The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-17

road is the greatest sufferer from this
break.
day enabled work in strengthening the
levees, and the line in the city and along
the river Is reported In good condition.
The gauge tonight reads 1872, which is L
below last night, but the weather bureau
says that the rise at Memphis Is yet to
come and the 21-foot stage will reach
here. The Bougre levee In Concordia
parish in the northern part OF the state,
close to the Texas and Pacific tracks, Is
reported weak tonight but General Man
ager Thorne is up the road and will put
an army of men to work. The first real
break is reported In the Buras district
some sixty or seventy miles below the
city. 1t is said to be several hundred feet
wide but can do no harm, as the terri.
tory is close to the gulf and few inter-
ests will be damaged, as the water will
run into the Mexican sea. The Arling-
ton levee. about which there was so
much apprehension, is being held nicely,
although 1t will take twenty days to
complete the protective measures there.
Altogether the engineers feel very much
encouraged, and Captain Bromwell, the
United States engineer does not even
think the Bougre break serious.
President II. C. Leake of the Pontchar-
train board which Is In charge of the
section between here and Baton Rouge
protecting the Illinois Centrals Missis-
sippi Valley tracks. will start a patrol
train out tomorrow morning with labor
and material aboard and make a daily
inspection of the district. This plan will
also likely be adopted by the Texas and
Pacific on the opposite bank.
Traffic May Be Cut OFF.
Vicksburg Miss, March 16.--A slow and
irregular rise in the Mississippi river con-
tlnues at this point The gauge at I
O'Clock tonight registered 4S9. a one-tenth
rise for twelve hours, compared with six
tenths for the preceding forty-eight hours.
Officials of the fifth Louisiana levee board
returned today from a tour of inspection
and their reports are optimistic. Engi-
neer Robinson said:
Our entire levee line and as far as
have seen on this trip, those of Missis-
sippi and Arkansas also, are in fit con-
dition, | believe, to hold the water that
may come down on this rise, that is, pro-
vided the rains In the upper valley should
stop long enough to allow the present wa
ter to get out of the way. We have our
lines we'll guarded to prevent cutting and
am inclined to think we are safe
Equally encouraging reports are brought
by officers of the Natchez-V Vicksburg
packet steamer Cordille, as to conditions
below here. The levee between this point
and Natehez can easily stand ten feet
more of water. it is said.
The most serious local feature of the
food Is the danger that through traffic
TO the west may be cut off. The Queen
and Crescent is already having serious
trouble on their inclines. on both sides of
the river, and an entire suspension of the
train service is imminent.
Very Serious at Helena.
Helena, Ark, March 16-The river situ-
alton here tonight is decidedly more Sc
rous than II has been at any previous
time since the flood conditions have been
prevailing The rise for the past thlrtysix
hours amounts to little over one foot,
the gauge tonight at 8 O'Clock standing
at All feet Sunday morning at o'clock
the guage read 1876. The rise during the
past twelve hours has been nearly half
a foot.
Col. ]. P. Mills looks for ffty-one feet
on the gauge here before the end of the
week, and predicts that the st. Francis
levees will not be able to stand the strain
being placed upon them by the flood A
break above is regarded as the only thing
that will relieve the leyees of the Cotton
Belt district, but the officials do not an
ticipate any trouble in caring for all the
water that comes. North Helena, includ-
ing all that section between the two upper
levees, Is completely inundated and many
families are being compelled to move to-
day. There are several hundred residents
In the overfiowed sections ana some of the
prettest homes In the city. The govern
ment steamer Mercury doing patrol duty
near Loconia Circle. below Modoc, was I'm
port here today, and reports that rise
of another foot will put the water over
the LaConia leyee. No malls have reached
here from Memphis over the valley since
Friday noon
Paducah Alive With Rabbits.
Paducah, KY. March l6.-Floods are
causing many animals to venture into
higher points in and about Paducah. Por-
tions of the city are fairly alive with rab-
bits and men and boys are hunting them
on the outlying streets. A plague of
snakes is reported in the suburbs, mocca-
sins being especially numerous. Musk
rats are almost as numerous In the back
water as English sparrows ordinarily are.
Many minks are also seen. three-foot
otter, worn out by the struggle against
the current, has been captured. The Ohio
is stationary here.
Trains Cut OFF.
Montgomery. .-arcA 16.-An Advertiser
dispatch from Mobile says: News has
been received here that Merrill, Miss. on
the Mobile, Jackson and Kansas City
railroad, was surrounded by water to
such an extent as to be shut off from all
train service Handcars are being used
to transfer passengers and baggage.