The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-15
Reports from Points Along the
Mississippi Make Situa-
ton Worse
MANY RICH PLANTATIONS
ARE ALREADY INUNDATED
Levees at New Orleans and Memphis
Are Holding, But at Many Inter-
mediate Points the River Has
Gone Over Emban<ments.

Natchez, Miss March 14-There were
few rays of sunshine today but they
were preceded and followed by lgnt
showers that only aggravated the situa-
tion and intensified the feeling of gloom
which pervades this section. The reports
from nearly all sections of the territory
tributary to Natchez are on most dis
eouraging nature. The river end of JEFF
ferson county for distance of twenty
miles and extending inland more than
nine miles is covered with water and de-
spite the water which Is flowing into that
already flooded county. the river on the
Natchez guage rose .25. and is now S.Go
above the danger line.
Gloomy reports come from the back
Part of Concordia parish, Louisiana, op-
posite this (Adams) county. where the
cultivated lands along the Little and
Black rivers are being flooded from water
out of the Red and Ouachita rivers, and
hundreds of acres of unpcked cotton are
being submerged Black river from South
Bend south, is running over its banks.
The Natchez, Red River and Texas rail-
road announce that they will have to
close the levee near Black river station,
several hundreds yards, from which point
they will transfer freight by boat to
Jonesville and Trinity. rne principal in
dustry along this line IS manufacturing
fiat boats in anticipation of break in
the levee.
Sycamore levee on Lake Concordia, can
stand about two and half feet more, but
the water is backing in from the river at
heavy. rate. It is feared that some of
the levee will not be high enough to stand
the rise that Is coming. All the lowlands
from Vieh5burg to Bayou Sara are under
water and some of the finest plantations
In the delta are flooded. AS an illustra-
ton of the way the water is backing
up from the river 1t is pointed out that
the foundation of an iron bridge on the
Woodville road in this county, five miles
from the river bank, has been badly
washed and herculean work was all that
saved 1t from going into the creek. Even
II the levees should hold. the damage
already incurred will amount to many
millions of dollars
Gloomy Still at New Orleans.
New Orleans March 14-Though New
Orleans experienced the most terrific rain
fall in many years today, the river to-
night was at the same stage as the
early morning reading, 1872, three-tenths
under the record of six years ago. During
the forenoon the work of mending weak
spots along both sides continued and
hundreds of sand filled sacks were placed
In position but the unusual precipitation,
amounting almost to a cloudburst. sus-
pended operations for three hours and a
half during the afternoon. All the en-
bankments In the city and Immediately
contiguous resisted the double strain,
md foht ia
rial change In conditions. No breaks
up the river had been reported when
darkness fell.
In 1897, before the maximum height had
reached here, there had been half dozen
important crevasses south of the Arkan-
sas line. Their absence thus far this sea-
son indicates the vast improvement In
the levee system. The engineering
thorities continue to be optimistic, but
it will not be surprising If something
gives way above the city before the
crest of the flood reaches New Orleans.
In 1897 1t required eight weeks and a day
to reach here from Memphis, owing to
crevasses above.
The rainfall during twelve hours
amounted to 7.s2, of which five and half
inches fell from noon to o'clock. In
only three years in the history Of the
weather bureau have these figures for
twenty-four hours been exceeded. The
whelmed. many streets were flooded the
lower floors of stores In many instances
going under water. General Manager
Raymond said that the machinery had
not yet been made that would instantly
carry off the extraordinary precipitat ton
of the afternoon
AT the race track there was a foot and
a half of water on the back stretch ana
in the stables The derby was run in a
terrific downpour on a track that in some
places resembled a. creek. The infield was
sea of water. 1t is still raining to-
night.
Still Rising at Memphis.
Memphis. March 1.-THE stage of the
river tonight at O'Clock is 373 feet and
rising. stage equal to the maximum
of the food of 1897 when such widespread
dame -e w~- done throughout the delta.
The rise since o'clock this morning has
been five-tenths. The maximum of the
present rise is expected to reach here
about Wednesday and the officials of the
weather bureau say they anticipate about
80 feet.
All levees in the vicinity are said to be
holding their own and engineers maintain
their hopeful view of the situation with
reference to breal5 in the embankments.
Despite these facts there is grave appre-
hension and the feeling of fear for the
safet of the country behind the levees
is increasing each day. One of the great
est causes of fear is anxiety that the
levees may be cut by persons who would
be benefited thereby. This has caused
the engineers 10 strengthen the levee pa
trolls at all points and give them positive
instructions for the protection of the em-
bankments. It Is reported from point
twenty miles north of Memphis on the
Arkansas SIDE that a man was shot at
by a guard last night.
The situation in North Memphis, where
the lumber region is flooded, is growing
worse each hour. Today there are only
two of the many wood working plants in
operation, and a rise of a few inches
more will force these to suspend. 1t IS
reported that the tracks Of the Yazoo and
Mississippi Valley railroad, six miles
south of the city. have been flooded. and