The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-03

,bankment and before the highest stage l is reached it is probable that the levee will be topped. Modoc, Ark, 30 miles
 south of Helena, sent in an alarming report of sloughing banns and aid is be- ling hurried to that point.
 If this levee should break the great
 CT part of Phillips county, Arkansas, would be inundated.
 In Tennessee the levee in Obion coun-
 ty, which protects Reel Foot lake from flood water is already being topped
 and sandbags are being stacked on the
 levee in an effort to hold back the flood. A large force of men is at work
 at this point and the government en-
 gineers In charge telegraphed tonight that they were confident they can con | trol the situation.
 Thousands of Acres Inundated South of Memphis the levees are hold ing, but many thousands of acres outside the main entertainments are under water and the inhabitants have sought safety
 on the hills. Directly across the river from Memphis a weak spot has developed, l but so far is not causing alarm. Memphis proper is facing a serious situ- ation. In North Memphis backWater from Wolf river, tributary of the Mississippi,
 has overflowed Bayou Gayoso. Several
 hundred families have been driven from their homes and a score more indus trial plants have been forced to suspend. Along Wolf river only two of the nu-
 merous sawmills are in operation. The citys gas plant is surrounded by water and pumps are being worked contnu- ously to remove the seepage. Should the
 pump fail it is stated that within an
 hour the plant would be out of commis-
 sion. The reserve supply of gas in the
 reservoirs would supply Memphis for not
 more than IS hours The sewer pumps
 of the North Memphis station were rem dered useless this afternoon.
 Train service into Memphis is demoral-
 ized. The Illinois Central railroad Is send ing their north bound trains through sev- eral feet of water and along the Louis vile and Nashville tracks the water is gradually covering the tracks Arrange
 ments have been made to detour the
 trains about the flooded district.
 Thousands Homeless Hickman, Ky, April 2-With the Mississippi river 1evee broken on both the Kentucky and Missouri shores, the stores here flooded. factories inundated, 1 2O00 persons homeless and railroad ser vice stopped, the questions of shelter and food are becoming serious here. owing to the lack of train service here
 and at Columbus. tents sent by state authorities did not arrive today and County Judge Naylor has notified Gov ernor McCreary that provisions for the refugees wil be short in a few days. The break in the railroad levee at ] West Hickman tonight was 100 feet long, and water which has not yet
 reached it's maximum Is already up to l the second story of some dwellings, in the lowlands.
 l Late last night the levee on the Missouri side opposite Hickman gave way, but the farmers had been warned Il ina al to aht roH fratt
 stands on hill. There they were dis
 covered this morning and rescued in l launches. Mona White. a crippled girl, was carried on the shoulders of men to
 the church. She was brought to Hick- | man.
 New Madrid. Mo, just below the break, is inundated. The water has reached level of one to five feet in the streets and is rising. The citizens have applied to the state for assistance. Water Famine
 1 Tonight streneuous efforts are being
 made with promise of success to save
 the government levee 10 the west of | Hickman, which protects several coun-
 ties of plantation lands. At 10 o'clock
 the water was within six inches of the
 crest of the levee. Merchants closed
 their places of business today and
 devoted their energies to the cart ] ing of their stocks to higher
 ground. Tonight two blocks of stores are flooded and the water Is gradually l spreading The principal residential
 section of Hickman is situated on a | high hill and will not be affected. F | Railroad officials declare that 1t will | be several days before washouts on tho l lines of railways can be repaired In the meantime those rendered home
 less, the greater number without funds, are being cared for by those whose homes are on higher ground. Passengers marooned last night when Ia Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis passenger train was stopped by wash out were either taken back to Union City, Tenn, today made their way 1 by foot or in conveyances. sent to their
 relief to Hickman.
 | St Louis. April 2.-The rise of the Mis-
 sissippi river here apparently has ceased l temporarily today. The gauge registered
 29.S feet the same as yesterday The river
 is not expected to rise further until the | flood in the Missouri reaches here. | Water Famine
 1 Jackson. Miss. April "A water famine 1 that may last two weeks developed today when the machinery pit of the waterworks plant was flooded as a result of the par
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