Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-09
PANIC GRIPS THE
FLOOD TERRITORY
Waters Of the Lower Mississippi
Will Not Subside for Two
Months.
WEAK SPOTS IN HUGE LEVEE
It's Breaking Will Spell Ruin for
Finest Sugar and RIGS Plan
tations in Southern
Louisiana
WEAK SPOTS IN HUGE LEVEE

New orleans. MAJ 3-Panicky con-
ditions prevailed to- day throughout
the food threatened territory along
the Mississippi river from the Red
river and Bayou des Glaise south to
stricken conditions grow worse. The
river continued to rise rapi lily at all
points south of the Red river and all
day telegraph and telephone wires
throughout the vast section west of
the Mississippi river from the Rel
river and Bayou des Glaise to the gulf
were ourdenc1 with messages from
the village warning the people to
make preparations for any emergency
\ flash went out from the town of
Morganza shortly after noon saying
that the big Morganza levee had
broken This bit of news. which later
proved untrue, or, perhaps only pre-
mature, was in every hamlet south Of
Morganza within few minutes the
people were panic stricken in that en-
tire territory. The breaking of the
Morganza levee. As feet in height and
one of the largest river protection
dikes in the world, would spell utter
and rice plantations in southern Lou
isiana. would put hun lreds of big
sa wmills out of commission and In
undate more than - towns and small
cities in eight or nine parishes.
ENORMOUS LEvEE MAY HOLD.
This enormous levee was still hold
ing tonight and 1t may continue to
hold but there are weak spots in it
and it may go out ut any time a
telephone message tonight from
Highland. just south of the big levee.
stated there was a large force work
ing constantly on the dyke.
on the east side of the river, 90
miles north of Baton Rouge. the pro-
lection lcvea at bayou Sara went out
and tonight the town is under from
eight to Is feet of water. Several
houses were swept away but there
was no loss of life Back of the town
line of hills forced the flood waters
to return to the Mississippi without
doing damage except to the town.
At Baton Rouge a hard fight is be-
ing waged tonight to hold the front
levee The Grand Bay levee above
New Roads. is in bad condition and
further down are dozens of weak
points.
| Considerable alarm is felt for the people
| around Melville, in the Atchafaya dis
! trict. which is threatened by flood waters
from every side The people were hur-
| rcdly moved out of the town this after.
! noon. The latest news received from
there tonight stated there was slight
| prospect of not being able to save all o,
those in the territory south of Melville.
| PROBLEM OF REFUGEES.
| The last train on the Texas & Pac!n,
| railroads east of Melville vas operated
this afternoon and took out several hun
dred refugees Within another day 1t il
doubtful if there will be any railroad
| operating in that section.
The question of housing and feeding
refugees Is becoming more serious. |
Is estimated that the flooded territor,
in this State and In Mississippi wher
approximately l25 90 people already ar
homeless. will be covered by the water
for two months.
Rains continue, little sunshine Ia
greeted the people for weeks and n
one can foretell what will be the fina
extent Of the disaster