The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-13

Washington, March 10.-The weather.
bureau tonight issued the special riVer
bulletin.
The Ohio river at Cincinnati has risenl
one-half foot since morning and IS now
at a stage Of 4S.1 foot and rising at the
rate of one-tenth of a foot hourly. TheI
lower Ohio continues to rise, the stageI
at Carrie being 4S.3 feet, a rise or
O.6 foot since morning.
The Mississippi at Memphis is at al
sta e Of $50 feet, a rise of 0.3 foo sinceI
morning. No material change has oc-
Cured in the lower Mississippi.
Heavy ain in Arkansas have caused
the White river to rise rapidly and the
prospects are that it will reach the
highest stage ever recorded.
Moderately heavy rains LAY ~fallenI
in the Ohio basin and in Tennessee.
The present indications are fair wealth
er for a day or so.
LowIaads Completely Inundated.
Memphis, Tenn, March 10.-The river
situation shows but little change here
today. Refugees from the loWlandS are
arriving at this port by every boat and
many have sought the higher land in
the vicinity of their homes, aWaitins
Developments. The government eng1~I
neers here have officially stated that the
situation is very serious and predict
| that within a week, the highest waterl
ever experienced will be rushingl
| through the levee channels. ReportsI
| from points in Mississippi say that the
lowlands are completely inundated and
in many cases stock is suffering. Thel
negro far1ners have their
homes for higher ground.
captain Lucus, chief of the govern.l
| ment forces, has furnished the St.l
Frances Levee Board the use of the1
steamer Abbot, and this vessel, under
the direction of Captain Lee Vasseur,I
assistant engineer will patrol the leVeesi
stretching along the river between Gait
| Island and Pecan Point. From Pecanl
Point, north, the steamer Graham will
do sentry duty. In addition to theseI
| vessels the government BOAT ChiSca willI
be used as a reserve vessel. The cond1-I
ton of the embankment twenty milesl
north of Memphis, where the water isl
flooding around the end of the leVee,l
in the seventeen mile gap, where emu
! bankments have never been built, is SCI
rious. 1t is believed to be one of theI
! most dangerous places along the river
1t is reported that the water is SLOWLY
| washing away the 1evee there by rum
ming around it. The engineers inI
charge have put in temporary revet-I
ments. but not before the counties of
Lee and Crimenden, in Arkansas .wereI
over flowed.
Chor1pc POtfar chief engineer of thal
third levee district said today that his
force was prepared for the flood and
that the e~mbanknents are all in good
condition. Three steamers are patroling|
the territory, with all the necessary
emergency supplies aboard.
The river tonight is above 80 feet onl
the guage and rising. The current isl
sWifter and more drift wood is runningl
than at any previous time during the
present rise. These signs are taken asl
indicating that there will be a rapid
increase in the speed of the rise tonight
and tomorrow. Between S o'clock this
morning and s o'clock tonight a rise
OF three inches was recorded. All these
| conditions tend to give a most gloomy
view of the flood situation and u%neasi-l
ness is increasing on every han The
! officials Of the levee boards and theI
United States engineers continue to say
there is no immediate necessity for eX-I
cessive anxiety, but further than this
they give no encouragement and sayI
thu a grave state of affairs seems in
evitable.
The government steamer Atlee left
| tonight for White river with a cargo of
| material md a large body Of patrols
and arms
strengthening Weak Places.
Jackson, Mass, March 10.-Owing to|
the apprehension felt throughout the
| Delta country over the appearance OF
| the high water in the Mississippi river,
| Governor Longino today ordered War
den Henry of the board of control, to-
go at once to Clarksdale where the
| levee board is in session. AvailableI
| forces of the state continue to be
rushed to the water front to strengthen
weak portions Of the levees.
Farmers Moving to the Hill Tops
Little Rock, Ark, March 10.-The Ar
kansas river is on a big boom, thought
no damage or suffering is yet reported.
1t has risen 4.3 feet al Fort Smith and p
feet at Dardanelle.
If the water continues to rise, it Is
likely TO break the leveeS n cause
loss of life and property. The govern
ment has issued a food warning and
many farmers are moving to the hill
tops.
Constant Watch Being Kept.
Natchez, Miss, March 10.-Every pre-
| caution that can be devised is being
adopted to prevent any attempt at CUT