The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-08
RESCUE WORK Of
FLOOD VICTIMS
FASTENED TODAY
Warm Sun Relieved the Suf-
ferings of the Dripping
Homeless.
THREE STRIKING PICTURES
FROM THE FLOODED O|CTR|CJ
Five Hundred Square Miles in Ono.
Three Counties I'm Another are Cn.
der Water and Rich Bottom Farm
Homes Float in a Torrent.


showed some improvement. TO-DAY.
when warm sun gave further en-.
ragement to those conducting the
%ork OF rescue among the hundreds
driven from their homes by the high
water.
All the levecs in the flood district
are holding strong and at this point
the river had subsided = of foot.
with the upper district levees hold
ing. however. the strain on the dikcs
IN fazoo section has increased and
men worked all night on the embank-
ments south Of Memphis to bolster the
weak spots. The danger at several
spots along the Arkansas shore has
not passed.
Two hundred levee workers mar.
rowIH escaped being swept away when
the emhankment caved in sixteen
miles south "f Helena. Ark. yesterday.
Ihe town Of Modoc near the break
Is twenty feet under water today.
Modoc has practically been depopuiat-
led.
The work Of caring for the refugees
from the lowlsnds is fast being sys-
temized.
In the wide stretches of the Mis-
slselppi's flooded acres there are three
striktng pictures. Tho northernmost
IS the 500 square miles of the Reel.
ieot lake country of Tennessee, where
S.ooo "r more persons have been
smashing of a Mississippi levee in
southwestern Kentucky in this dis
trict thousands of acres of fertile fields
are under water. Scores of persons
who have refused to desert their
homes now are imprisoned i'm upper
noors and on roofs of flood mena ced
houses.
A few miles south in Arkansas three
counties are under water. From this
rich bottom" country hundreds of
farmers and villagers have been driv-
en-. Flood waters swept over the fer
tile fields and thriving villages last
night with the breaking of the levee
on the Arkansas side north Of Mem
phis. Today great numbers Of per-
sons marooned on roofs and houses
and In trees have been taken out Of
The flooded district in boats. Prob
ABLY many more water imprisoned are
IN Imminent peril. There are not
boats enough to perform the rescue
work required. Three counties--Crit-
tendan. Poinsett and C:ross-are food
ed.
The scene south of these points i'm
presses one with the sight Of a giant
stream on rampage. Homes that
once marked the center of rich bot.
tom farms now float In torrent that
cannot be stayed. Bits of wreckage
carried along in the tawny tide re-
fleet the extent of the damage in the
valley above.
From the standpoint of the nor
thern dweller. Il picture of Mississip-
pi valley flood is hest expressed in fig
ures of possible life loss and statistics
telling of the number Of square miles
inundated. To the valley plantation
owner a different picture presents it.
self. With him inundation Of his
farm by torrent from the rivers
overflow means erosion Of his acres
To the small farmer and Settler"
the coming of the flood means flight
Hundreds of such persons have refus-
ed. however. to leave their homes. and
In many instances such cases have
been dealt with through force. Those
marooned on housetops are compelled
to take to barges and are sent to plac-
es of safety.
Daring Correspondents.
Attempts to cover" the story along
the stretch of levees from south Mis-
souri, and Illinois to Arkansas have in
VOWED many personal risks on the part
OF newspaper correspondents.
One Of the most daring exploits was
respondent who foated on log on
the crest of the tide when the levee
broke at Hickman. He made his way
to Tiptonville. Tenn. then telephoned
his story of the flight from the Reel
foot country to Memphis.
Another news writer. a pretty young
woman Of Hickman. Ky. half swan.
half waded, in imminent peril. to get
from her home to the long distance
"a to ~rI>
lite story of the rescue Of a thousand
r.ersons at Dorena, Mo-, might reach
the outside world.
OF the striking feats of bravery
which stand out in the fight against
the flood possibly the most conspicu-
Gus has been that of the couriers who
rode in advance of the tide to warn
villagers and farmers out Of the path
OF the raging stream.
The telephone has been brought
largely into play. Patrols stationed at
menaced points here watched for
crevasses night and day. The moment
that break occurred the patrols hur-
ried to telephone stations and warned
the countryside.
A farmer who watched for the
breach in the st. Francis levee Satur-
day afternoon mounted his horse
when the tide hroke through the en-
0ohhHACut FAS uc SldTtcU 10 rae away
his wife grasped the bride Of his
horse.
Where are you going?" she called,
with the horse.
To warn my neighbors." replied
the planter. You must get to the
boats"
The planters wife managed to get
her children away in safety while her
husband raced with the food, warning
farmers out of the tides path. The
warning probably saved scores Of
lives.
A peddler who travels in the coun-
try surrounding Memphis lived in a
small frame house. Water entered the
dwelling. He moved to the attic. He
made his rounds in boat that he
moored to tree at night. The last
night he slept in his attic he awoke
to find the water around his bed. The
only implement available was a can
opener. With this he cut an openenK
In the roof. and. finding his boat and
stores safe, escaped.
Still DANGEROUS.
st. Louis, April s.-The Mississippi
A. -