The Cairo bulletin., 1908-12-09
NO }E BUILDINGS
FALL IN RIVER
LAST or THE GOVERNMENT
DYKES AT PINE BLUFF, ARK,
WASHED AWAY.
RAIL ROAD SHOPS CLOSE
To Give Thouaands Employees Chance
to Help Fight the Raging
Wat.rs---situation Still
Serious.


Pine Bluff Ark, Dec. S.-Havina
passed from the business TO the resi-
denoe district of the city, the .Arkan
sas river flood is now more compleia
in its work of destruction than ever
before, as It Is destroying many
homes of hard working people in the
eastern part of the city. This after
noon the last government dyke was
washed away, and the river is now
sweeping without interruption against
residence property nearly one mile
below the court house. Today five
houses and the Arkansas River Pack
ct Ccmpanys warehouse were swept
away and the greater portion OF
Cady'5 hardwood mill was destroyed
few minutes after the dyke was
washed away.
The river tonight is eating its way
toward the mouth of Hardings bayou,
which runs through the city, an !
when It cuts its way across a short
distance II win strike with full force
upon what is known as the east end
of the city, where are situated large
number of homes which have just
been rebuilt after having been d.
stroyed by great fire two years
ago.
Bafraque street has been destroyed
completely from Georgia street east,
dis ance of five blocks, and the
buildings on the south side of the
street are being moved back as fast
as possible. In the district which is
threatened people are moving out and
tearing down buildings or rolling
x them out Of danger 40 rapidly as pos,
sblc.
Cotton Belt Shops Close.
Al noon today the Cotton Belt rail
road at the local shops posted no
tice Ia all departments, excepting the
roundhouse, that the shops wou'l
close down No reason was stated
although it was reported that the
shops closed only for the afternoon !
and would reopen Tuesday morning. |
The object was to give the thousand
employees there an opportunity TO aid
in the work of protecting the river
front, as the current threatens to eat !
its way into Second avenue. where I
many Of them live. No information
couh be secured from the officials of /
the railroad company here.
A telegram received this afternoon .
from the weather bureau states that /
that Arkansas river is falling rapidly |
at Fcrt Smith, and that II will con
tinue TO fall rapidly for the next three
days. The river fell about a foot to-
day at this point. Late this after-
noon the big sawmill plant of II. G.
Cady of st. Louis was undermined |
and collapsed, and will be swept down
the, river within a few hours. The
destruction of this building was pre-
ceded by the washing away Of the
last dyke on the river front This
dykt withstood the. forceful waters
for many days, and protected much
prope .ty, from Texas fsto Virginia
streets in the eastern part Of the
city. The river ate its way behind
the b obstruction and carried away
a tld9k OF valuable real estate be.
tweer fenDessee aud Louisiana
streets. II is now eating away the
small point Of land upon which stood
the IS twmill, and threatens to go into
the-rlvine which separates East and
West Pine .BluH. II this results the
damage to East End property will be
great Ii
Caldwell Asks instruction.
secretarYJ l., Caldwell of the Pine
Bluff Roard Of Trade called a meet
ing OF the directors Of that -organiza I
tion Monday morning and requested [
them TO instruct him as to how to 1
proteed At Washington City, where q
he will 60 10 confer with Secretary I
Luke y. Wright relative 10 river work 1
needed here Secretary Caldwell n
wanted 20 know If the Board of Trade 6
favored Pine Bluff being cut OF from {
the. Arkansas river which, VIII result =
If 1ie soverpmeni cuts the new gov c
crnnient levee on the north bahk Of
the. -iver Boyd Point which was
dynaIaited several nights ago ~ 1
change me current of the river has c
bedh entirely washed away. and nas e
ture win probably send the river .
away from Pine Bluff without the \
neces s8ty Of cutting the levee. q
n Board Of Trade INSTRUCTED Set o
retsry' Cald~eIl 10 urge the var d. z
partnent to recommend large apprO- q
priations for repair Of the revetments a
and rebuilding Of dykes They favor b
cd keeping the stream at this point n
uavigable- They do not want the war 4
department to make the cutoff. a
Secretary Caldwell left today for r