The Newark journal., 1903-03-20
WATER GUT THROUCHIVEE
Breach Nearly Three Quarters of a Mile Long Opened at Trice's
 Landing.
LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY HEAVY.
Crittenden County Most Seriously Affected Residents of Flood Dis trict Surrounded in Their Homes. Situation at Helena and Arkansas City.

A section of St Francis levee about three-quarters of a mile in length gave way at Tice's Landing about twenty miles north of Memphis, and the waters of the mighty Mississippi river rushed through the opening.
 A vast area extending from the Mis- sissippi to the St. Francis river basin has been flooded and hundreds of per sons, surrounded by the water, have been made prisoners in their homes.
 Calls for assistance have been re- eeired from many points in the flooded district.
 The town of Marion has been com plete1y flooded and the citizens can not leave their homes except in boats.
 Hundreds of negroes and white per sons have aoeked into the town from the surrounding territory.
 The negroes have been frightened into a panic and in some cases refuse to aid in protecting property and life.
 The Frisco tracks are under water at Marion and all traffic in the flooded territory has been stopped.
 It is thought that it may be neces- sary to cut breach in the levee and send steamboat to the aid of impris- oned citizens.
 few floating bodies have been found in the flooded district. but true esti- mate of the loss of life cannot be made until the waters recede.
 Refugees have been carried to many points and 1t will never be known how many reached places of safety
 The loss to livestock in the flooded district is heavy
 The breach at Trice's Landing was the first serious break in the St Fran eis 1evee. although this point, with sev- eral others. has been known to be in a preeartous condition.
 A portion of CrIttenden county is the territory most seriously affected by the break The damage will be Iessened. however by the fact that from the point where the break occurred, draw leads into the St. Francis river through a number of bayous and lakes, which will hold the water together to a cer- tain extent
 The danger which threatened the leyee at Trice's Landing had been real ized for several days. and several hun dred men had been at work strengthen ing the embankment.
 Sacks of dirt and sand had been piled along the top of the leyee. but the waters finally swept over the top of these barriers and tore great hole in the leyee itself.
 The engineers were unable to repair the breach but devoted their efforts to preventing an enlargement of the open ing.
 The situation at Pecan Point, Fogle- mans Landing and St. Thomas is ser ious and hundreds of men are working on the levee at those points The water rose to the top of the Ievee at these points
 At Arkansas City officials of the levee board are confident that a stage of 53 feet can be held without trouble.
 The levees in this vicinity are re- ported to be in good shape.
 President Graves and Engineer T. S Shields. in charge of that district. have completed an inspection of the levees and report that they found them in satisfactory condition.
 A detail of Louisiana guards and a deAehment of men furnished by the Tensas Basin board are patrouing the levee day and night.
 The northern portion of the city of Helena has been inundated and hundreds of negroes who lived in that section of the city have been driven from their homes
 The directors of the board may decide to cut the leyee near Helena and allow the water to escape gradually rather than risk a break. which would let the water rush through in torrents and de- stroy vast amount of property in that territory.