Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-05-07
SUNSHINE OF SATURDAY
GHEERED FLOOD VICTIMS
Prospects for Saving LeveeS
Are Now Regarded as Very
Favorable

NEW ORLEANS. May A half doz-
en- hours OF sunshine in the lower Mis-
sisslppi valley today gave some little
relief from the tense anxiety OF the
past few days. Threatening clouds
Ranered at intervals throughout the
day, but the fiOod-Eates overhead held
back the drenching rains which for
month have been adding TO the Already
enormous volume OF menacing flood
waters piled high against the levees.
1t was just a breathing spell. how
ever. and the new hopes kindled today
may be dashed TO ,naught tomorrow.
The engineers. who yesterday were al
most helpless, today said the pros
meets of saving the remaining levees
were favorable. But. the danger Is
not past
stiu another foot rise in the river
above the present record smashing
stages which obtained from the Red
river south The crest. with its &C
companying Increased danger OF disas-
trous crevasses. is not expected 20 pass
Baton Rouge and points south OF there
for another week yet
THE MORGANZA DYKE
WIN the big Morganza dyke. holding
hack a wall OF water forty feet high,
hold7 VIII the threatened levees at
Baton Rouge, at Grand Bay, at La
Barre. SCOTS Point and above and be-
low New Orleans be impregnable2
The engineers say they hope So
but no guarantees are given, nor can
guarantees be given in the face OF the
terrifying force OF the Mississippi
Hood waters While the engineers are
battling and hoping against the great
est odds they have ever confronted IN
the Hood history OF the lower river,
warnings are being broadcasted to the
people in the fertile valleys on both
sides Of the big stream TO get their cat
lie 70 high ground and prepare them
selves for a hasty exit
THE ONLY REMEDY.
The only remedy, perhaps, is sun
shine and this the people are hoping
for and praying for. An hours sun
shine now is worth the labor OF
hundred levee workers. an entire day
Today's sunshine and absence OF rain
permitted the thousands OF laborers
employed on weak stretches OF the
fevees south OF Torras 20 work unin-
terruptedly and tonight encouraging
reports came in from all points up and
down the river.
No other breaks occurred on the Mis-
sissippi today, but on the Bayou des
Glaize. In east central louisiana, where
the great volume OF flood waters from
the disastrous Dog Tall crevasse. near
AIsatia. Is hourly getting higher, one
break was reported in the levees and at
simmespOrt oficiai reports TO the en-
gineers stated serious crevasse was ex-
pected at any hour.
On the Atchafalaya river from Mel
Vile north the Ievee situation became
more threatening and several thousand
people deserted their homes. In that ter
rftory and are rapidly getting out their
livestock and a few household goods
CREvASSE WATERS.
The crevasse waters from the break
at uorras have spread over the entire
upper half OF Pointe Coupe parish and
are slowly creeping upon towns further
south One week more and the waters
from that crevasss alone viii cover all
OF Pointe Coupee parish. a part Of west
Baton Rouge parish and sections or ST
Landry parish
The Torres crevasse win then join its
forces with the flooded Atchafalaya,
which already has overflowed territory
s TO % miles wide and 80 miles in length
south OF the Latonia crevasse OF five
weeks ago.
Approximately 4o0o people have moved
out Of Pointe Coupee parish 70 the refu-
gee camps on the east side Of the river.
More than I9o OF them are being cared
for BY the Baton Rouge relief depot
Besides the thousands who had already
moved out OF the west flooded territory
south OF the Alsatia crevasse Of three
weeks ago, word was received today
that more than go had arrived yester-
day and today at luna and at High,
towns along the Iron Mountain railroad
north OF Alexandra, most OF them having
been brought in by boat from the low
lands OF LaSalle parish. Several hum
dred others have been taken out Of lower
Concordia parish the past few days 70
Mississippi points across the river.
In the Vicksburg territory the United
States army relief depot has been feed
ing and furnishing supplies 70 approxi-
mateIy 81 600 homeless people, about half
OF whom came from the overlooked
northeast Louisiana territory, the other
half from the Mississippi territory which
was covered by the waters from the Beu-
Ian break I'm tie east side levees.
The Baton Rouge federal relief depart
ment t. furnishing supplies to approx
nateiy 5000 others, most OF whom are
stationed I'm towns in the hill section west
OF the Bayou des GIaize and Atchafalaya
lowlands Local relief committees prob
ably are caring for 1000 other homeless
folk This latter estimate is a guess and
the number may be larger. though IL
cannot be much smaller.