Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-04-04
|"GREENV|LLE, MISS,
IS UNDER WATER
Break Is Said to Be Worst In
History Of the Levee
System.
LOSS OF LIFI
rhs Yazoo Valley, a Splendid Garden
Spot, Is Under Water-Men Work.
ing Desperately to Save
Homes.

Gr~eenville, Miss, March 30.-A vol
nme of water sixteen feet deep and
over 1000 feet in length is pouring
steadily through q crevasse three miles
south OF here, and is flooding thousands
Of acres OF the finest farming land In
he celebrated Yazoo delta. The break
In the leyee occurred at IL o'clock yes
terday morning. Only 200 feet OF the
~embankment gave way at first, N d
mighty effort was made by hundreds OF
lnborers In charge of the government
engineers to check the fiood by crib
bling and sacking, but 1t was soon ap-
parent that It was beyond human power
to successfully combat the flood. An
hour later Ii vas seen that the ends OF
the levee on either side Of the crevasse
were melting fast.
When the first report Of the break
reached this city the excitement was In
tense, and many people began to col
lect their v~aluables n held them
selves In readiness to move at a mo-
ment's notice. Last night the back
water had reached this city, but 1t Is
believed there Is no danger here from
the flood, as the water will pass rap
idly to the southwark.
Major John NJ. Sears, who has charge
temporarily of the government office,
stated last night that the break Is un-
AoNoNA ~ liz VIZ 40 N"o 49,
Of mis- levee system. The entire delta,
as far south as V~icksburg, will be In
undated, and the farming lands in
Washington, Bolivar and Sharkey
counties will be under water for more
than two weeks. This Is the first break
on the Mississippi since the present rise
began.
Major Sears says a desperate struggle
is being made to prevent the further
LA % a. 49, l. 49, o. Ia
ends of the levee n strengthening
them with sand sacks. 1t is feared that
this will not be accomplished, as the
break is widening rapidly.
Reports from the interior are very
meager, but 1t Is thought there has been
no loss Of life, as warnings were sent
out In ample time. The damage to
plantations and live stock cannot be
estimated.
Appeals for Help.
The situation at midnight was worse
for Greenville. Work on the protection
Of the levee through Main street has been
abandoned, and water has reached Wash
lngton avenue, the highest point In the
city. Appeals for help la been coming
in all night from the Tuxedo and Race
Track additions, and relief boats are be-
Ing sent continuously to their relief.
News comes from these additions that
people were seen clinging to ROOFS OF
houses and RATS to escape the rising wa
sers.
Several lives have been reported lost,
a woman and five children perishing in
one house, and it Is feared that today's re-
turns will show more victims OF the flood
The southern part Of the city 10 entirely
under water. Houses even as hiBh as
, Central avenue are filling up and their In
mates are securing rooms upstairs. BY
morning the water will be over all parts
Of the city unless another effort Is made
10 build a protection levee.
The city Is In total darkness, water
putting out the fires In the electric light
plants.
All the c~onvicts from Huntington came
In last night, and work will be resumed
throwing up a protection levee on Wash
lngton avenue or Main street.