The log cabin Democrat., 1916-02-11
NEW BREAK HELPS
 AT ARKANSASC|TY SITUATION MORE HOPEFUL
LITTLE CHANGE IN FLOODED DISTRICT-279 REFUGEES IN
 BOX CARS AT M'GEHEE.

Little Rock, Feb. IA new break in the levees on the south side of the Arkansas river, four miles south of Yancopin, Desha county, was the |chief interest in the southeast Arkan- sas flood situation yesterday. The
 evee broke early yesterday and the Ieffect of the break is being watched with interest in the towns inundated with backwater from the Pendleton break.
 T. B. Gilbert of Arkansas City, chairman of the Tensas Basin Levee Board, yesterday estimated the new break will greatly benefit Arkansas City and Lake Village and will do no damage to other places. He esti- mates the break will check the rise of the Mississippi at Arkansas City by 2 foot. In addition, Mir. Gilbert said, the new flow of backwater will lcheck the fall of backwater,- which acts as an offset to the pressure of the river against the levees from the front. The break will cause no ap- Ipreciable rise in the backwater at Ar kansas City or Lake Village, Mr. Gilbert believes
 Reports that the Yancopin levee was dynamited could not be verified last night. The Iron Mountain dis patchers office at McGehee reported that while explosions were heard in the vicinity of the break it is not known definitely whether the levee was dynamited where the break oc- cured. At Arkansas City the explo- sions were believed to have been across the Mississippi river. Mr. Gilbert said he believes the levee gave way under increased pressure caused by backwater from the Mis- sissippi river as the crest reached the mouth of the Arkansas river.
 Another break in the levee, near Rosemary, east of Yancopin, near the mouth of the Arkansas, was reported at Arkansas City yesterday after noon, but the report was not verified. One hundred men were sent early yes- terday morning on the steamer Ar thur Hider tn the Amos bayou levee above Arkansas City. The men will strengthen the levee in order to hold the rise of backwater expected from thebreaks in the Arkansas levees.
 The Mississippi river rose I foot at Arkansas City during Wednesday night and was stationary all day yes terday at 564. It is believed the break at Yancopin kept the river from rising during the day. Levee officials at Arkansas City predicted last night the river will reach 56.8, instead of 57 feet in the next week. Backwater was stationary at Ar kansas City and Lake Village yester- day and the situation was unchanged at both places. A county bridge across Connerly bayou, three miles north of Lake Village, which was ex- pected to go out Wednesday night after railroad bridge above it gave way, was still holding last night Fifteen tents from the state arsenal at Little Rock and ea detail of nation al guardsmen from Dermott arrived in Lake Village yesterday to aid in relief work.
 A count at McGehee yesterday showed 279 refugees, mostly negroes, are living in box cars along the rail road. The backwater at McGehee and Dermott was falling yesterday and the general situation improving. No further loss of life has been reported from any of the flooded regions.
 An idea of the desolation caused by the flood in Chicot county was obtain ed last night in long-distance tele- phone conversation with County Judge Harry E. Cook, who spent the after noon viewing the country around Lake Village from motor boat:
 "Only occasionally small piece of land projects from the food" he said "We came to isolated houses, where the occupants were living just above the water with their live stock in the water. These houses were built several feet above the ground level. The stock at most of the farms has been drowned or died from hunger and exposure. Where there are haystacks the animals are living upon the sides and tops, eating only wet hay. The occupants have gone from the houses which were be- low the flood level of 1913. There is no way of estimating the amount of loss in this county until the water goes down.
 Searching parties in boats are securing the country around Lake Village, daily bringing in marooned families whose supplied are exhaust ed, and are making every effort to
 rescue livestock that is still alive.