The Sentinel=record., 1912-05-04
RELENTLESS
 FLOOD FIGHT
VAST VOLUME OF WATER STILL SWEEPING THROUGH ENTIRE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
All Cities and Towns in Delta Region fi Extreme Daneer-Grest Nor. gsnza Levee Is Seriously
 Threatened.

New Orleans. May 3.-iPanicky con ditions prevailed today throughout the flood threatened territory along the Mississippi from the Red river and Bayou Des Glaise south to the gulf and in the territory already stricken conditions grew worse.
 The river continued to rise randiy at al points south of the Red river and throughout the day telegraph and telephone wires in the vast section west of the Mississippi river from the Red river and Bayou Des Glaise to the Gulf of Mexico, were loaded with messages, warning the people to make preparations for an emer gency
 A flash went out from the town ol Morganza shortly after noon saying that the big Morganza levee, three miles east, had broken.
 This bit of alarming news, which later proved untrue, or perhaps only premature, was in every hamlet and town south of Morgansa within few minutes. The people were panic stricken in that entire territory.
 The breaking of the Morganza levee 45 feet in height, and one of the largest river protecting dykes in the world. holding back the greatest vol ume of flood waters in the history or the lower Mississippi, would spell ut- ter ruin to hundreds of the finest su- gar and rice plantations in southern Louisiana, would put hundreds of big sawmills out of commission and inun- date more than 75 towns and small cities in eight or nine parishes
 This enormous levee was still hold ing tonight and it may continue to hold, but there are weak spots in it and at any hour another flash may go out with the warning rush of the riv- CTS torrents A telephone message tonight from Highland, just south of the big levee, stated there was con siderable apprehension over the sttu- ation and large force is working constantly to seal up all evidences of erosion or caving.
 On the east side of the r1ver 20 miles north of Baton Rouge, the pro. tection levee at Bayou Sara went out and tonight the town is under from 8 to l5 feet of water. Several houses were swept away but there was no loss of life. Back of the town line of hills forced the flood waters to re- turn to the Mississippi without doing damage, except to the town.
 At Baton Rouge, hard fight is oe- ing waged tonight to hold the front levee The Grand Bay levee, above New Roads. is in bad condition, an further down there are dozens of weak levees.
 Considerable alarm is felt for the people around Melville in the Atcha- falaya district, which is threatened by flood waters from every side. The people were moved out of the town this afternoon as fast as means could be found to convey them away. The last news received from there tonight stated there was slight prospect of being able to save all of the people in the territory south of Melville, because of lack of boats and fail' ure of the victims to receive earlier warning of the critical situation.
 The last train on the Texas & Pa cific east of Melville, was operated this afternoon and took out several hundred refugees. Within another day it is doubtful if there will be any railroad operating in that section of the overflowed country.
 The question of housing and feed ing the refugees from the flooded district is becoming more serious. The people of Louisiana and Mississippi have contributed thousands of dollars to the relief fund, besides great quan titles of clothing, food supplies, cat tie. provisions, etc, and the federal government is disbursing several hun dred thousands of dollars in weekly rations. but more funds will be need ed than are in sight. It is estimated that the flooded territory in this state and in Mississippi, where approxi mately 25.O0O persons already ar' homeless. will be covered by the wa ter for two months yet Many of th' men are being given employment or