The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-18
Break of LeVee at Trice's h. stead of Helping COmpIi-
 cated the Situation
VERITABLE SEA EXISTS
 IN ST. FRANCIS BASIN
Cries for Help Are Coming From All Sections and the Steamers Are Doing All In Their Power
 to Save Sufferers. a

Memphis March 17.-The flood situation in the portion of the Mississippi valley contiguous to Memphis Is extremely crit ical tonight. It was thought at first the break in the levee last night at Trice's landing would help matters by reliev- ing the pressure of the water and causing a fall at this point. Instead of this the break has complicated conditions by flooding a vast area in Arkansas across the Mississippi from Memphis, and to- night veritable sea exists in the St. Francis and Mississippi river basin, ex- tending from the one completely to the other, a distance of many miles, From this territory a call for help has gone up from persons who have been surrounded in their homes and on higher portions or the country, and thus far it has been an impossibility to send them assistance of any character. Through this territory the St. Louis and San Francisco roads run, but all trains were annulled today, and no service can be rendered by the railroad on account of it's tracks being under wa ter, near Marion Ark. At this latter point telegraph communication still exists and reports that reach Memphis are far from encouraging
 Marion, Ark, Flooded.
 The town Is almost totally flooded and citizens are using skiffs as their only means of travel Negroes and white per- sons from the adjacent territory are pouring into Marion each hour and they ask that boat be sent to their rescue. There is no means of reaching them ex- cept by making a breach in the levee near Memphis, and this way be done tor morrow if conditions show no improve ment It Is estimated that several hum dred perscns- surrounded by the wa ter in the flooded Arkansas territory. and that the amount of live stock lost Is heavy in the extreme.
 Negroes at Marion have given away to fright and almost panic exists. They have congregated at the depot and in the cabins of the village and refuse to work. A relief train, the last that reached the village, arrived early this morning with 5000 sacks to be used in damming back the water, but labor cannot be se- cured to unload the train.
 The tracks of the Iron Mountain and Choctaw railroads are still open and no trouble has been experienced. The Frisco is detouring It's trains over the tracks of the former system.
 Steamboats all day have been bringing refugees and their property to the city and yet more calls for aid are coming in than can be answered.
 River Still Rising.
 There seems to be every indication that all predictions of the stage at this point will be surpassed as the river Is again rising slowly tonight. It was hoped the crest of the rise sufficiently close to Memphis last night for the break in the levee at Triee's landing to give relief and cause A fall here. A fall did follow the break but this was checked today and tonight the guage is 396 feet, or within one-tenth of the maximum that has thus far been reported.
 It is feared that the stage tonight will pass forty feet and the end will probapiy not then be reached.
 The weak points in the levee which were reported last night other than at the break, are still in a critical condition and further breaks may occur Forces of men under assistant engineers are work ing night and day at these points and the situation has now resolved itself into a race between the workers and the water rapid advance of any consid-
  other breaks. The crevasse at Trices has not widened to any extent today.
 Floating Bodies.
 A few floating bodies have been found at various points by the rescuing boats but the number has not yet been alarm ing A true estimate of the loss of life from the flood can never be made, as the sections flooded are vast in area, and the population so widely dispersed that nothing like census can be made. In ad- dition refugees are being carried to other points, and there is no way of knowing those who reach other places of safety.
 In this city the situation is growing worse each hour, and the water is spread ing to sections other than those which were flooded yesterday The water pump ing plant Is endangered still, and a few inches more rise in the river must cause it to suspend if the dams and em- bankments about 1t should break.
 Altogether the situation tonight is most discouraging, and with the water contin- uing to rise, no relief can yet be hoped for.
 Rotten Levees Only Protection.
 Helena, Ark, March 17.-A rotten levee eighteen inches from the top and with the water of the Mississippi river in places less than one foot from the top is all that prEeclS the oW Hoihco VI &soA .i AAeich" from absolute ruin. It is believed by many that the levee will not hold until tomorrow night, while some of the resi- dents of the threatened district are fear ful that before tomorrow mornings sun they will be compelled to flee from their houses Already the entire section of the city from Walker street north, to where the North Helena levee joins Crowley's Ridge, is from one to five feet under ,.,atar ord tho water Is pouring in through a hundred small sipe holes that have appeared in the levee. There have been persistent rumors tonight that the di- rectors would cut the levee and allow the water to come in gradually. rather than risk a break of the embankment. which would let the water rush through in tor rents and perhaps destroy hundreds of small houses. North Helena Is separated from the main residence portion of the