The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-04

Memphis, Tenn, April S.-Man claim
ed the advantage in to-day's battle
with the Mississippi River flood.
Twelve hours Of warm sunshine has
aided in the fight. and tonight govern .
mcnt engineers declared that with the
stage at Memphis not exceeding forty
flvc feet. the latest estimate. the water
will be held within the Federal l!nes.
Tho river however. is rising slowly but
steadily. and at O'Clock to-nigh,
showed stage OF 1919 feet, rise of
siX- tenths for twenty-four hours and
threc-tcnths since o'clock this morn
ing.
). c. Emery. in charge of the loca.
weather bureau, is not SO optimistic as
me government engineers. lie ex-
presses grave doubts as TO the ability
! of the banks 10 hold the torrent. and
urged local managers OF the railroads
entering the city from the west 10
warn the inhabitants of the territory
along their lines back CT the levees 10
| move Immediately TO higher ground. as
& precautionary measure
Except for the collapse of the De-
| GONNA and Fountain Bluff levees in
{ Illinois, no breaks occurred to-day. and
to-nights dispatches from the points
regarded as dangerous are rcassurinr
West OF Hickman, the main levee
which protects Reclfcot Lake and
several populous counties, is holding;
at Linda, Mo-, where the bank beran
20 cave yesterday. an auxiliary leyee
has been completed, ana along IN.
mite RIVER front in Arkansas. the
work OF bolstering UP the emban nix
ment is progressing satisfactorily.
Conditions Are Serious.
rms much pertains 10 TERRITORY
projected by levets maintained By the
government. In the hooded lowlands
outside the levees and where private
einoankments have given way, condi-
,ioh" are serious. Hickman. Ky: New
| Madrid. Mo- and Columbus. X, ara
i hooded. train service Is crippled and
win refugees pouring into this and
other centres, the question of caring
Tor them with limited amohnt M
special train service with proyisions
is grave problem. Aid is en- route
from other points. ana by tomorrow
is promised that train service viii
DE at least partially restored.
In the Hooded northern se,tior of
Memphis the situation is acute Tho
cltys gas supply has been cut off
ana the sewage system of that dis
trict is out of commission. Refuse 10
running into the overflow, which
| covers a wide area. Tonight Eavou
oa!oso Is over the banks on Foplar
Avenue, within quarters Of
mile of the principal business district
of the city.
In many streets water is standing
TO depth of six or seven feet. and
thorouEhfares which up to :, few DAYS
ago were thick with vehicles arc
| stretches of water, with here and there
a sk!ff or frail raft moving about
| with residents endeavoring to rescue
! their submerged belongings. Everv
hour the water is making further en-
croachnlents.
Difficult to secure labor.
Lack of labor is hamperinr tho
work OF combating the river. Where
the water is mounting TO the leyec
crests. farmers are awed and can give
little aid. while the forces Sathered
in the cities arc far below the re-
quirements.
The upper st. Francis levee district
is regarded as the principal point Of
danger now north of Memphis. except
for n short strip OF levee directly
above the city. Tomorrow the gov
, eminent engineers will concen ira lie
their efforts at the latter point and
the slouShing embankmGnt Will be
strengthened. Along the White River
front the fun effect of the great VOL
ume OF water viii not Be felt for sew
(contlnued On Second pase.l