The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-05-11
STORM CREATES EXCITEMENT
High Wind and Torrential Rain Put
Levees to Severe Test-False
Alarm Brings Citizens from Home
at Height of Hurricane-Em-
bankments All Holding.

at Height of Hurricane-Er-
bankments All Holding.
The levees of this section were
given a severe test by the furious
wind and rain storm which prevailed
from to s o'clock last night and
| for a time grave fear was felt that
the entertainments would give way
under the terrific strain imposed up
on them. After an all-day rain Of
the soaking variety, a high wind
sprang up shortly before nightfall
and soon attained the velocity of a
hurricane, blowing great guns for
upwards Of half an hour AfterWard
a torrential rain fell. and in a very
few minutes the streets and side
walks were flooded, the downpour
being one of the heaviest, in the
same space of time, ever experienced
here. The precipitation totalled $40
inches, and the streets from one end
of the town to the other were Gov
cred with from six inches to a foot
Of water. The storm lasted until
about $3.50 O'Clock, but rain fell at
intervals for some hours afterWard.
The high wind and heavy rain had
the effect of causing a rapid rise in
the river, and for a time last night
the gauge registered S5.1 feet, after
having been stationary at the 34.5
mark for the preceding thirty-six
hours. This morning the gauge
shows a stage of 34.S feet, which was
The level predicted by the govern
ment engineers for May IL. The sun
rs shining brightly today, the i'm
nense volume of water precipitated
during the storm of last evening has
all drained off, and the spirit of con-
fidence and hopefulness which has
prevailed since the beginning of the
flood has been restored III large
measure. A careful examination of
the levees in front of the city shows
that the embankme nts are in splen-
did condition, with no evidence of
weakening at any point along the
line.
The same cheerful report comes
from other points UP and down the
river on both sides, but coupled
with this good news is the announce
ment that a desperate fight had to
De made last night to hold the Phil
adelphia Point levse on the west
bank of the river, about eleven miles
above Donaldsonvil1e. The embank-
ment is a new one, having been
constructed during the past fall and
winter, and although high and wide
it is not well packed, and has be-
come somewhat soft. A force of
nearly four hundred men, including
1876 convicts who arrived on the |
scene last Tuesday, worked on the
leyee all night, blanketing it with
loose dirt and reinforcing the base
and top with sacks, and reports to-
day are to the effect that the levee
is considered safe and can be held |
unless there should be another storm
such as that which came SO near to
working disaster last Mi ht.
At the height Of Z he storm asstt
night, at: q bout Z : 30 clock, an alarm
Of fire was sent in from box IS,
at the corner of Mississippi and Les
sard streets, and the ringing of the
general alarm bell of the electric fire |
alarm system was followed by the |
blowing of the poWerhouse whistle |
The rain was coming down in sheets |
and the wind was blowing a gale,
but notWith standing this fact a large |
of men responded to the |
alarm, and few moments later, |
when a second warning was
sounded by means of the power plant |
practically every male resi-
dent Of the town was running to-
ward the river front. Nobody knew
what the alarm meant, or where the
trouble was located,o but as the
streets were submerged with water
to the depth of a foot or more, due
to the heavy rain, everybody took
it for granted that the levee had
given way, and much excitement en-
sued bordering in some cases on a
panic.
Hundreds of people ran to the
Texas and Pacific Railroad tracks,
which are on an embankment, and
many sought shelter in the Donald
rice mill, which is a, brick
structure three stories high. Some
even forced an entrance into the
church, and it is related
hat fifteen or twenty ladies made
their way into the choir loft, load
I'd down with bedding, clothing and
Valuables.
In the meantime, the men who had
to the river front found that
he alarm was unfounded, and had
been sent in by a citizen residing
aear the levee at the head of ST.
Patrick street, who became frightened
when he saw the street flooded from
curb to curb, and imagined that a
break in the levee had occurred The
second alarm was given by one of
he volunteer guards patrolling the
evee, a boy, who, blinded by the
ain, thought the water pouring
Town a path in the 1evee was flow
ng through the embankment from
he river. and ran as fast as he
could to the power plant and turn
I'd in an alarm.
The levee was found to be intact
1t all points, and In short while,
after the rain had ceased and the
water in the streets had drained
AWAY confidence was restored and