Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-05-04
The river IS STILL RISING
INESTIMABLE DAMAGE Is BEING
DONE BY THE RAGING
WATER.
MORCANZA LEvEE IS Weak
Biggest River Protecting Dixie In the
World Is Topping and May
Give Way Any Hous'.

NEW ORLEANS, May 3.-Panicky
conditions prevailed today through
out the flood threatened territory
along the Mississippi River from the
Red River and Bayou Des Glaise
south to the Gulf and in the terri
tory already stricken conditions grow
worse. The river continued to rise
rapidly at all points south of the Red
River and throughout the day tele-
graph and telephone wires in the vast
section west of the Mississippi River
from the Red River and Bayou Des
Glase to the Gulf of Mexico were
loaded with messages warning the
people to make preparations for any
emergency
A flash went out from the town Of
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 Morganza within a few minutes.
The people were panic stricken in
that entire territory. The breaking
of the Morganza leyee, As feet in
height and one of the largest river
protecting dikes in the world, holding
back the greatest volume of flood
waters In the history of lower Miss
issippi would spell ruin to hundreds
of the finest sugar and rice planta-
tions in southern Louisiana, would
put hundreds of big sawmills out of
commission and inundate more than
rs towns and small cities in eight or
nine parishes.
Big Levee Is Weakening.
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 anoth = flash may
go out with the warning rush of the
riveTs torrents. A telephone message
tonight from Highland, just south of
the big levee, stated there was con-
siderable apprehension over the sit
uation and a large force Is working
constantly to seal up all evidences of
erosion or caving.
On the east side of tn eriver 20
miles north of Baton Rouge the pro-
lection levee at Bayou Sara went out
and tonight the town is under from
s to / 5 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
return to the Mississippi without do
ing damage except to the town.
At Baton Rouge hard fight is be-
,s,,l oil l,A
levee. The grand Bay Levee, above
New Roads, is in bad condition, and
further down there are dozens of
weak levees.
Lives Are Endangered.
Considerable alarm is felt for the
people around Melville, in the Atcha-
falaya district which is threatened by
flood waters from every side The
peop'e were moved out of 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 prospects of
being able to save all of the people
in the territory south of Melville be-
cause Of lack of boats and failure
Of the victims to receive earlier warn
ing OF the critical situation.
The last train on the Texas and
Pacific railroad east of Melville was
operated this afternoon, and took out
several hundred refugees. Within
another day it is doubtful II there
will be any railroad operating In that
section of the overflowed country.
More Funds Needed.
The question of housing and feed
ing the refugees from the flooded dis
trict is becoming more serious The
have contributed thousand of dollars
to the relief fund. besides great guam
titles of clothing, food supplies, cat
tie. provisions, etc. and the federal
government is dlsbursing several hun |
dred thousands of dollars In weekly |
rations. but more funds will be need |
ed than in sight. 1t Is estimated that
the flooded territory in this state and |
in Mississippi, where approximately |
$4,000 persons already are homeless, |
will be covered by the waters for |
two months yet. Many of the men /
are being given employment on the
leyees but there are thous-
ands of women and children who |
must be provided for somehow.
AS an indication of the seriousness
of the situation. a telegram was re-
ceived here tonight from Jena. in
LaSalle Parish, stating that melngi- |
tis had broken. out among the refu
gees there. The question Of medical |
and the still larger one of
in the refugee camps 10
being handled by the state boards uf [