The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-06

| of farmers in remote sections of the l sparsely settled county. The water when it came through tore a gap sixty feet in width in the levee and the swirling cur ] rent is fast eating away the earth work and widening the breach.
 1 The Reel Foot leVee, as it is generally known, has been regarded as a danger point for week and strenuous efforts had been made to hold the flood Farm CTS with business and professional men have worked almost continuously for several days and nights in gangs with government laborers.
 Workers in Danger
 Until today. when waves driven by a high wind began to beat against the banks. it was thought that the fight would be won. The battle was at its height at the end. When the collapse came the workers were compelled to run for their lives, number making their way to Hickman afoot while others, ma rooned beyond the break, were rescued in gasoline launches.
 The Reelfoot basin, over which the water is forming a blanket is made up of small farming communities. The structures which housed the farmers are generally frail structures and with the great rush of the flood are being swept away as chaff before the wind.
 
 doned their homes and with their fam 1 flies sought safety in the towns on the surrounding hills, but others, more optimistic as to the ability of the pro- tecting wall to hold. back the raging 1 wa eruyay, remained on their lands l V hen the crash came efforts were made to communicate with t1e scattered will llages by telephone, but with little suc4 ] cess Considerable live stock is still in the lowlands.
 Property Damage
 The property damage will be large, but farming operations will not be seri- ously hampered except that the crop will be retarded. Because of the unusu- Ially heavy rains of the early spring, but little of the ground has been titled and the deposits left when the flood recedes will add to the productiveness of the land.
 i Should the water flow through the break in such volume as to force Reel foot lake from its banks, besides the county of Lake, the greater part of Obion county and a portion of Dyer will be inundated. Obion river will take the water at the southern terminus of the lake and empty the surplus into the Mississippi.
 Walnotlog, the scene of the night rider outrages several years ago, is in i the path of the overflow.
 Will Not Reach Hickman The Reelfoot levee extends about 30 miles, from Hickman to Tiptonville, Tenn Where the break occurred the land slopes gradually co the Tennes- see line and then Is practically level Cotton and alfalfa are the principal crops raised in the overflowed terri tory.
 Hickman will not be affected by the ! .r-t T Lake county. Tennessee, and the ex- treme end of Fulton county, Kentucky, and then will be forced back through Obien and to the foothills of the resi- dence section of this city. The western outskirts Of Hickman and the business district already are inundated, as the result of a break in a private levee last Monday night
 Relief Funds Arrive Substantial relief came today for the refugees of the flood being sheltered in 1 Hickman. One check tor S2200 was sent l by Louisville Mayfield sent several car loads of bedding and clothing and three wagon loads of provisions and 1 bedding came from Fulton two from l Union City and one from Woodland Mills
 Tents have been stretched on the grounds of the Carnegie library and in 1 open htlus III the SOuthern part or the i city for white persons and the negroes are being cared for in another village in tents in the eastern outskirts Ra- 1 tions are apportioped systematically. i The refugees range in age from in- ] fants few weeks old to men and women inhrm with their years. The health of the refugees is good. only one. a woman is seriously i'll. She IS suffering with erysipelas and has been isolated in q tent C. the library i grounds, away from the main encamp- ment.
 Rescues from perilous plights con tinue. A woman and child were rescued from a log floating dcvn the river to- {day The last family to leave Dorena, Mo. was taken from I second story window of her home w-th her children today. One woman walked f2 miles to Hickman with her 5-weeks-old baby. At Craig's Landing II persons have erected n tent on a raft and declare they will make it their home until the i flood recedes.
 Cairo Dry
 Cairo, H., April 5.-Cairo, surround ed for two days by water. remained dry tonight and is believed to be safe 1 from the flood The levees stood firm, 1 and the men patrolling them reported I that there was no sign of weak spots. The river tonight again reached the stage of 53.9. and 1t is expected 10 remain at this stage for several days. The breaking of the government levee at Hickman. Ky, will relieve the strain ! ff O lf.va4r .f fro ,,nd afnar upjn s