Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-07

MEMPHIS. Tenn, April 6-The levee
at Wyanoke Landing, Ark, seven miles
south of Memphis. broke late today.
Water is rushing through the crevasse
at terrific rate. and 1t is anticipated
that tmorrow the gap will be a mile
in width. The territory over which the
water will spread is sparsely settled.
Twenty square miles of lowlands in
eastern Arkansas from the vicinity of
Marion, Crittenden county. to the bot
toms northwest Of Memphis were flooded
early tonight as the result of the col
lapse At the st. Francis Ievee at what is
known as st. Clair loop, near st. Clair,
Ark, nine miles north of Memphis.
VIII Reach st. Francis River.
The water pouring through the wyan-
cke crsvasse will eventually join with
that from the break at st. Clair and
make its way into the st. Francis river,
after flooding practically the entire south
ern half Of Crittenden county and por-
tions Of st. Francis, Poinsett and Cross
counties. The st. Francis river will carry
the overflow back into the Mississippi at
Helena.
Marion. the county seat Of Crittenden
county: Hubert. where the shops Of the
Rock Island railroad are located. and
other important villages are directly in
the path of the flood. A number of
railroad employees at Hubert already
have moved to higher ground and much
OF the railroads. property has been shipped
to other points. In all probability rail-
road communications on the roads enter
ing Memphis from the west will be sus-
pended by morning
Despite heroic work by a large force
Of men, headed by experts, II is not be-
ieyed that the levee at Golden Lake,
Ark, forty-eight miles north of Memphis,
can withstand many more hours the
pressure that already has broken all
records The end seemed in sight late
today, when a hurry call was received
asking for 10000 bags of sand, which
were started to Go.den Lake but river
conditions render hope that they will ar
rive in time very small.
Section Sparsely Settled.
The section of Crittenden county. Ark,
and TO the south. overfiowed by the
break at ST. Clair. is rather sparsely
settled The telephone companies oper-
ating throughout the district. quickly ap-
prised Of the break. sent warning calls
over the wires to every point likely to be
: seriously affected by the food.
o. N Killough, president Of the ST.
Francis levee board. issued the following
statement late today:
Water has run over the top of the
levee about ten miles north OF Memphis,
causing II to collapse This will flood the
same country that was flooded by the
Holly Bush break in 1903. It is almost
l~,
or Memphis tonight. Great danger Is
feared at Golden Lake, Pecan point, Osce-
Ola and other points
Lake Country Under Water.
TIPTONvILLE. Tenn. April 6.-The
people of Tiptonville met today to can
tass the provision situation.
The population Of the town is swelled
by hundreds Of refugees, and more are
constantly coming in, some with nothing
but the clothes they wore. There are
now provisions for week only in town,
but Memphis has promised boatload.
The town for months to come will be
without railroad connection
There is no dry ground left in Lake
county. rs square miles, except strip
running from Cronanv.lle to Tiptonville,
SIX miles long and four miles wide. This
strip is seven feet above water now. The
remainder Is inland sea, through
which a strong current runs.
Throughout the flooded sections people
who have not fled precipitately are living
IN the upper stories of their houses
Two two-story houses hoated down the
Mississippi river this morning. 1t is sup
posed they came from the Missouri side.
Break in Louisiana Levee.
EATON ROUGE, La. April 6.-The frs,
break in the Louisiana levees was re-
ported today on Atchafalaya river in
West Baton Rouge. The crevasse is re-
ported more than 30 feet wide and water
viii flood the Atchafalaya lowlands, much
OF which Is swamp country.
Repair Shops Closed.
MOBILE. Ala, April 6.-Every repair
and manufacturing shop on the Mobile
and Ohio railroad between Mobile and
St Louis has been closed on account o;
the high water In the Mississippi river
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