The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-05-18
RIVER RECEDING.
Government Gauge Here Shows g
Decline of g of Foot in Pas&
Week-Crevasse Occurs at Hy-
neIa-MaiI and Train Service
Disrupted.

Week-crevasse Occurs at Fly
n1eIia-MaiI and Train Service
Disrupted.
The river has been falling slowly
at this point for the past week, the
gauge reading this morning being 81
feet, which is a decline Of g Of a
| foot from the record stage establish
ed last Saturday. During the severe
storm of the preceding night the
gauge at one time registered 35.l
feet, but this seeming rise was due
to the backing up Of the water by
the wind and was not real, the gauge
Saturday morning showing stage
of 34.S feet, which will go down III
the records as the highest point
reached by the present freshet.
The weather during the greater
part of the past week has been clear
and dry, and this fact, coupled with
the steady decline in the river, has
had the effect of rendering. the flood
situation great deal more hopeful
and encouraging in this locality, ana
there is a marked absence Of the
gloom and apprehension that was sc
noticeable while the crest Of the rise
was being awaited. All the leyees
hereabout are in good condition and
holding we'll, and the opinion is gen
eral that the critical period Of the
flood has been safely passed. There
has been no relaxing of vigilance,
however, and the leVees are still be-
ing carefully guarded to prevent q
break.
The Hymelia levee in St. Charles
parish gave way at about $50 o'clock
Tuesday evening, the break occurring
within a couple OF hundred yards OF
the spot where the same embaph-
ment collapsed in 1903. The ere
vase has widened to approximately
500 feet and there seems to be no
prospect of closing it. A large area
of fertile lands will be inundated,
principally in ST. Charles, st. john
and jefferson parishes. The effects
of the crevasse will also be felt III
portions of St. James, Assumption
and Lafourche, and it is possible,
though. not probable, that the flood
water will even encroach upon the
rear fields Of some of the plantations
in this parish on the east bank OF
Bayou Lafourche.
Capt V. Maurin, president Of the
Lafourche Basin Levee Board re-
paired to the scene of the break on
special train from Adds over the
7. and P. road Tuesday night, and
has remained at the crevasse. The
ends of the levees have been safely
tied and no further widening Of the
gap is apprehended.
Owing to the flooding of the tracks
of the T. and P road by the water
from the creyasse, train service over
that line from New Orleans to points
on this side Of the break has been
discontinued, and the only trains now
operated are one each way daily from
Adds to Edgard. Due to this condl
ton of affairs no mail from n eN Jr-
leans arrived here HISS AZ AZ
ternoon, when u number Of pouches
were received, having been routed
over the Southern Pacific to Shrleyer
and NapoleonviIle, and from the lat
ter place to this city via the T. and
P. road. The mail is now being re-
ceived daily by way Of the Missis-
sippi Valley route and steamer Viz
gle.
The regular passenger trains on
the Thibodaux and NapoleonVillc |
branches Of the T. and P. have also |