the North.
PLACE I'm DARKNESS AGAIN
AND ALL OUTSIDE COMMUNICATION
MAY BE CUT OFF SOON.
Break I'm the Levee Below the City
Now 1,2OO Feet wide-Reports of
Drownings Not Confirmed.

GhEENN LILLE, MISS, MdIcu CO. He
situation here tonight is quite as serious
as it was last night and inch by inch the
food is spreading to new sections Of the
city: foot by foot the great crevasse in the
levee five miles to the south of the city
Is widening. and mile after mile Of fertile
delta land is being covered by the waters
as they rush inland from the gap.
The developments of the night are await
ed with uneasiness. The disasters which
have so far occurred have been sufficient
TO shake the stoutest heart and make
almost any new calamity probable.
At the crevasse forces of men have bat
tied all day against the raging torrents,
fighting stubbornly and desperately with
the food for each foot OF the levee that Is
being eaten away at either side of the
break by seething waters. 1t is probable
the efforts will be abandoned and the
crevasse allowed to pursue its own course,
as 1t has grown wider with each hour until
tonight II is more than 400 yards across,
and the engineers say that it will not be
mile in width.
In Greenville there Is very little OF the
town free from water and the rise con-
tinuss. although the river itself has fallen
more than q foot because Of the crevasse.
1t seems probable the entire city will suffer
q disastrous deluge and the loss of prop
erty end damage viii 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 has been no
known loss 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 city OF these
reports.
With the electric light plans suspended
and the town In total darkness. and with
the water rising inch by inch the night will
willie. But these conditions themselves are
not the most alarming feature of the situa-
tion, ard all through the night men and
women will sit with ears strained and eyes
peering into the darkness toward the north,
awaiting with dread a sullen roar from
that direction. a critical point having de-
veloped In the levee thirty miles north of
Greenvills at Catfish Point. A desperate
effort Is being made to hold the levee there
and reports this afternoon from that point
are hopeful. but the damage that would re-
suit from break at Catfish Point is so
enormous that fear for the ievee's safety
must remain until the water subsidies, even
In the face of hopeful reports. Should the
break occur at Catfish Point there is no
calculating what would happen to Green
willie. The city would be placed In a most
precarious position. and the more sober
minded decline to discuss what would ham
pen.
II Is estimated that fully 1.s00 SQUARE
miles Of territory between GreenviIle and
Vicksburg are under water and that this
area Is being made larger with each hour.
Rescue boats are busily engaged in taking
the people out OF this large section of coun-
try. and 1t is hoped that there will be no
loss of life.
The situation on the Arkansas side Of the
river remains unchanged and no break is
now threatened.
1t Is very probable all communication will
be shut OF tonight.