The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-04-04
THOUSAND HOMES WIPED OUT
Two Breaks In Ohio River Levees
Cause $1,000, 900 Damage
Business Houses and Other Structures
Destroyed--People in No
Danger

offered false hopes TO thousands OF
homeless persons in the great flood
stretch on the Ohio and Mississippi
today for the government forecasters
at river points and Washington said
they Gould not hold GU; the promise
of cessation of the constantly rising
food above Cairo.
The freshets continued to feed the
giant flood and it's arteries are gnaW-
ing at the shores of ten states. At noon
the anxiety over the next immediate
Hickman. KY. where the government
levee is holding off the wide reaching
Mississippi from the fertile fields of
the Reel Foot Lake region.
Riders have hurried through the
counties In northwest Tennessee. warn
ing the inhabitants. Thousands haN e
moved into the highlands and from
Hickman. as far south as Helena, Ark.
residents of the river counties have
moved to higher ground
on the Missouri side opposite HiclI-
man. thousands Of acres of fertile fields
are under water and hundreds are
homeless. The levees south Of Mem
phis are holding, but the Mississippi
is expanding every hour. and the rnen-
ace is increasing.
The tremendous value Of the govern
nIent forecasts has been illustrated in
this outburst of the rivers. While
hundreds of homes have been inun
dated or swept away. the loss OF life
stands at only eight.
Many hundreds of men guarding the
levees have had close calls during the
five days.
Cairo. Ill.,, April 4.-1'he Cairo
drainage district is gone, two breaks
late last night and early today flood
ing a territory nre miles square The
loss is estimated at five millions
No loss OF lives is reported. II is es-
timated that thousand homes. bust
ness houses and other structures have
been flooded in the drainage district.
where the water is now five to fifteen
feet deep.
Urbandale, with n white population
OF about one hundred homes. also Is
ture City. a negro settlement, with II
population of more than a thousand.
also is partially flooded.
Many people saved personal proper
~ as they were warned in time.
The first break came at the Mobile
levee. Here three hundred workmen
fought for five hours 10 fiji depres-
sion seventy feet long and five feet
deep. but their efforts were futile.
Five hundred men were fighting on
the Big Four levee, trying TO stem the
rise of the Ohio. Fearing the levee
would not hold, a tug was ordered out
with a rescue party and 1t succeeded
in bringing the men In. Shortly after
the men left. the levee ave way for
n distance of nearly two hundred feet.
Two levee patrolmen, Who were di-
rectly In front OF the crevasse, escaped
death as n by miracle. The waters
hurled them from their feet and it was
with great difficulty that they reached
IN embanxmcnt After the water broko
through the levee it rushed over the
district with great rapidity. and in n
short time the greater part was from
i've to fifteen feet deep.
The city Of Cairo proper Is protected
from the flooded section by a system
of cross levees, and "a big force of men
who were at work on the drainage
levee has been thrown around tho
Cairo levees. This body Of men is
raising and STRENGTHENING the leveos So
they will be safe against any stage of
the flood.
Main Levees Still Intact.
Memphis. April awhile showing
the effects OF the waters lashing all
the main line levees in Arkansas. Ten
nessee and Mississippi are reported
intact, but II s conceded hard fight
must be made. especially in the upper
st. Francis district to save the en-
hanlment The Tennessee levee. west
of Hickman. KY. which protects the
Reel Foot lake region. Is sloughing to
some extent and water is tapping the
crest. bpt Il Is thought the levee can be
saved. Near Memphis, at Star Land
ing. In Arkansas. the bank is cavfng
and government forces are being con-
centrated at that point. In Memphis
the flood area In the northern Sec
uon OF the city Is steadily increasing
In length and breadh. The organized
relief OF those driven from their homes
or thrown out OF employment was taxi
en- up today
Hickman Refugees chsered.
Hickman. KY April 1.-Two thousand
HOOD refugees were chcered after an
all night vigil at the levees by the an
nouncement that a train will rcacn
Hickman this afternoon. bringing sup
plies, food and clothing. The food sit
uation this morning was serious.
Tents will reach the highlands to-