The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-03-15
River Swollen by Heavy
DownpOur Of Rain.
NEARLY AS HIGH AS IN 1897
Levees Threatened az Many Points.
Still Rising at MemPhis-Shct-
gun Patrols on Guard.

aggravated today hy q violent rain
storm. which AZ times rcscmbIcd a
cloudburst. Several inches OF rain fell
in an hour. and most or the streets n
the business section OF the city we're
ovcrhcwcd by the rainfall. Tho Mis-
sissipFi rose 40 nineteen feet and three
tenths. only thrcc-tcuths OF foot ne
low The maximum Of 1897. The leyse
was topped with sacks az Canal. Jack
son. Washington. and other streets
The river is higher, materially. ut
New Orleans and Memphis than at any
other points. This is due. az New or
leans. 20 the Gulf winds. which are
keeping the water hack and az Mem
rh's TO tho completion Of the St.
Francis Ievee in Arkansas. which has
kept all the water banked.
Tn consequence OF the Gulf winds the
river is pouring over the levees in the
lower portion Of Plaquiminc parish,
near its mouth. There is but little land
under cultivation there. and but little
damage VIII De done,
La Fourche Levee Was Cut.
The river is also flowing over tho
lcvces along the lower la Fourche. II
IS now determined that The FalgogJ
crovassc. at Bayou lie Fourche. was
due to the fact that the levee was cut
by people from the other side OF the
bayou. who wanted TO relieve the pres
sure On their levees elsewhere.
The situation is regarded as coed. al
though threatening. The Arlington lc-
vcc al Baton Rouge which it was
thought would break yesterday. - still
holding. Along the Yazoo front. in Mis-
sissippi. the Ievecs have still margin
of six or eight feet. and no overflow ia
expected.
In Vicksburg the tracks OF the NaZOo
and Mississippi valley and the Alabama
and Vicksburg Railroad. are impCr.lcG
by the rising water. The water works
plant the two congresses and several ot
mills ARE also in dauger-and a rise o,
one foot more will force them to- s,'s-
pend.
Railroads Cooperating.
The railroads are. everywhere cooper
stng with the lcyee boards 10 prevent
an overflow on the west bank " the
river. the Texas Pacific has a train
loaded with $4,000 sandbags, ready 70
move az a moments notice to any point
where tho bags may be needed TO stop
a-ercvasse-
The levees e-evaryyhere- patrclled
10 prevent their being cut. All driving
on the Icvees is prohibited. cattle are no
lcnger allowed 20 Craze on them. and
everyone IS prohibited approaching Them
ST night. the guards having been or
dcrcd 10 fire or al marauders.
Conditions Grave at Memphis
MEMPHIS. Tenn. March 1.-THE Mis-
sissippi is rising now more rapidly than
sc any time since the food became i'm
mncnt. The rise during The past TWEEN
ty-four hours was scyen-tenths Of a
foot. which carried the gauge to 36.S.
OF 8.S feet above the danger line. and
within one-half foot az the highest wa
ter on reCord-37.3 I'm iS95.
The river IS not rising so rapidly az
Cairo now. The rise there during tho
past twenty hours was smaller
than the maximum FOR the same period,
bar below that point TO the Gulf The
waters are going up rapidly. making The
outlook all the more gloomy.
Engineers and levee boards here real
lie fully the gravity OF the situation.
ana both have issued orders for boats
not 70 go close TO shore and 20 run
slowly. under pain Of being fired upon.
Stringent orders have been Issued also
against providers and deprodators. an
nouuccmcnt having been made public
thar they viii be fired upon regardless
OF their business if seen approaching
any part OF the levee system az night
Rise Of Wind Now Dreaded.
ono OF the features Of the situation
to-day IS tho prediction Of heavy winds.
There has bcon no wind This month.
ADD this has been strong point in
favor az the levees. as there IS no
agency that can destroy these embat-
Elements like the waves blown against
them by the winds.
The outlook IS also for further rain
and ;his. together with the urecipita-
ton from Memphis TO the Gulr last night
viii have the effect Of piliuE up waters
below hero and making The rise last
longer than had been expected.
Guards Ordered to Shoot.
vICKsBURG. Miss. March l3.-Th,
SERIOUSNESS OF Tho flood situation was
made evident today. when Capt. j. r.
Mcclellan announced that beginning
with tonight shotgun patrol VIII D.,
established on. the 2l0 miles Of the
northern Louisiana Ieyee under his
charge with orders 20 shoot 10 KIN.
Rumors are rife that people in N,
lowlands on the opposite side Of the riv-
or hope 10 relieve the flood on their side
~ cutting into the levee Mcclellan
says that. while ne does not fear such
seton. De does not intend TO De- taken
unaware.
fIe asserts that The ieKoes in this re-
gion are strong enough 90 withstand adj
the food water now in sight if they are
rot cue. McClellan'8 announcement OF q
shotgun patrol is sirnifcant. In view oI
the fact that the lcvcc officers have beer
declaring that the levaCs are safe and
have been digCounting the tendency OF
the people 20 become panic-stricEen.
NATCHEZ Miss. March 1.-THE pro
lection ievcc az BouEere. I'm the lower
part Of C0ncordia parish. La has
been washed away and Tho Texas md
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