The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-05-07
RESCUERS FAIL
TO REACH MANY
! NOW IN DANGER
BAD NEWS STILL COMES FROM
FLOOD ALONG THE
a, MISSISSIPPI.
Heavy Rains Prevent Laborers from
Work in Strengthening the Levees,
Sand Bags are Being Used to Save
N
Levels.

J New Orleans, May 6-Heavy rain
yesterday and this morning .furthe
complicated the serious Mississippi
flood situation in the territory from
the mouth of the Red River south
where federal and state engineer
and Louisiana state officials have al
army of approximately 5000 laborer
at work in a desperate and determin
ed effort to save remaining levees.
Heavy clouds overhang the lowel
Mississippi valley today, and at II
O'Clock rain was reported falling al
all points up the river from New
Orleans to Natchez and showers in
this territory are forecasted for to
night and tomorrow.
Reports received at the United
States engineers office this morning
were considered encouraging, and c.
o. Sheriff., chief engineer, said
I'VE still believe we will be able
to hold the remaining levees'
Situation Disheartening.
Captain Sheriff., however, admitted
that the continued rains were dis
heartening, and if~they continued the
already heavy handicap, which the
engineers face, will become more Sc
rious.
1he river rose at all points soutf
of the Red river, rise of two-tenths
of foot being recorded at New Or
! leans during the night. The rise a
Baton Rouge was two-tenths for tht
past twenty-four hours, and at Nat
chez tWo-tenths.
! Pointe fCoupee parish, where thu
Torras /trevasse waters are rapid!
inundating new territory and rising
higher in the section already flooded
the situation is becoming worse
! Thousands of cattle are being drowned
in the section around Bachelor, anC
rescue parties in motorboats and
skiffs are working desperately to save
people who have been caught anC
marooned by the onrushing waters
At least a dozen negroes have beer
swept to death by the Torras crev
asse, and from New Roads today q
telegram was received declaring that
hundreds of people may be drowned
if additional motorbOats and small
launches are not sent into the fiooo-
ed territory without delay.
Waters Rising Steadily.
In the Atchafalaya and Bayou des
Glaize territory the water is rising
steadily, and all of the towns from
Melville north to Simmesport are
considered in imminent danger OF
being inundated More than 5000
people have been taken out Of this
flooded district within the past four
days, and there are hundreds OF 9th
ers who are awaiting means of escape.
The lack OF boats, now since the
railroads in that territory have been
put out of commission, is giving the
relief committees grave concern.
The situation at Baton Rouge, where
four days desperi-e battle has
been waged to save the front levee,
is more serious still today. The river
reached the 43-foot stage there to-
dsy, tawo and a half feet above all
previ 9s high water records, ana the
hard ~rains of this morning have
served to further soften the weak
levees.
At New Orleans the work OF
strengthening the levees in the Third
district was hampered seriously by
the heavy rains this morning, but
there was no sign of any caving Oh
sloughing, and the levee board Off
cials declared there was no apprehen-
sion of a break.
Rain flinders Work.
In a steady downpour Of rain, sew
eral hundred laborers continued the
fight today to strengthen the leNees
in the third district Of New Orleans
extending from Flood street, fifty five
blocks below Canal, to a point near
the big plant of the American Sugar
Refining company New revetments
are being constructed in front Of the
levees at some of the weak places
and near Jackson barracks a second
line of new revetments are being put
in. Between the levee and this new
revetment dirt is being filled in, but
this process of widening the embank-
ment is very slow. The many weak
stretches in the third district extend
along almost a mile of the levee front
The water lacks three to four feet OF
reaching the top of the 1evee, but the
protection entertainments are not stan
dard grade levees. In places they