New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1912-05-11
HIGH WATER NEWS.

morning near this town and az
noon Moreauville was rapidly
flooding and a great torrent OF
food water is being turned loose
upon the low country south OF
here, in Avoyelles and st. Landry
parishes. At noon the water III
the depot here was four inches
deep and rising rapidly.
Another break in the small Ba-
you des Glaize protection levee
near Longbridge occurred this
morning.
There is no possibility of clos
ing the break near here, which IS
widening fast.
These breaks will turn great
volumes of the Dog Tail and Tor
ras crevasse water on tre country
west of the Atchafalaya river all
the way south below Melville.
Negroes Prodded to Work.
The New IberiaCompany of the
State National Guard arrived to-
day to do guard service on the
levees in front of the New Roads.
Before the arrival of the New
Iberia troops this morning an
army Of negro loafers congregated
around the railroad depot, de-
manding government rations. The
negroes were needed On the lev
ees, but thy refused to work.
Some of them insolently insisted
on free food being served them.
The black loafers made them
selves such a nuisance that it was
decided to follow the example set
~ Kett. weeks nnd Sc. Nartinz
ylle troops 50 MI yestefs
day. AZ the fequest & he eitis
zens of New Roads and the gov
ernment representatives, detach-
sneent of the st. Martinville Com
{Aly was sent here anr rounded
~ II Of the negroes who refused
TO work, ana put them to rolling
dirt on the levee. After the New
Iberia forces arrived, they made
it their business to see that the
negroes had plenty Of work to do.
People Panic Stricken.
Opelousas, La, May 8.-Great
loss of life is reported from the
inundated section Of Pointe Cou-
pee parish, due to the sudden IN
rush of water from the Torras
crevasse.
People had no time to save,
even clothing, one family coming
into Opelousas without their hats.
The refugees are dazed by the
extent of the disaster and are un-
able to give any ineligible de-
tails of the fury Of the waters
from Torras, which has put prac-
tically the entire parish of Pointe
Coupee under water and wrough;
untold havoc.
The negro refugees during the
day occupy either the courthouse
square or the ground around the
Deitlein & Jacobs warehouse
where rations are being issued.
Captain Bennet Of the United
States army, who is stationed
here to issue rations. told Ths
States correspondent Wednes
day they would issue as many ra
tions as the legitimate refugees
required.
A break at Longbridge, on thC
Bayou Des Gla;zes, West Mo
reauville, in Avoyeles parish, this
morning, will affect the Plauche
vile section in Avoyelles and the
Bayou Jack and Palmetto sections
in st. Landry
1t may also affect the big can
| section Of st. Landry. 1t il
hoped that the break will b
closed this morning, a large fore
being at work and the levee beins
but four feet high, with no cur
rent.
Beggarsd by Floods.
Morganza, La, May 8.-Stol'ie
of distress and suffering tina
would touch the hardest hear
are heard everywhere as the flood
stricken inhabitants of the Torra
| crevasse are brought in. Fac
party arriving has some expert
ience to relate of how they es
capped the floods fury, and no,
they were finally rescued, bu
practically all Of them tell OF ha,
ing lost everything but the cloth
ing they wear.
| Most of those rescued nea
| Morganza yesterday and durin
last night were negroes, but !.
humber of white families wer
brought in. Among these wa
Mrs. Edmond Beauvais, the viii
Of q well-to-do-farmer. who wa
compelled to desert her home Q
Bayou Frodoche, several mile
west Of here. Mrs. Beauvais
the mother of ten daughters an
one son. who is q mechanical er
gineer in California. Eight I
the daughters, the youngest thre
years old, lived with her. The
lost practically everything. TIL
smaller children were barefootet