The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-03-20
|EVf IS Washing AWAY.
Five Hundred Men Making a Heroic
Fight to Stay the Flood at
Holly Bush, Ark.
Emba mens Osertopped by water
for a Distance of Three-Q uarters
al u Mfle-tntold Damage Threat
ened In Crittcnd.n County. Ark
Where n Vast Area IL In Danger.

eneu In srittendso county, AIsr
Where n Vast Area IL In Danger.
Memphis. Tenn, March 1.-THE ST.
Francis levee has given away at Irice's
Landing. Ark. 20 miles north OF the
city, and to-day the waters OF the
Mississippi river are rushing through
a three-quarter-mile creyasse in the
-mbankment with a roar that can be
heard for miles. This is the first
break that has been in the vicinity Of
Memphis, but the water is still rising
at a rapid rate, and three other points
ON the Arkansas levee north of Mem
phis are in n precarious condition.
Sunday night the water was on
level with the crest of the leyee at
Holly Bush, and the rise to-day car
ried over foot higher, sweeping away
the temporary entertainments at
Trice's and tearing the leyee itself
from its foundation, giving a new
channel for the flood. The break was
If such extent that the engineers real
lied the hopelessness of attempting TO
repair the breach, and it was aban-
doned after the ends of the levees at
either side of the crevassee had been
reyetted with sand sacks and stones
10 prevent further cutting away Of
the embankment. The situation in
the meantime has become critical at
three other points, and il is consd-
cred doubtful if those places can be
held in the face of the rising flood.
Men working Day and Night.
AT Pecan Point, Fogleman's landing
and ST. Thomas the food is abreast
Of the crown of the leyees and hun.
dreds OF men at each place are work
ing at night by lantern light to save
the day.
The river at Memphis is rising rap
ldly. The break above ere may max,
some slight check in the speed of til,
rise AT Memphis. but there is every in
dication that 20 feet viii be reached
The break above VIII not tend 70 re
lieve the situation below Memphis a
the water will flow back into the Mis-
sissippi through the ST. Francis. ans
It Is feared that several seriou
breaks may occur on both the Ar
kansas and Mississippi sides befor
the week is ended.
situation Had in Memphis.
In the city to-day the situation !
! the worst that SO far has bee
reached. In north and south Mem
phis many homes and business house
have been flooded. Street car trafii
practically has been suspended j
north Memphis. The tracks of til
Illinois Central along Wolf river ar
under water.
Appeals are pouring into the cit
from all directions for aid by thos
who have taken refuge on high point
along the river and who are surround
ed by the water. All local packet
have gone strictly into the rescu
business, but their capacity is con
pletely overtaxed and they are unabl
TO respond TO all demands that are RI
ceiyed. All day cargoes Of refugee
and their property have been dii
charged at the wharf here. and hi
afternoon there are several hundre
destitute persons in the city who al
being cared for by charity.
4 force of 500 nen under the pc
sonal charge Of President Killough, {
the 81. Francis leyee board, is maxim
heroic effort TO sack the levee an
stop the flow of water, but il seen
that their efforts will be IN vain Z
the river T. now rising at rapid rat
Should the leyee give way before III
food a vast area of Crittenden coul
ty. Ari... will be inundated, and vi
told damage will result.