The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1912-05-11
FLOOD SITUATION UN|MPROYED WITH NO EARLY
RELIEF IN SIGHT, MAILS WILL NOW COME DAILY

hS WILL WI
e The past week since the breakin
of the Bayou Sara levee, and tn
consequent flooding of that town b
the waters of the mighty Missfssipp
has been trying one for the pee
PIE OF these two towns. Bushes
Is at a standstill, and communication
with the outside world most difficult
The greatest drawback is on ac
count Of delayed mails. The las
Train bringing mail, until Thursday
wa sthe Sunday morning train on the
L. K, & N. Although scheduled +,
return south on the same day, it wa,
delayed by bad track conditions al
Wilhelm, and did not return till Mon
gay. Since that time traffic has been
almost entirely suspended on that
road, no freight or passengers being
handled to or from Bayou Sara. Peo-
pie living between Bayou Sara and
Angola have had to come here on
handcars for supplies.
Though traffic on the Y. G. NJ. v
was Curtailed weeks ago, the only
service on that road being one trip
daily between Bayou Sara and Wood
Vile. On Thursday this train brought
the first mails Of the week-three
days old at that. Water is reported
OF be running over the THOMPSON
Creek railroad bridges, and it Will
be some time after the water recedes
before anything like SATISFACTORY
train service can be resumed. At.
present, there is no relief in sight.
The Y. &; NJ. V. is now running al
daily freight train from Slaughter toI
PoWells Station. From there, freight
IS brought to st. Francisville by wal
son.
The river continues to rise and
measures about 48 feet on the Ba-
you Sara gauge. The river is re-
ported to be rising from Cairo down.
md approximately another foot is
expected here. The river has pre-
3ented a busy scene this week. Num-
1eIs of craft of every description
ire engaged in rescuing people from
he flooded country above. People
Ind goods of every description are
oaded into boats and barges and are
icing taken to places of safety at
'ort Hickey and Baton Rouge.
Many people in Pointe Coupee
ave removed to places of safety on
ccount of the momentary apprehen-
ion of another break on that side
I the river. Convicts and civilians
re engaged both might and day in
'ying to save the levees and pre-
ent an additional crevasse. Should
mother large crevasse occur in
'ointe Coupee, several parishes that
ave so far escaped will be flooded /
nd all crops ruined. ia
The big levea on Angola broke last +
eek and the whole place, with the !
reception of the hospital and one S
amp, is flooded. Some of the stock 2
aS taken to the Tunica hills and {
lrned loose to forage for themselves G
ost of the convicts have been ia ]
en down the river to help in the t
9ht against the flood. Il
The conditions in Bayou Sara are p
}out as bad as can be imagined. The s.
hole town is engulfed and only the a
p floors Of tWO-stOry buildings are Il
'bitabie, and not all of these. The
eet family is reported to be the on II
family now sleeping in the town, Z
sides the people at the Burton b,
Ouse. N
Some houses have been washed con
ierable distances from their for Il
81 locations, others have been bat @;
red to pieces by the force of the OF
nd and water, and all are badly ri
mayed. The break in the levee oc- K,
rred in the best spot imaginable IL
the safety Of the town. 1t was w
posite comparatively open ground 81
the bayou side and the vast in "
sh of water had opportunity to lose pl
'ch of its force before striking m