The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1916-02-26
NEWELLTON CENTER
OF FLOODED AREA
cREvAssE NEAR TOWN IS RAp,n.
LY WiDENING-commuN,cA.
TON is SHUT OFF.
THREE LIVES REPORTED LOST
All OF Tensas and concordia Parish Is
Flooded According to Government
hePort-Gov. Hall Will Be
Asked to Appeal for Aid.
New Orleans

New Orleans
Ihree lives have been lost in III
nood from the crevasse in the leve
near Newellton. Ben Young. a mon
Der OF the district levee board, state
negro, whose name he could not a,
certain, was dorwned at Pickett
camp, six miles from Newellton an,
telephone advices are that two nepr
women have lost their lives.
The town of Newellton is now GOV
ered with water to a depth of proba
piy six feet or more. More than 75
oOO acres in the Tensas sbasin are nov
hooded. Motorboats worked all nigh
rescuing people from the flooded tow,
and surrounding sections.
Mr.. Young stated that the crevosse
was 400 feet wide and widening at the
rate OF five or six feet per hour or
the south end. The levee at the poin,
where the break came is Is feet high
and has 13 feet of water against II
1t is understood that an ATTEMPT Will,
De made to tie the ends of the break
and that Engineer Knobloch will di.
rect the work. II is stated on eood
authority that this is almost an i'm.
possibility.
The greatest loss Of stock in the
Tensas basin was probably sustained
In the section near Newellton, where
there is a low stretch between a ridge
and the river. Many hogs in the bot
toms were drowned.
The United States steamer La
fourche left Natchez for relief work
In the vicinity of Newellton. It is
awaiting the arrival of a crew from
New Orleans. The work of the La.
fourche will be confined to rescuing
people and stock. 1t did not carry
supplies.
All Of the lenses and Concordia
parishes is sure to be flooded. il is
said, and portion Of Catahoula Par
lsh and perhaps others.
Members Of the levee board in the
districts state that they have
no authority to expend money for re-
lief measures, but that an appeal has
been made to Gov. Hall to take the
matter up with the government.
NJ. Jacoby, merchant of Newellton,
'aid by long distance telephone:
I'VE are in deplorable condition.
rhe water ranges from a depth of six
inches to six feet in the town. There |
8 only one motorboat here and this
s engaged in rescue work. There are
perhaps 1,500 or 1000 people on the
'ther side of Lake st. Joseph, and the
'oat is bringing them to Newellton.
Vhere many are marooned, anxiously
waiting the arrival Of boats. We are
rgently in need Of them. At the pres
mt time the water is not rising yery
apidly and nearly all of the people
ave erected scaffolds in their houses.
here are many white women and
hildren in the town. No men left
n the relief trains. Since the wa
,rs swept over the tracks OF the rail-
bad we have had no communication
18th the outside world except by tele- '
hone. Two negro women have been
rowned. From this side we can see ;
buses being swept away by the flood. !
'e do not know whether they are oc-
ipied or not. The opposite side of
e lake is nearest the crevasse. Many
lad Of stock have been lost" a
Other Cities in PERIL. III
Reports state White Oak Spur, near :,
ard Times, is flooded and the water
spreading rapidly toward st. Jo-
ph and Water Proof, towns of about
700 inhabitants. st. Joseph is pro.
cted by private levee, but it is
ared this will collapse under the p
essure OF the overflow. I
Water which enteredsEast and West =
.rroll parishes in northern Louis U
Ia from breaks in the Arkansas ii
'er is expected ultimately to Join "
; inland lake caused by the break W
ar Newellton. 10
Refugees continue to arrive by ~
in, boats, in wagon and afoot. The M
gons were piled high with house
d goods and with domestic animals
ling in the rear Most of the refu-
IS are negroes, the majority of the M
lite families remaining in the over AL
we'd area to save as much of their er
sessions as they can. SD
Persons arriving said relief boats tn
rescued a number of persons from gil
es and housetops. Motor boats and of
rs are threading their way through an