The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-11
If T h e y Fail Co nse-
quences May be
Staggering.
MANY CITIES ARE
FACING DANGER
Angry Mississippi Hats Its
Work of Devastation, but Cri-
sis Is Not Past, as Crest
of Flood Is Sweeping
on Down Into the
Lower Valley.

The Mississippi Rivers angry tor
rent has temporarily halted it's work
of devastation. Aside from a contin-
nance of the break in cut-oT EN-
| bankInent above Natchcz, Miss, no
further crcvasscs were reported last
night along the threatened stretches
| of bikes.
Despite this temporary abatement
of the damage caused by the torrents
which sweep down the valley. the
crisis is not past. AS the tide con-
tinucs southwurd, many points he
tween Baton Rouge. La. and Helena,
Ark, must stand terrific test II
| they foil. then hundreds OF squire
miles in some of the worlds richest
agricultural territory may be Hooded.
many busting cities inundated and
life threatened.
AS the rise of the flood continues
fran Arkansas City downward, the
stress OF the threatened embankments
has increased, and anxiety grows
among the myriad woritcrs toiling TO
reinforce the bikes. Army engineers
declare they have the situation under
control at Millers Bend, the dixie
guarding Greenvillc and the Southern
deltas fertile acres.
This point was regarded yesterday
as one of the most mcnaced in the dam
ger zone.
The crest will not reach Greenville
Tor three days or more If the rise
continues gradual, 1t is believed the
bikes can be sufficiently strengthened
to contain the flood.
Portions of country were flooded
north of Nicksburg yesterday By back
water from the Yazoo River.
ar l.s,,,
last night stood at sos feet rise
OF two-tenths in twelve hours This
is one-tenth of n foot less than the
rise In the preceding twelve hours,
| Crisis Ia BridEcd.
Nicksburs, Miss, April f0.-A great
army of men throwing up earthworks
to fight off the sweeping torrent of
the Mississippi flood rested on their
arms tonight along the river stretches
from Helena, Ark, southwark
me near crisis of the last twenty
four hours has been bridgcd, with tenn
porary victory, at least. TO the credit
OF the government engineers and levee
| boards and chiefs Breaks In the
levecs along the Arkansas shore i'm
the Memphis district ave delayed the
flood crcs', thus giving the battalions
ihooring to strengthen the bikes of the
lower river additional time to make
the.r work more sure
The usual crop of rumors concern
ing alleged breaks i'll the bikes below
Helena to-day were placed In circulo
ton by more or less Interested per-
! sons. Late this afternoon 1t was ru-
mored that the river had cut through
at Giles Bend, above Nutchcz; that
parts OF Concordia Parish, La. and
the town of Vidal'a had Hooded Flood
observers a Natchez Immediately de-
nied the rumor, and asserted the story
mas been circulated in general
scheme to affect the market Late to-
night the situation was unchanged It
Giles Bend. There has been a break
In subsidiary levce but government
engineers declare that they have the
breach under control.
Leree Holds Strong,
The levee at Miller's Bend. near
Greenville, Miss. held strong to-day.
and Major Woodruff, United States en-.
gineer declared he thought the bikes
would Withstand the additional pres
sure that Will be eNcrtcd by the SLOW
~ rising food
Alarming reports have circulated
concerning conditions at Greenviile.
There seems to be no Justification for
them. However, II is true that If there
had been n break the chances of in
undating the city would he ovcrwhelm-
Ing. The auxiliary levce above Green
Vile would prevent the nood sweeping
through the town. y large territory
in the Yazoo River Valley north OF
Vicksburg has been flooded by back
watcr. Railway service between
FicksburG and Memphis was suspend !
cd OH the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley |
Railroad day because of the over |
flowing of the Iazoo River Valley.
It is declared that a negro was |
Killed few miles above Greenvillo !
to-day by a patrol on the Mississippi