The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1912-05-09
CREST OF FLOOD
NEAR new ORLEANS
Torras Crevasse Relieves Situation
Widening Flood Area Caus-
ing Much Suffering Among
Poor of Two States.

New Orleans, May I'm a bulle-
tin issued today, the United States
weather bureau lowered by half a
foot its forecast of a maximum
stage of % feet in the Mississippi
river at New Orleans, but added 3
of a foot to its predicted maximum
stage at Baton Rouge and 2 more
than previously estimated at Dom
aldsonville.
This inspired new hopes to the
people in the vicinity of New Or
leans, but the still highest stages
predicted at points north from
Donaldsonville to above Baton
Rouge means that the fight to hold
the levee in that section cannot be
relaxed in the slightest degree. The
revision of the weather bureaus
figures for New Orleans was based
upon a report received by the
weather bureau stating that an adj
ditional 800 feet of embankment at
the Torras crevasse went out last
night, widening the gap there to
more than 1000 feet.
The widening Of the Torras ere
vase with the constantly increas-
ing volume of water which it is
turning loose upon the lowlands on
the west side of the river, is calcu-
lated by the engineers to give early
relief to the strain upon the levee
south OF that point With normal
weather conditions, levee experts
anticipate slight fall in the river
above Baton Rouge within a week,
and the crest of the flood is EXPECT
ed to reach New Orleans Sunday
with a maximum stage of 2i.5 feet,
III feet above the previous high
record.
In the vicinity of Anguilla, Miss,
cattle are dying in numbers OF star
vation. provender is not TO be had
at any price.
Hundreds of people yet are to be
taken from the flood-swept coun-
try of the Torras crevasse. With
the arrival at Morganza of rescue
parties who are working day and
night, many stories of hardships
and suffering are told. Scarcity of
craft has been a handicap in the
rescue work. All available motor
boats, skiffs and even .hurriedly
constructed RATS have been pressed
into service. AT least a hundred
skiffs are being built at New Roads
and these will be added to the
small fleet.
The leyee at LaCour, Just north
Of here, has shown signs Of weak
ness. A large force of men has
been sent there.
Another place that is causing
some alarm is stretch of levee
Bayou Sara. Government
engineers are there and directing
the work of strengthening it. Most
of the inhabitants of that section
have moved away in fear of a
break.
Considerable Indignation exists
among the citizens of Opelousas
over the increasing number of men,
mostly Italians and negroes, who
are hocking here from the over
flowed country and asking for aid.
A movement has been started to
compel them to choose between re-
turning to their former homes and
assist the citizens of these places
who are engaged in fight against
the floods or quit Opelousas.
Over 200 men, women and chill
dren arrived here last night from
the Atchafalaya country. Most OF
the men who came in accepted Of
fers of employment and were sent
on to the northern part OF st.
Landry parish to work on the
levees in the Bayou Boeuff section.
Refugees from the stricken and
threatened sections of pointe Cou-
pee, st. Landry and Avoyelles par
ishes are flocking to Bunkie, La, on
every train. One hundred Italians,
mostly women and small children,
taken from the Ieyee at McRae, in
pointe Coupee parish, were brought
in today. They had been camping
On the Ievee for five days. So hur-
riedly were the forced te leave
their homes they were compelled
N laava avapvfhinp behind