The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-27
LEvEEs IN GOOD TRIM
Twenty-one-Foot Stage Pre-
 dicted at Crescent City.
Considerable Damage Will Be Done to Oyster Beds Far Down To- wards the Coast-Water
 Over Many Wharves.

New Orleans, March 26.-With the river practically stationary during the day there has been little change in the flood conditions. The early morning reading of the gauge was 20.2, a rise of one tenth in twenty-four hours. From morn ing to night the height huctuated, reach ing 203 as a maximum.
 The phenomenal speed at which the current is flowing and favorable winds have doubtless restrained the upward tendency. Rises are reported from Red River down but with the present spell of dry and sunshiny weather confidence in- creases in the ability of the entertainments on both sides to sustain the strain upon them. A vigilant eye is being kept on every foot of levee, from Red River Landing to New Orleans. The local Weather Bureau today again advises preparations for twenty-one foot stage at this point if the entertainments hold. It promises that the Red, Atchafalaya and Ouachita will continue to rise. As, however, the flow of the Red and Missis sippi continue into the Atchafalaya, car rying off a great volume of water from the main stream and relieving the lower reaches of the river. the expectation is that the prediction of the bureau will not be exceeded
 Ready for Highest Water.
 Ample provision has been made here 10 care for the highest water now prom lsed In 1897 the levees from Louisiana Avenue to Southport gave the most con- eern, but these are now considered i'm pregnable in strength and the temporary "a front are in excellent shape and as a rule built to a height capable of resist Ing a maximum of twenty-two feet. The trouble at St. Ann Street, where water was leaking through the levee, has been entirely arrested today.
 Thus far there has been no interrup- ton to steamboat or ocean-going traffic. The water is over many of the wharves, but emergency walks have been laid and freight is handled With sllght lnconVe- nience.
 Members of the State Board of Engi- neers are at various points along the Mississippi, the Red and the La Fourche On the latter stream there are now three crevasses, but planters not Immediately within range of the breaks have had time in which to construct temporary embank- ments to protect their places. Recently District Judge Leche handed down de- ClSlOn restraining llo lbN6 b'oiNS AiO'iA damming the La Fourche preparatory to putting in locks. which, 1t is contended. would for all time render the sections drained ty the La Fourche, probably the richest in Louisiana. free from overflow. It is expected that the drainage resulting from the present crevasses will cause a revulsion in sentiment favorable to the locking of that stream.
 Damage to Oyster Beds.
 Considerable damage will be done to the oyster industry by the present flood Far down the coast where the levees are small, because there Is little cultiva, ble land. the river is running over and filling up valuable beds of bivalves River water as a rule destroys the oys- ter.
 Thus far the cotton sections of the State have escaped overflow. The rich est fields are those protected by the Fifth District Levee system in North Louisiana. President McClelland, of the board, con- tinuesl to express confidence that this stretch of leVee work will hold
 Weather Observer Cline said today that if the levees hold the period of high water in this vicinity would probably last three weeks. That estimate is based on the length of time that the crest of the flood will continue in reaching here from Helena. The flood speed. however, Is variable and three weeks is considered the extreme limit of suspense if the leVees hold.