The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-10
MISSISSIPPI HIGH WATER
BY PAUL M. POLK.

est ground in sight, which is usually the
levees themselves.
Those living back upon the hills, the
ridges and high ground, may never know
to what a nervous strain those people
are subjected whose misfortune 1t is to
exist for a time behind a weak spot in
the levee. Ears are strained for the word
of warning which is to tell them to
fly for the levees. A negro yelling at his
mule will startle every soul in the neigh
borhood In one instance at Vida,ia- La,
the people were nearly frightened out
of their wits by the negroes chasing a
wild deer through the streets, they
thinking that the unusual noise indicated
that the levee had given way. and that
the water was upon them.
Even people far inland are upon the
qui vive for the first news of a break
In the levee. Generally the news travels
far faster than the overflow itself. 1t is
trumpeted over the telephone, clicked
across the telegraph wires, sped upon its
! mission by word of mouth-it seems to
be In the very air.
But sometimes a settler located In the
back-country will receive his first warn
ing from a sudden murlky appearance in
the dark clear water of the nearest
bayou, which has assumed a strangely
accelerated current; or perhaps having
failed to note this, he will be surprised
by little streams of water triclSllng down
his cotton rows. The solution Of these
mild indications will soon follow, for in
very short time the water will be flow
ing cross-wise over his burrows, climb
ing stealthily up the tree trunks, COW
ering one by one the higher points, until
he will find himself in the rnidst of a
vast, shallow river, with a steady cur
rent flowing ever downward or backward
to fill up the great empty swamp, and
seek its way back to the river
Weak points In the levee are due to
several causes Sometimes the levee Is
exposed to a rapid current, which is eat
ing away the earth. and threatening to
force its way to the virgin soil beyond.
In this CO sc bikes are built to fend off
the current. and the space between the
bikes and levee filled with sacks of
earth Sometimes the levee may be too
low. and Is about to be topped by the
flood. and needs to be built higher with
sacks of earth. Again It may be a point
in the enbankment through which the
water is siping, softening the earth, and
causing the levees to cave on the inner
side. Wherever a weak spot may be
found, there also may be found an in
tensely earnest body of men straining ev-
cry nerve to avert a catastrophe.
Windy days are dreaded along the
levees. The incessant lap. lap, lap of
the waves carry their own note of warn
ing and a particular vigilance is kept
along the line for signs of caying or wear.
There is no knowing what tiny cause
may flood the country for hundreds of
miles. 1t may be no more than little
unassuming crawfish who starts small
round hole for sake of protection, and
who once inside determines to enlarge
his home, and continues his work of
excavating. until he comes through on
the other side. bringing small stream
of water with him. which like the first
drop of rain betokening the storm, is
the symbol of the inundation which is
to follow. Or it may be a rottting root.
reaching from side to side, which lack
ing sufficient density for resistance. al
lows the water to soak through its spongy
mass.
Sometimes men with criminal intent.
wishing to relieve the strain on the 9TH
er side, steal across the river in the
dead of night. and cut the levees. To
guard against this. shotgun patrols are
established. and persons walking the
1evee at night are required to have
lanterns
The smallest kind of 9. stream flowing
through the levee undiscovered. may