The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-22


serious breal< In the main Ievees of the
lower Mississippi river occurred this
afternoon when the WoodIawn Icvee
Just north of MayersyilIe. Miss, went
out.
Within few minutes the crevasse was
2eo feet wide and during the afternoon
the space through which the flood waters
are pouring Increased considerably. Parts
of four Mississippi counties will be flood
ed and the property damage which will re-
suit Is estimated at more than half
ouena county two-thirds of sharkey coun-
ty and parts of Warren and Washington
counties viii suffer heavily from the over
flow The main line of the Mississippi
Valley railroad and its Greenville branch
Will be inundated and the following towns
Will be covered with water:
Mayersville Rolling Fork Grace. Blan-
ton. Cary. snedes. Valley Park. Kelso,
Floweree and as far north on the Kelso
branch as Potos. Immediately upon in
formation of the break Capt. w. B. Baker.
United States army, who was stationed
here, sent out the steamer Nakomis,
which in charge OF Lieutenant elaine,
will operate both in rescue and relief
work from Mayersvile or near the break
and the gasoline boat Kate was char
tered to go up Steees bayou to offer re-
lief and do rescue work
Train Service Hindered
The Yazeo and Mississippi Valley Of
ficals gave out the information that they
do not expect to be able to maintain
train service after today as they think
that both main line and the Riverside
division running around ffreeuville to
Nicksburg. will be flooded.
The official estimates given out by the
United States engineers office report that
in the vicinity of this flood bac<water
had already covered 80 square miles and
that this break will overflow 222 addi-
tional square miles, making total of 1882
square miles affected,
The levee which gave way was one of
the Oldest Ia that section, about 20 feet
high and had been under the care of
Lawrence Wade, a former member of the
levee board. The exact manner in which
the break occurred had not been re-
ported here and no information could be
obtained on this subject
Rations and Relief Boats
1t was not a half hour after the break
occurred before the steamer Nakomis
was under way The Nakornis carried
two barges conveying rations. relief boats
aud a number of men who will be en-
gased in the necessary relief duty. The
gasoline boat Kate and the Nakomis
will both be near the scene of the break
tomorrow and offer whatever assistance
they find necessary. captain Baker was
assured over the telephone this after
noon that while the flood was coming
through all parts of the country men,
toned there did not seem to be any
danger to life or stock at the time and
everything would be done to move stock
ont Of the route of the flood. Captain
Tolinger of the Third district office stated
during the afternoon that at last reports
the width of the break was something
over 200 feet and that information had
been received an hour or two after the
ierevasse that the river had fallen two
foot at Lake Providence and two foot
at Skipland and much greater fall in
that section was indicated during the
night.
The information given out here from
the Yazoo and Mississippi valley offices
was that the Woodlawn break would
probably flood the entire country COW
cred by the main and branch lines of
that railroad and while the effort would
be made to keep trains going as long
as possible. service probably would cease
some time tomorrow. Official bulletins
win be issued giving the hours of de-
parture for the suspended service as soon
as the effect of the break is apparent.