The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-05-03
THOUSANDS IN PANIC
FLEEING FROM FLOOD
LOUISIANA SITUATION
GROWING MUCH WORSE
Estimated 115,000 Are Homeless
Thousands of Others Soon
to Be Affected. -

TORRAS. La. May p en-
screaming and men yeili- they
hurried into their homes rabhed
their children and valuab,t, in their
mad enort TO reach places OF safety.
ana the stampeding OF animals turned
loose by their owners TO seek safe
places, we're some OF the chaotic con-
dltlons that prevailed in Torras last
night when the a,arm was sounded
mat the levee at the junction of the
OId and Mississippi rivers had given
way 10 the mighty pressure of the
nood waters. Although IL had been
known that several weak spots had
developed where the break occurred
niue attention had been paid to this
oy the citizens Of Torras. and they
We're caught unprepared Within a
lew minutes after the break had be-
come known the townspeople were
thrown into a panic.
Leave on Special Train.
Before the streets were entirely
submerged a majority OF the inbabi-
tants had reached places OF safetv
lhree hundred women and children
We're placed aboard a freight train
which had just arrived in Torras.
They were taken to a point beIow
here
Hope OF patching the break in the
leNee az Torras. expected 10 cause
the worst situation in loewr NIissts-
: slppi flood history, was abandoned
yesterday afternoon Last nJgbt
; water was rushing through the 500
,oot break at the rate Of u miles an
nour' and several small towns were
inundated
The dixie protecting the state penal
larm AT Angola. La. let go this after.
hoon' but the flood will be confined
70 small section. Reports from
o.ner places show the gauge readings
steadily going upward.
/ Baton Rouge has been made the
concentration point for persons made
homeless by the Torras break Hun.
areas were taken there yesterday and
last night The work Of caring for
these people went on rapidly.
Rush From Danger Zone.
doubtless. preparations for break
AZ Torras prevented loss OF life
steam boats picked up many marooued
persons and took them To Ration
! Rouge. where government rations are
/ being dealt out.
Sheriff Parker, OF West Baton
Rouge parish, is in charge OF a
I Southern Pacific shuttle train. run.
/ ming through the Atchafalaya swamps
OF lberville and St Martin parishes.
/ removing maroOned inhabitants TO
| places Of safety. The train will con.
/ unue to run until all are removed.
! unless the track is washed away. The
| Frisco railroad also sent out a special
/ train 10 pick up people and live stock
I all along the line.
$4,000 Homeless.
u IS estimated that 1l5. 900 home
less persons are being taken care OF.
3 largely through government efforts. in
The refugee camps that have been es.
tablished az various points during the
past month. How many will be added
10 this number by the Torras break
, cannot be accurately estimated but
/ II VIII be many thousands The gov.
eminent has made provisions for hand
( ling several thousand AZ Baton Rouge
Pointe Coupee parish is the heaviest
loser bv this last break. but the food
waters may extend over six or eight
parishes. Fourteen parishes had been
. flooded before the Torras break.