The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-19
RIVER IS STILL RISING
Highest Stage Ever Known
 Reached at Memphis.
Conditions in the Flooded Area are Growing Worse Every Hour, and Little Hope of Relief
 is Held Out.

situation tonight shows number of new and serious developments and there is scarcely a ray of hope for improved conditions yet, except the fact that trtbu- taries of the Mississippi to the north of Memphis are reported to be falling.
 One of the most serious developments of the last twenty-four hours is the wash ing out of all the lines of railroad enter ing the city from the west and the com plete tying up of railroad traffic through the Memphis gateway to that section. There has been no trains either into or out of the city today over the Memphis bridge, and there is every indication that traffic cannot be resumed until the flood has subsided to considerable degree so that the tracks are uncovered and may be repaired where they have been de- stroyed. All efforts today to repair the breaks have proven of no avail and al- though the roads are making strenuous efforts to repair the washed-out lines, 1t is believed that several days, and possi- tly a week. may pass before traffic can be resumed.
 So suddenly did the rise come in the section of Arkansas across the river from Memphis after the St. Francis levee broke at Trice's Landing that two pas senger trains were caught between wash ed-ou. points and are now surrounded by water on blind tracks in the over flowed territory about three miles west of Bridge Junction, Ark.
 Trains Are Waterbound.
 In these trains were about seventy-five passengers each, and tonight over 100 of these persons remain the train with no prospect of being taken off until to- morrow or later. However, they are not considered to be in any danger, and these who have returned from the surrounded trains report that the passengers are be- ing well cared for by the railroad com panies.
 The breaks occurred shortly after g o'clock last night just after westbound trains on the Cotton Belt and Frisco had left Memphis. The Cotton Belt left at g o'clock and had proceeded but few miles when it encountered a section of flooded track. In attempting to cross, the rails spread, and the engine was par tially derailed, preventing the train from moving in either direction. While in this condition, the Frisco fast Kansas City passenger train approached from Mem phis and with its assistance the Cotton Belt engine was pulled back on the track. In the meantime a serious washout had occurred between the trains and the re- treat to this city was completely cut off.
 All night the passengers were compell ed to remaid in the coaches while the water rose on every side, and this morn ing there was not a particle of land in sight within mile of their positions.
 Two trains are on the track of the Iron Mountain near Altman, Ark. Before them are washed-out tracks and on this side the foundation has been carried away until passage is unsafe in the extreme. By taking risks, several hand-cars sue ceeded in reaching the water bound trains today and about fifty passengers were brought to thls city over submerged and shaking tracks. The remainder refused to attempt to return and are housed in the coaches, being fed by the railroad companies. Attached to the Frisco train is a dining car and additional supplies were sent to them today on the hand cars.
 Highest Stage Ever Known.
 The river here tonight shows 3yS feet oon the gauge, the highest stage ever re- corded, and a rise of two-tenths since last night The river is about stationary and it Is possible a fall may set in at any mo- ment. But this prediction is exceedingly uncertain as the draining of the river by the break at Prices Landing has been something enormous and the water con tinues to pour through the break at rapid rate, The water behind the levees in the flooded portions of Arkansas is within a foot of the water on the river side and when this foot rise has been com peted the Mississippi River may show a further rise. The rise at Memphis in the face of the break and while millions of barrels of water were being drained into the immediate territory which had been flooded was almost at the rate of an inch an hour. This fact has set all past per formances at naught and has shown that the river is capable of vaE1ries that had never been dreamed of from It's former floods.
 The situation in this flooded area is growing worse with each hour and is evil dent that a general rise of a foot more must occur over the entire submerged area unless a very material fall takes place in the river before the gap at Trice's can let through this volume of water alone or with the assistance of other crevasses which may occur. An effort was made today to send a steam boat and barges through the gap for the rescue of persons and live stock to that district by President Kllough of the St Francis Levee Board
 Steamer Disabled.
 On the way up the river the steamer was disabled and 1t returned to Memphis for repairs A second effort will be made tomorrow and it is thought it will be sue cessfuI although it Is sure to be attended by considerable danger to those in charge.
 Some persons were rescued from Marion. Ark. by means of skiffs and the situa- tion there is somewhat relieved. Eight white families and fully 200 negroes re- main there in the second stories of build- ings Over a thousand head of live stock has been gathered at :he village
 The city all day has been filled with travellers who have been delayed on ac- count of the washouts west of the river To relieve this congestion has been the efforts of the railroad companies and to- night relief Is in sight.
 The Iron Mountain and Cotton Belt have chartered steamboat to carry westbound passengers to Helena. Ark. From whence they will be taken west over the tracks of the former system. The Choctaw is handling its business over the Illinois Central tracks to Cairo and thence to 1<inkley, Ark. over the Cotton Belt