The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-04-28
FIGHT NEW BREAKS
IN THE MISSISSIPPI
Many Families Driven From
Home When Levee Gives
Way Near New Orleans.
HOUSES ARE SWEPT AWAY
Power Boats Rescuing Women
and Children at Junka, La,
Is Feet Under Water.

NEW ORLEANS. April 27.--With prac-
tically all hope of closing the break in
the levee at Ferriday La, abandoned,
the gap there now having widened to
approximately 1900 feet. levee engineers
to-day turned their attention to other
points where danger threatens. the most
Ark. and Plaquemine, La.
Two important breaks in the levee
system in this State to-day have en-
phasized the Importance of levee pro-
lection work, and planters are showing
more Willingness to cooperate. The Sec
ond break Of the day was reported at
Poydras. twelve miles below New Or
leans. where about $50 families were
driven out OF section of st. Bernard
Parish between the river and Lake
Borgne.
AS result Of the break at Ferriday
eight or ten small communities along
the Missouri Pacific Railway are al
ready inundated The towns of Pamela,
Clayton and other communities will
have twenty feet OF water within twen-
ty-four hours. engineers estimate. Some
fear was felt that In distant parts or
Concordia and Catahoula parishes iso-
lated families may be unaware Of their
danger.
Fifty or more families are to-day oc-
cupying railroad box cars and impro-
vised houses at Sicily Island Rescue
workers report that at least three
fourths OF Concordia and Catahoula
parishes are already inundated.
Power boats sent from Natchez ar
rived at Junks, La. this afternoon, and
are now engaged In rescuing marooned
women and children. The village Is
fifteen feet under water in places. The
force Of the flood water from the
crevasse was SO great that houses are
being swept away. they reported
Water now In the Mississippi River
below Old River Is half foot higher
than In 1912. With these conditions
the Weather Bureau points out. If the
levees below Old River hold, the water
now flowing through the Ferriday
crevasse will reach a stage of one foo.
or more above that of 1912, when much
of this same area was flooded.
The crevasse, which occurred this
morning on the left bank of the Missis.
sippi. twelve miles below New Orleans
had widened to 400 feet late to-day.
WASHINGTON, April 27.-until the
Governors of Louisiana and Mississippi
appeal to the people for flood sufferers
along the loer Mississippi river the
American Red Cross will not feel war
ranted in asking President Harding to
issue a general call for assistance.
Based on reports showing great prop
erty damage. Representative Humphreys
tMiss.) in kilograms to-day to Governor
Parker OF Louisiana and Governor Rus.
sell of Mississippi suggested that they
issue forthwith appeals with the under.
standing that this would be followed
quickly by request OF the Red Cross
to President Harding to urge the people
everywhere TO meet the emergency sjt,,.
alton. Already the Red Cross has sen,
about $4,000 to the two States for USE
where most needed
FORT WORTH, April 27.--With the list
OF missing reduced to thirty-two. relief
workers tonight expressed the belief
that the death toll from the flood which
swept this city early Tuesday would
probably be less than ten. No additional
bodies were found to-day. Two of the
three flood victims whose bodies were
recovered were buried to-day.
The latest estimate on the property
damage put the figure at $4,000. 900
Refugees arc being cared for at relief
stations TO might. They number $500.