The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-28
GreenvflIe i'm Darkness Last Might,
and Full Extent of the Damage
Not known.
VIEWS OF MAI. J. M. SEARS
BREAK Is THE WORST IN THE HIS
TORY OF THE LEvEE SYSTEM.
Crevasse I'm Issaquena Countrywide
able Sugar Plantations Flooded
by the Break Near Lucy.

ume of water sixteen feet deep and over
six hundred feet in breadth is pouring
steadily through a crevasse in the levee five
miles south of here and is flooding thou
in the celebrated Yazoo delta
At first 1t not believed the break
would affect this city, but this afternoon
the backwater made it's appearance and
hundreds of people began making prepara-
tions for flood. At midnight the situation
was critical Work on the protection levee
through Main street has been abandoned
and water has reached Washington ave-
nue.. the highest point in the city.
Appeals for help have been coming in all
night from the Tuxedo and Race Track
additions, and relief boats are being sent
continuously TO their relief. The news
comes from these additions that people
were seen clinging to roofs of houses and
RATS to escape the rising waters. Many
lives have been reported lost, woman and
five children perishing in one house. but
tomorrow will tell the fate of many poor
unfortunates.
The southern part of the city is entirely
under water. Houses even as high as Gem
tral 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
to build protection levee.
The city is In total darkness, water put
sing out the fires in the electric light
plants All the convicts from Huntington
same in at midnight. and work will be re-
sumed throwing up protection levee on
Washington avenue or Main street. train
from vicksburg reached here at 10 o'clock
and reports that the water from the break
has not yet reached wilmot. it's entire force
seemingly being concentrated on Green
willie. An effort will be made to send
train north tomorrow.
The break in the levee occurred at IL
o'clock this morning. and the roar of the
rushing waters can easily be heard in
Greenville. Only 200 feet of the embank-
ment gave way at first and mighty effort
was made by hundreds of laborers in charge
of the government engineers to check the
flood by cribbing and sacking. but 1t was
soon apparent that it was beyond human
power to successfully combat the resist
less fury of the current. An hour later 1t
was seen that the ends of the levee on
either side of the crsvasse were melting
fast. the force of the current cutting the
embankment away as though it was built
Of sand.
Maj. John M. Sears. who has charge tenn
porarily of the government office here,
stated tonight that the break Is unques-
tionably the worst in the history of the
levee system. He says the entire delta
south as far as Pittsburg will be inundated
and the fine farming lands in Washington,
Bolivar and Sharkey counties will be under
water for more than two weeks This is
the first break TO be reported on the Missis-
eippi since the present rise began
Major Sears says a desperate struggle Is
being made to prevent the further widen
Ing of the breach by revetting the ends of
the levee and strengthening them with
sand sacks. 1t Is feared this will not be
accomplished. as the breach is widening
rapidly. Reports from the interior very
meager. but IL is believed the people were
fully prepared for break and the loss of
life IL any. viii be reduced to minimum.
though the loss of stock may be quite
heavy. The damage TO plantations and the
interference with planting cannot be esti-
mated.
Another break on the Mississippi side is
reported in the Albemarle levee. in lower
Issaauena county. but information from
there is that the damage from this break
will not be heavy. The situation at several
points on the Arkansas side where the Ievee
was considered to be In a critical condition,
will probably be improved owing to breaks
on the opposite side.