The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-05-10
FLOODS HOURLY
GROWING WORSE
Panlcky Conditions Are Prevail.
Ing In Louisiana.

ditions prevailed throughout the flood
threatened territory along the Missis-
sippi river, from the Red river and
Bayou des Glaise south to the gulf,
and in the territory already stricken
conditions grow worse.
The river continued to rise rapidly
at all points south of the Red river
and telegraph and telephone wires
throughout the vast section west Of
the Mississippi river. from the Red
river and Bayou des Glaise to the gulf.
were burdened with messages giving
warning TO the people to make prep
arations for any emergency.
Hundreds of citizens, rich and poor,
are working with 800 convicts and
negroes in a desperate effort to hold
the levees at Baton Rouge against tho
foods in the Mississippi that are
creeping hourly toward the crest IT
the protective earthWorks about the
city.
Five hundred cadets of the state uni
and joined with schoolbOys, Boy
Scouts and soldiers working to save
the levees.
A special effort Is being made to
save the city pumping station and
water works plant and about 1000 per-
sons are assisting in building large
mud boxes about this property.
or hnil
the protection of the lower portion OF
the city in the event of a break.
Break Report Proves False.
A flash went out from the town Of
Morganza saying that the big Nor
ganza levee had broken. This bit of
news, which later proved untrue, or
perhaps only premature, was in every
hamlet south of MOrganza within a
few minutes.
The people were panic stricken in
the entire territory. The breaking Of
the MorgaHza levee, forty-five feet in
height and one of the largest river
protection bikes in the world, would
spell ruin to hundreds Of the finest
sugar and rice plantations in Southern
Louisiana, would put hundreds of big
Sawmills out of commission and inun-
date more than seventy-tive towns and
small cities in eight or nine parishes.
This enormous levee is still holding
and ii may continue to hold. but there
are weak spots in it and it may go
out any time. A telephone message
from Highland, just south of the big
levee. stated there was large force
working constantly on the dixie.
On the east side of the river, TWEEN
ty miles north of Baton Rouge, the
protection levee at Bayou Sara went
out and the town is under from eight
to fifteen feet of water. Several houses
were swept away, but there was no
loss of life. Back of the town a line
of hills forced the flood waters to re-
turn to the Mississippi without doing
damage except to the town.
The Grand Bay levee, above New
Roads, Is In bad condition and further
down are dozens of weak points.
People Hurriedly Moved.
Considerable alarm is felt for the
people around Melville. in the Atcha-
falaya district, which is threatened by
food waters from every side. The peo-
pie were hurriedly moved out Of the
town.
The last news received from there
stated there was slight prospect Of be-
ing able to save all those in the terri
tory south of Melville because of a
lack of boats and failure of the vic
Tins to receive earlier warning of the
critical situation.
The water from the Torras break is
slowly spreading over the open cOun-
try. taking in the towns in it's path
and growing deeper every hour. The
situation in this district was made
more serious by the break in the Mo-
reauville levee on the Bayou des
Glaise.
The Teche country is being flooded
by the Atchafalaya waters, which al
most have reached Breaux Bridge
Junction on the Southern Pacific.
With this desperate battle against
the waters going on the refugees from
the Torras district are not neglected
Two hundred arrived at Port Hudson,
where concentration camp has been
established.
The question of housing and feeding
refugees Is becoming more serious.
The people of Louisiana and Mississip.
pi have contributed thousands of dol
lars to the relief fund, besides great
quantities of provisions. etc, and the
federal government is distributing
several hundred thousands of dollars
worth Of rations, but more funds will
be needed than are in sight
TAFT MEN ARE INDIGNANT