The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-18
FIGHT WATERS BACK
LEVEE WORKERS ENGAGED IN A
DESPERATE STRUGGLE.
TRYING TO MAKE BANKS HOLD
AGAINST THE FLOOD THAT POURS
AGAINST THEM.

Situation in the Mississippi River
Section Contiguous to Memphis Is
Critical - Marion, Ark, Is Sur
rounded by Water-PeopIe Appeal
For Aid-SaDdbags Ready For Use.
But no Labor Can BE Secured to
Pile Them-RaiIroad Tracks Arc
Under Water.
Memphis, Tenn, March 1.-THE
flood situation in the portion of the
Mississippi valley contiguous to Mem
phis is extremely critical tonight. A
veritable sea exists in the st. Fra1cis
and Mississippi river basins in Arkan-
sas, extending from the one complete
ly to the other, d distance of many
miles.
Through this territory the st. Louis
and San Francisco Railroad runs, but
all trains were annulled on this line
to-day and no assistance can be rem
dered by the railroad, its tracks being
under water near Marion, Ark.
At this latter point telegraph con-
nections still exist to Memphis, and
the reports that come in over the wire
are far from encouraging. The town
is almost totally flooded and citizens
are using skiffs as their only means
of travel. Refugees from the adjacent
territory are pouring into Marion each
hour, asking that boats be sent to
their rescue. There is no means of
reaching them, except by making
breach in the levee near Memphis, and
this may be done tomorrow, if con-
ditions show no improvement
1t is estimated that several hundred
persons are surrounded by the water
in the flooded Arkansas territory and
that the loss of live stock is heavy in
the extreme.
Negroes Are Panic-Stricken.
Negroes at Marion have become
frightened, and almost a panic exists.
They have congregated at the depot
and in the cabins of the village and
refuse to work. A relief train, the last
that reached the village, arrived early
this morning with 5000 sacks to be used
in damming the water, but labor cam
not be secured to unload the train.
The tracks of the Iron Mountain and
Choctaw railroads are still open, and
no trouble has been experienced. The
NAAN
tracks of the former system.
There seems every indication that
| all predictions of the stage at this
| point will be surpassed, as the river
| is again rising slowly tonight. II
/ was hoped that the crest of the rise
l was sufficiently close to Memphis lasi
| night for the break in the levee al
| Trices Landing to give relief and cause
| a fall here. A fall did follow the
break. but this was checked to-day
| and tonight the gauge is 1916 feet, OF
| within one-tenth of the maximum thus
| far reported. 1t is feared that the
| stage will pass forty feet and the end
! will probably not then be reached.
working on the Weak Points.
| The weak points in the levee which
| were reported last night, other than al
| the break, are stiH in a critical con-
| dition and further breaks may occur
| Forces of men, under assistant engi-
| neers, are working night and day al
| these points, and the situation has
| now resolved into a race between the
workers and the water.
A few floating bodies have been
| found at various points by the res
| cuing boats, but the number has not
| vet been alarming. A true estimate Cd
the loss of life from the food car
| never be made, as the sections flooded
are so vast in area and the population
so widely dispersed that nothing like
a census can be made.
In this city the situation is growing
| worse each hour, and the water is
spreading to sections other than those
which were flooded yesterday.
Altogether the situation tonight is
most discouraging and with the water
| continuing to else, no relief can YET
| be hoped for.