New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-03
TRA|NLOADS FLEE FLOOD
Rushing Waters Break Great
Gaps in Louisiana Levees.
MANY TOWNS INUNDATED
Situation Worst in History Of
Lower Mississippi-Tbou-
sands More Homeless.

( Hope Of patching the break in the Missis-
| sippi River lsvee at Torras, La, expected
10 cause the worst situation in lower Missis-
sippi food history. was abandoned late yes
| terday. Last night water was rushing
through the eight hundred-foot breach at
the rate Of twelve miles on hour, and sew
ersl small towns were inundated.
The dixie protecting the state penal farm
at Angola let go this afternoon. but the
food will be confined to a small section
Reports from other places show the gauge
readings steadily going upward.
Baton Rouge has been made the concen-
tration point for persons made homeless
by tho Torras break Hundreds were taken
there yesterday and last night. The work
of caring for these people went on rapidly
Doubtless preparations for a break at
Torras prevented loss Of life. Az at other
threatened points train had been placed
| at Torras ready to go at a moments no
tice When the break came the inhabi-
tants rushed for the cars. Even livestock
was put aboard and the train run out OF
the danger zone. Steamboats, picked UP
/ many marooned persons and took them 20
/ Baton Rouge.
Sheriff Parker OF West Baton Rouge Par
fish IS in charge Of a Southern Pacific shut
| tie train running through the Atchafalaya
swamps or Ibervile and ST. Martin par
| ishes. removing maroOned inhabitants 10
safety. The train will continue 10 run
| until all are removed unless the track IS
! washed away. The Frisco Railroad also
{ sent out a special train to pick up persons
and livestock all along the line.
! II is estimated that one hundred and IF
teen thousand homeless persons are being
taken care Of, largely through government
efforts, in the refugee camps that have been
established at various points during the
last month. How many will be added to this
number by the Torras break cannot be &C
curately estimated, but II will be many
thousands. The government has made pro-
visions for handling several thousands at
Baton Rouge.
Point Coupee parish is the heaviest loser
by this latest break. but the food waters
may extend over six or eight parishes
Fourteen parishes have been flooded before
the TOrras break
Torras. La, May The second line OF
the levee protecting the state convict plan.
tation from the Mississippi River at An
COLA, La, broke this afternoon. and within
n short time the five thousand acre planta-
ton was inundated. The state recently
completed "A s500,c0o sugar refinery on tne
Angola plantation. and this will be flooded
Tho Angola break Is across the river
from the Torras crevasse. and less thar
( six miles distant. The food waters on the
Angola side will cover thousands OF acre:
hat,
as far down rs Bayou Sara and St Fran
cisvllle, and probably will return 10 the
Mississippi near Morganza, La
News that the engineers had given W all
hope of closing tn" Torras crevaSsc was
flashed TO every town on the west side OF
thu Mississippi River within a radius OF
hfty miles OF the break. 1t means the
abandonment OF thousands Of homes In the
! territory south OF TorraS, and property
damage that will run into the millions.