The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-31

GreenviIle, Miss, March 2S.-The sit
uation at this city tonight is quite as
serious as it was last night and inch
by inch the flood is spreading to new
sections of the city; foot by foot the
great crevasse in the 1evee 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 was
that of uneasiness. The disasters which
have thus far occurred have been suffi-
cient to shake the stoutest heart and
make almost any new calamity proba-
BILE.
At the crevasse, forces of men have
battled all day against the raging tor
rent, fighting stubbornly and desperate
~ with the flood for each foot of the
levee that is being eaten at either side
OF the crevasse by seething waters. 1t
is very probable that this effort must
be abandoned and the crevasse allowed
to pursue its own course as it has
grown wider with each hour, until to-
night it is more than four hundred
yards across and the engineers say that
1T will not be improbable for the gap
to increase to miles width.
In Greenville there is very little of
the town free from water and the rise
continues, although the river itself has
fallen more than a foot because Of the
crevasse. 1t seems probable that the
entire city will suffer a disastrous de-
luge and that the loss of property and
damage will reach large figure. Res
cuing 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
city Of these reports.
With the situation as gloomy as it
necessarily is from the city being over
flowed, with the electric light plant sus-
pended and the town in total darkness
and with the water rising inch by inch,
the night will be a fearful one for the
people of GreenVille. But these condi-
tions of themselves are the not most
alarming feature of the situation, for
through the night, men and women will
ST with ears strained and eyes peering
into the darkness toward the north,
awaiting with dread a sullen roar from
that direction. For it is now in this
quarter that danger is most imminent a
critical point having developed in the
levee thirty miles north of GreenVille
at Catfish Point. A desperate effort is
being made to hold the levee there and
q large force of la aborerS are being sent
to aid those who are there making their
fight for the city's safety. Reports
this afternoon from this point are hope
full 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 Catfish Point,
there is no calculation what would hap
pen to Greenville. The city would be
placed in most precarious position
and the more sober minded decline to
discuss what would happen.
1t is estimated that fully 1,500 square
miles of territory between Greenville
and Nicksburg are under water and
fhat this area is being made larger with
each hour For this reason no esti-
mate can be put on the loss of proper
ty and the damage that will result from
the break. Rescue boats are busily en-
gagged in taking the people out of this
large section of country and it is hoped
that there will be no loss of life. One
boat today brought out rs souls.
The situation on the Arkansas side
of the river remains UNCHANGED and no
break is now threatened
1t is very probable that all railroad
communication will be shut off tonight.
Forced to Suspend Traffic.
New Orleans, March 2S.-Though. a
great torrent Of water Is pouring