Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-05-11
The PEOPLE FLY TO SAFETY
FRAME HOUSES ARE ABANDON.
ED AND REFUGE IS TAKEN
IN OTHER STRUCTURES.
NEWORLEANSGETS DRENCHING
THE RAINFALL IN THAT CITY
MEASURES SIX INCHES IN
ONE HOUR.

New Orleans, La, May 11.-Dawn
today brought relief and hope to thou
sands of people and ended a night OF
excitement and terror for those liv-
ing in upstate towns and villages be-
hind levees considered none too safe
because of the terrific transforms
that swept down the Mississippi river
from the northern portion of Louisi-
ana to the gulf. The deluge was ac-
companied by hail and lightning, and
near hurricane that dashed river
water over levees in cascades from
Baton Rouge south, tearing away tenn
porary earthworks recently construct
ed.
From scores OF towns belated tele-
grams tell of conditions almost bor-
dering on panic where hundreds of
frightened people left frame dwellings
and sought safety in brick and stone
buildings.
Many places reported as much as
six inches of rain within about four
hours, ending at 10 o'clock last night
and flooding towns and villages. At
dozens Of points up and down the riv-
er where levees were thought weak
ening, hundreds of citizens, worked
beside gangs of convicts all night
long in the driving rains, digging mud
and piling sand bags on levee tops to
keep back the torrential water from
the north. At New Orleans the wind
backed up the water until the gauge
at 10 o'clock registered 21.9 feet. Wat
er was blown over the levees here at
many places. At the Southern Pacif-
ic transfer ferry, the water literally
poured over the lines of sand bags
placed about the ferry house by the !
railroad people. Emergency gangs
stopped the overflow after half an
hours work.
The city streets were turned into
torrents, the water in several in
stances flooding business houses to
the depth of four inches, filling base
ment and manholes.
In the 25 minutes ending at 9
s,o1o11- 1oo+ nsoht = ;uohoo ~ rat,,
fell. In the residence district the
water was overflowing the sidewalks
by several inches. Hundreds were
caught in the downpour, unable to
get to their homes because of the
crippled car service. Scores of well
dressed men on Canal street took off
their water-logged shoes, slung them
over their shoulders, rolled up their
trousers to their knuees and waded
home
An inferno of the elements gripped
the city for hours last night. Rains
fell in sheets. the wind blew gale.
hail added to the terror, the river
rose by leaps and Tapped across the
levees. and over it all there was a
continuous display Of lightning and
roaring thunder.
Streets were flooded to a depth of
from three to Is inches. People in
the downtown districts were maroon
ed for hours within the block upon
which they were caught by the cloud
burst. Electric light plants were
flooded and many parts of the city
were in darkness.
The same alarming conditions pre-
vailed up and down the river. In
several towns people who have for
days lived in fear of further dIsas-
trous breaks in the levees were panic
stricken. A force of men was put to
work today at the 1000 foot Celeste
street wharf to stop an overflow
caused BY the rapid rise in the river
last night.