The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-03
A PLAGUE OF MOVING ISLANDS,
EFFECT or THE FLOOD IN 4 BI0
LOUISIANA SWAMP.

siississipps's Overflow into the Des AiIe-
n,ands swamp Has Created Hun.
dresis Of Floating lslan<is- They Bother
the settlers and Threaten the Bridges.
NEW ORLEANS. May 2.-Nearly month
ago a crevassc occurred at Hymelia, thirty
seven miles above New Orleans on the
west bank Of the Mississippi. 1t Is not yet
closed, although SiSo,ooo has been expended
on the work, and the waters OF the Missise-
ippi are pouring in Mt the rate OF hundreds
Of millions Of gallons day
The railroads and planters OF the neigh
borhood have managed to minimize the
damage by side levees and entertainments.
Thus the Texas and Pacific Railroad has
raised and ballasted its track, and is running
trains through the very heart OF the ore-
vasse. The sugar planters have built levees
so us to keep the flood OF their plantations
and empty it into the great Dies Allemands
Swamp. which, with its network OF lakes
and bayous, stretches down to the Gulf OF
Mexico, distance Of $50 miles.
This country has been free from overflow
for more than decade. and pioneers have
recently penetrated into the swamp and
begun cultivating the highlands, these rising
as much as from two to four feet above
tidewater The lumbermen, loggers. fisher
mon and swampers. engaged In killing
allgators or gathering Spanish moss.
usually live on houses built on piles above
the water. There are several prosperous
settlements in the swamp, where stock,
eggs and chickens and vegetables are
raised for the city market.
This is all a novelty Previous to 1893.
when the levee system was rendered safe
in this part of the State, the swamp was
little known, except to hunters. fishermen
and loggers, and there were practically
no farms within its entire area.
Visitors Of twelve or fifteen years ago
told OF the picturesque floating islands
to be found in some OF the lakes OF the
swamp--Des Allemands. Ouacha. Saliva
dor and others. These islands ecud-
ded before the breeze like 30 many
ships. They have not been seen for years.
but the Hymelia crevasse. pouring It's
oceans OF water into the swamp, has not
only moved the floating islands, but null
tipled them ten-fold to the great con-
fusion Of the inhabitants and the mcon-
venience Of the railroads.
Most OF the swamp is what the Creole
swampers call prairies tremblantes (tremb-
ling prairies). 1t Is land. but floating
land, built up over the water by the ac-
emulation Of centuries Of logs, branches,
leaves and vegetable mould. 1t Is light
enough to float, but strong enough to sup
port men and even cattle. 1t trembles
when walked on.
The earth Is held together by the inter-
twining branches Of the plants or trees
for frequently very large trees grow on
these trembling prairies. Occasionally
some OF the land is torn away and becomes
an island. Such islands arc known -
fotsants or fioaters by the Creoles, and are
among the most picturesque sights Of these
Louisiana lakes. sailing upon them borne
hther and thither by the winds or currents
In old days. there were dozens OF these
floating islands. some OF them acres In
extent. This year the rush Of the Mis-
sissippi through the Hymela crevasse has
torn up the trembling prairies, and created
floating islands by hundreds.
They are to be found In all the many
lakes and bayous Of that region. and arc
most confusing to visitors and even ma
tives. The landscape changes, not every
day, but every hour. and the land and forest
shifts from one side OF the river, bayou or
lake to the other in night
The natural tendency OF the islands is
to drift toward the Gulf and when the
Hymelia crevasse begins to empty its full
force into the Gulf of Mexico, ship cap
tains navigating that body Of water are
likely to be confused by discovering new
lands and tropical islands where the charts
show none.
For the present. however, the flottdnts
aro proving most troublesome to the rail-
roads in threatening their bridges. So
many islands have hoated down Bayou des
Allemands as to endanger the big bridge
OF the Southern Pacific over that stream.
The railroad company has large force
OF men near the bridge. They have driven
piles and built up net work above 1t to
catch the floating islands. which are blown
up. cut up or otherwise destroyed, so as to
prevent them from floating against the
bridge and wrecking 1t.
The soil is found TO be from six to eight
feet deep, with intricate entanglements
of vines, grasses and trees. and the islands
are very picturesque. They would be
handsome ornaments in pleasure lake,
and they are attractive even In the louisiana
swamps, but the railroads and the settlers
there say that they are nuisance, as they
frequently run aground In the net work
of smaller ba yous, act as dam In the stream
and help to overflow the neighboring lands
even when they do not carry away the
railroad bridges.