Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-08
STRENGTHENING LEVEES
Thousands of Suffering and Home
less Persons Cared For.
THE GOvERN0R-ELECT ACTS
Asks That There Be No Ceremonies
Accompanying His In
auguration.

NEW ORLEANS, May s.-while armies
| of relief worked among thousands of
the homeless in Louisiana's flooded ter
ritory today, workmen engaged in
strengthening those levees which still
remained intact continued their task.
This forenoon there had been no new
breaches in the dikes. but the flood wa
ters continued to spread over new terri
tory. The torrent from the crevasse at
Torras reached New Roads today, and
hundreds of people in territory that had
been considered safe from the oncoming
flood now are endangered. Couriers are
racing into the water -menaced country,
warning the people to flee.
The situation at New Orleans remained
unchanged today. The river had risen
fourtenths of foot in the last twenty
four hours, and it is believed the crisis
will be reached here within the next two
days. Engineers say the levees guard
ing the city will hold strong against the
stage forecast.
No Pomp in Inauguration.
Gov.-elect Luther E. Hall, whose
Inauguration as chief executive Of Louis
lana is to take place May 20 at Baton
Rouge. wired the arrangement commit
tee tLCIC tOudy dSkiHS lOI lHc clLHuud-
ton of all the inaugural ceremonies.
flood situation in this state, he wished
all festivities in connection with his in
duction into office abandoned.
The destitution and distress that fol-
lows in the path Of crevasses had a
practical demonstration when the steamer
Whitman with $50 refugees from the Nc
Crea section of Pointe Coupee parish
landed at Melville last night. These un-
foy
levee. where they had been for three days
without shelter. while an almost contin-
uous rain had prevented the cooking of
the rations which had been given them.
away, preferring to remain and guard
the overf1owed property.
Show Their Suffering.
Some Of the number on the boat were
blind; women and children, with their
clothing torn and wet, were pale and
fatigued. Old plantation negroes, bent
with age. had to be assisted. so weak
were they. and prominent planters
with bearded faces. gaunt from worry
and hardship. were among the rescued
Melville. itself almost depopulated.
was not prepared to take care of the
refugees. but rations from the govern
ment barges were distributed among
them. Fires were kindled in the
streets over which coffee was made in
large buckets. This was passed around
in dippers.
President Richeson OF the Atcha-
faiaya levee board. after an inspection
OF the levee at Elba, north Of Melville
has announced that it is holding we'll
and II the weather is favorable he be-
l1eveS 1t Will continue to do so.
Al Ravenwood, six miles east Of Mel
vile. the few remaining Inhabitants
nave been forced to leave their houses
and are living in freight cars along the
high railroad embankment
All Believed Rescued.
1t is believed by those in charge Of
flood relief work that practically all the
fiood-marooned inhabitants Of Pointe
Coupee parish will have been rescued by
the end of this week. Texas and Pa
cifc railroad officials say their road has
transported about 1000 people from
points along their line in the upper part
of the parish.
Roads is crowded with white refugees
waiting to be taken to the relief camp
at. Baton Rouge. Among them are four
women who were rescued near Morgarza-
They had stood in water several feet
deep for nearly three day when boatmen
reached them. The women, who were on
the verge of collapse when rescued, lost
everything except the clothing they wore.
On another seat in the station was a
rayhaired farmer who wept and sobbed
like a child. His home was wrecked, his
crops destroyed, and all of his cattle
drowned. Now he is penniless.
Motor Boat Fleet to Aid.
The waters from the Torras crevasse
continue to spread over West Baton
Rouge and the Iberville parishes. The
situation in the country between the
main line and the Port Allen branch Of
the Texas and Pacific railroad is about
as dark as words can paint it. The
main line of the road is washed out in
numerous places and the inhabitants of
the interior are cut off from access to re-
lief trains. The only way they can be
reached IS by motor boats. The govern
ment representatives have arranged to
send fleet of motor boats into that ter
ritory today.
Lieut.. Weeks of the United States Relief
Corps at Bachelor has given livestock
spectators hard blow. They have be-
come annoying in Their efforts to buy
at low prices cattle brought in from the
flooded country that the officer has or
dered the soldiers to keep all spectcula-
tors off the levee.