The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-10
One Levee Gives Way Be-
fore Raging Flood Waters
of Mississippi River
Near Memphis
AN UNPRECEDENTED
HEIGHT IS ALREADY
REACHED BY WATER
Flood Pounding Against Dikes With
Ever Increasing Force-Levee at
Wilson, Ark, Goes Out When
Negro Workmen Desert.
Imminent Danger

Memphis, April s.--After n day Of
Ievee gave way before the flood wa
ters OF the Mississippi early tonight
and at half dozen other points n
desperate fight Is being waged TO hold
with the odds against the flood fight
ers.
Admittedly the levees are weakening.
the water already at an unprecedented
height, is pounding against the dikes
with increasing force and whether the
embankments can Withstand the pres
sure is problematlca1
The levee near Wilson, Ark. went out
late this evening, said TO be due the de-
sertion of about $50 negro laborers this
morning. With roar that could be heard
for a mile or more about 100 feet of the
earthen revetment collapsed into the
stream, and it was by narrow margin
that the workers along the levee. who
kept up the fight to the last minute.
reached place of safety. The gap wild
ened rapidly and as the water come
gro ca bins we're tossed about as SO
many playthings. trees We're swept down
and carried away but 50 far as can b.
ascertained all of the Inhabitants IN the
immediate proximity Of the break reaened
places of safety.
Gap 300 Feet Wide
At a late hour tonight the gap was
about 800 feet in width and widening rap
/ idly.
The gauge reading at Memphis at
o'clock tonight showed a stage of 1914.
rise of four-tenths in IL hours. At 10
o clock the river was stationary Cairo
reported a stage of 546. stationary. but
above that point the Mississippi Is rising.
st. Louis reporting 26.4 rise of Ia feet
since a. IN. All points along the Ohio
river reported the river falling.
AS result of the break parts of Ms
sissippi, Poinsett. Cross and Crittenden
counties will be flooded and with the
water coming through the crevasse at
Graves Bayou, about 10 per cent of so1-
600 acres of the st. Francis basin will be
flooded. The greater part of this area IS
timber land and Wilson. a settlement of
about $50 lumber workers and their FAM
lilies, is the most important town that win
be swSpt by the first rush Of the water.
"Backwater" may reach within two miles
of osceola on the north and Marion on
the south.
Other Points in Danger
Other points considered in the greatest
danger tonight are Mound City and Os-
ceoa Ark. At both points the crest of
the levee is a foot or more above the
water, but the river is being beaten into
high waves and sweeping over the rain
soaked embankments
Unprecedented rainfall was reported
from throughout the central Mississippi
valley and along streams tributary to
the Mississippi river. At Little Rock.
Ark the precipitation for Is hours ended
at 8 p. M today was 9.36 inches The
Arkansas river is at flood stage and Four
che bayou, a sluggish creek south of Lit
tie Rock, is a raging torrent The homes
of a score of negroes are under water.
The main pipe line which conveys natural
gas from the Caddo, La, field to Little
Rock. has burst and a majority of Little
Rock homes are without light or fuel.
No trains have been run out of Little
Rock since morning, and it was stated to-
night it may be several lays before ser
vice is resumed.
AT Hot Springs and other towns the
damage was confined to the flooding of
cellars and the washing out OF country
roads.
Gas Supply Cut Off
The gas supply of Memphis was cut off
today when the levee about the gas plant
in the Hooded section ol Il uoiiieii II snoutp
collapsed. Other than this the situation
In this city is practically unchanged.
With the exception of the st. Louis
and san Francisco lines all of the rail-
road operation west of Memphis went
out of commission today because of
washonts in the roadbed.
Trains of the Iron Mountain line
were detoured over the st. Louis and
san Francisco tracks tonight and 9TH
CT roads will probably make similar
arrangements
Several hundred refugees were
brought tonight to the Memphis ref
ugee camp where about 200 persons
are now being cared for.
The water coming through the Will
fContinued Page Eighth