The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-29
TRYING TO CHECK
DESTRUCTION OF LEVFE.
tContinued from First PageO

The early morning reading was POL
BY nightfall it was POP, the difference
of a tenth being attributed to eddy
and wind conditions
In explanation of the slight effect the
break has had, the fact is pointed to
that the current pouring into Hyme-
la has not yet cut a channel in the
batture, and only a surface flow is go
ing through the break. If the efforts
10 close the creVaSSe are abandoned
the levee, built of river sand, will
doubtless melt rapidly and produce a
crevasse rivalling that at Davis of
1884. when the river heEe fell with
considerable rapidity.
Work at the crevasse progressed
steadily during the day. Early In the
morning some of the cribbng at the
lower end yielded to the force of the
current, but the line was re-commenc-
ed, and good Roadway made. The
lower end of the broken levee is wash
ing badly, and the crevasse is said
to be over 300 feet in width. but it
is hoped to arrest the crumbling as
soon as it is felt safe to begin sack
ing. One hundred thousand feet of
lumber and $4,000 sacks went to the
scene earl this afternoon by barge
General Manager ThOrne of the Texas
and Pacific Railway reached there
early this morning, following expert
bridge gangs and carpenters whom he
had ordered to precede him. Mr. Thorne
expresses the opinion that the break
can be mended
The area of overlooked land was
largely increased to-day. No lives or
stock have been lost, however for there
was ample warning, and the water
spread slowly.
To-day the Texas and Pacific was
forced to suspend traffic over it's own
line in the vicinity of the break. How
ever, freight and through trains are
being operated over the Southern Pa
cific rails to Ceneyville where connec-
ton with the main line of the Texas
and Pacific is again made. Through
traffic over the Mississippi Valley has
been cut off by the La Grange break
in Mississippi.
The services between this city and
Vicksburg has not, however, been in
terrupted The Illinois Central is ar
ranging to handle its valley business
over its main line via Jackson.
No unfavorable news came to-day
from other Louisiana points than Hy-
melia. valiant fight is in progress
from Baton Rouge to New Orleans
on the east bank. and tonight the
whole line was said to be holding.
There is reasonable hope that the
levees in the Fifth district will pull
through. The problem there is the
duration of the flood, now that the
levee near Greenville has given away
The location of that crevasse means
a return wave through the Yazoo.
In 1897, when there were seven breaks
on the Mississippi the return wave in
creased the flood hight three feet in
the Fifth district Nothing like this
hight is expected to be attained, if
the remainder of the Mississippi line
stands fast.
Locally, the situation is barren of
events. The fact that the river has
been practically at a standstill for
three days has enabled the forces en-
ployed to improve the temporary en-
bankments and to accumulate material
at various points to be in readiness for
use at a moments notice. While the
expectation is strong that the Hymelia
crevasse will be closed, the engineers
are preparing to put up emergency
levees to protect Algiers and the thick
ly settled towns on the west bank. No
fears are entertained of a backwater
overflow in these sections, but consid-
cradle hardships have accompanied it
in the past
Local cotton men, as a rule, do not
| take a pessimistic view of the situa-
| ton in the Yazoo delta from a crop
standpoint. They believe that if the
flood passes quickly, there will be am
pie time to recoup the losses resulting
from the present overflow.