The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1912-04-20
THE RIVER SITUATION.

The river gauge at Bayou Sara
reads 43.5 and has been standing at
that mark for the past forty-eight
hours or more. This is within 2 of
the highest mark ever reached at
this point.
The fact that the river remains
stationary now is taken by some to
mean that the crest of the flood is
passing Bayou Sara now, and that
this stage will be maintained for sew
eral days, or even weeks, longer.
Others are of the opinion that the
waters from the breaks in the le-
wees in Arkansas and Mississippi and
North Louisiana will find their way
back to the Mississippi through the
Ouachita and Red Rivers and that a
further rise may be expected in a
few days.
The levees surrounding Bayou Sara
are in good shape and adequate pre-
cautions have been taken to cope
with the situation. rhe work Of top
| ping the levees has been completed
and all weak spots have been
strengthened. Bags of earth and
piles of timber have been placed at
convenient points and guards are
placed on the levee at night.
Taking everything into constdera
ton, Bayou Sara has bright PROS
pect of escaping unscathed from the
ravages of the flood. However, some
people, to be on the safe side, have
| moved to higher ground and are tax
ing no chances.
Railroad traffic has been SERIOUS
ly interfered with on account OF the
high water. The through morning
train ON the l.. r. & N. runs uniform
| ly about three hours late. Other
trains on that road are not interfer-
ed with, however. Three miles be-
low Bayou Sara, ON the Y. & M. w.
there is twenty inches of water over
the rails, and the Woodville Accom-
mediation was discontinued north of
Slaughter last Sunday, and will re-
main so until the water falls. The
mixed train has been equipped with
an engine having a very high fire
box, and continues to make the dali
ly trips.
| Unless the levee actually breaks, st
~rancsvil!e will suffer more than
| Bayou Sara. The back-Water has
covered the sidewalks on both sides
of the street at the foot of the hill,
and lacks but few inches Of com
tng into the store doors. In the
lower portions Of town, off the main
street, a number of houses have been
flooded and the occupants have been
/ forced to move. High scaffolds have
been erected over the sidewalks at
| the foot of the hill, for the conven-
fence of pedestrians.
Levee Breaks at Angola.
On Thursday morning, the outer
leyee at Angola broke, flooding a
considerable area, much of which is
planted in cane. The authorities on
Angola are having hard fight with
| the raging river, but have so faf
been able to keep the water off the
main portion Of the convict farm
The big new sugar mill and the con
i Wet quarters are reported at this
+ writing to be uninjured.
/ Bad Condition UP River.
An alarming condition of affairs
II exist in North Louisiana. SeVera
: crevasses have occurred, and thous
: ands of square miles of land are I'm
: der water. Several towns Of con
Il siderable Importance are under wa
| ter and suffering has become acute
), The stock loss will be something
f enormous.
e The national and state govern
e ments are doing everything possibL
u in the way OF rescue work, and dc
r pots of supplies are being estat
lished for the care OF refugees, Will
contributions are being made fror
r many parts of the union. Preslden
l. Taft has appealed for Red eros
s funds to be sent to North Louislan
r and the Grand Lodge B. P. o. E. ha
e contributed $1,000.
Several companies of militia c
Louisiana and Mississippi have bee
VI pressed into service as levee p;