The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-07
Two More Breaks

Two More Breaks
 St Claire aad wyanoke in Crittenden county, Arkansas. the one nine miles north and the other seven miles south of Memphis. were the points to go today; at Golden Lake and Pecan Point in Mis- sissippi county, Arkansas, the situation is desperate, almost hopeless, and crevasses are threatened at Luxora, immediately north of Golden Lake. and at Modoc on the White river front. At half a dozen other points the situation is grave.
 The ievee at St. Claire went out at I o'clock this afternoon and within an hour <he river tore hole in the embankment at Wyanoke Water is pouring through both gaps at terrific rate and eating away the earthworks By morning 1t IS rredicted the creVasses at both points will be a mile in width: the southern half of Crittenden county and portions of the adjoining counties of St. Francis, Ponsett end Cross will be inundated and the over- flow will be racing down the St. Francis river back toward the Mississippi at Helena. The tracks of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern. Cotton Belt and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific are being washed away at several points and probably the last train over these routes out of Memphis until the flood recedes left here tonight.
 Relieves Memphis
 For the moment the breaks have re- iieved the situation south of Memphis to some extent. At Memphis the gauge read ing tonight showed stage of 45.1 two tenths under the reading immediately be- fore the crevasses occurred. s. C. Emery, government forecaster. says the highest stage at Memphis has been reached but others experienced with the ways of the river take issue with him. They say more water Is in sight and the rise will be re- stunned.
 The St Claire break will flood the same country overflowed by the Holly Push break in 1903
 The Reelfoot crevasse yesterday s break. is widening with less rapidity than expected. Tonight the gap was not more than 5000 feet wide. So far, except for vague rumors. there has been no report of loss of life as a re- suit of either of the breaks. For days men have been riding the country roads warning farmers to leave and the rural telephone has carried messages to pre- pare for flight. Except for animals needed for work on the levees the greater part of the live stock had been removed to higher ground and in tho villages the inhabitants were ready when the water came.
 Hopeless Fight
 Frantic efforts are being made to hold the Golden Lake and Pecan Point levees but tonight the flood was making inroads and the fight seemed hopeless.
 Reports from the river territory south of Memphis tonight show that n the lower Yazoo district, below Green vile, Miss. the situation Is fast be- coming grave. Plenty of labor is avail able, however. and those in charge of the levees say they will save the em- bankments
 North of Memphis in this district, q shortage of labor has hampered the flood fighters Today the Memphis po- lice came to their aid and idle men were rounded up and put 10 work.
 The White river frohJ between the city of Helena and the mouth of the stream is threatened. This line of levee Is low
 At Giles Bend. near Natcnez, Miss. q large slice of the bank caved today almost to the base of the levee A large force of men are huilning a crib os- hind the levee and those directing the work are confident tha; it will hold
 Near Greenville. Miss. 40J convicts are at work. Governor Brewer went to Green vile tonight to personally inspect the levees.
 killough Hopeful
 o. \. kil!ough. president of the St Francis levee board. asked the Associated Press tonight to deny reports published in certain papers that the greater par of the St. Francis basin, which extends from the Missouri line 10 below Mem phis, was under wateT, While the ter 4 ritory overficwed is large in area ii q nakes up only small part of the en- ye basin. Mir. Killoagh is not opti1iis- l N