The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-04-26
River Situation

River Situation.
! With the approach of the crest of
the flood, the river situation in this
section has grown decidedly serious,
The gauge this morning registered
32.21z, only 2.51s feetSbeiow the rec
| ord mark established here NAV II.
1912, when a level q. 34.8 feet was
reached. A stage of#ss5 feet at this
point about May 10 is predicted by
the government Weather Bureau.
The first serious break in the
main levees of. the lower Mississippi
river occurred Monday afternoon,
when the WoodlaWn levee Just north
of AIayersville, Miss, went out,
Parts Of five counties are flooded
by water from this break, and the
main line CT the Mississippi Valley
Railroad and its Graenville branch
have been inundated. Mayersville.
Rolling Fork, and several other small
towns will be overfloWed, and the
property damage will amount to more
than half a million dollars. The
erevasse is reported to be 1000 feet
wide.
The main line of the Atchafalaya
river east bank =levee, just north OF
the Frisco Railroad bridge at Krotz
Springs, broke shortly after midnight
Friday morning. This ereyasse will
flood parts of Pointe Coupee and
Iberville parishes, and the towns of
Latania Livonia, Lottie and Fordoche
probably will be Inundated. The
damage will not be heavy in the
stretch south Of these places, as the
territory is composed largely of
swamp lands. The Frisco Railroad,
between Baton Rouge and Opelousas,
and the Southern Pacific branch be-
tween Baton Rouge and Lafayette
will be put out of commission, and
the Texas and Pacific between Pla-
quemine and Melville will be endan-
gered. The crevassez is expected to
avert all danger of a break at Mel
vile and other towns on the upper
Atchafalaya, where the situation has
been critical for several days.
An alarming situation developed in
the main line leVee at Remy, on
the east bank Of the Mississippi river
in st. James parish two miles above
Lutcher, at about $50 o'clock Thurs
day afternoon, due to cave in the
batture that extended through the
crown of the old levee. A new en-
bankment is in course of construction
at that point, but it was in an UNI
finished state when the caving COM
menced, and fear was entertained
that it would collapse if the water
got against it. AS soon as the alarm
was sent out thousands of laborers
We're rushed to the Scene on special
trains from GaryVille, Baton Rouge,
New Orleans and other points, and
by desperate efforts the old 1evee,
although by that time merely a thin
shell of earth, was reinforced with
thousands of sacks Of earth, and
strengthened sufficiently to with
stand the strain. This was done in
a driving rainstorm which prevailed
nearly all Of Friday night, and is
characterized as magnificent piece
Of emergency work. IN the mean
time the Gaping Of the new levee
was proceeded with, and it IS stated
this work will be completed today
and the enbanIk ut viii then be
shape TO hold the water even
should the old leVee give way. Re-
ports from Reny last night were to
the effect that the engineers be-
lieVed the battle had been won and
the danger aVerted, after one Of the
most remarkable fights ever Waged
against the mighty Father of Waters
in the face of what appeared at first
to be almost certain disaster.
Locally the situation, while admit
teddy serious, is not at all alarming,
and no apprehension for the safety
Of the IeVees hereabout need be en-
tertained. The high winds of the
greater part of the week caused
some damage from Wave-wash, but
the erosions were hastily repaired
with sacks, and at this writing the
levees are in tip-top condition.