Tensas gazette., 1922-04-21
THE WATER.

has far exceeded all maximum pre-
dictions made several weeks since.
In 1916 the Vicksburg gauge showed
$685. when L'Argent crevasse oc-
Cured. To-day the Vicksburg reading
is SAG, while perhaps another foot
can be expected if all levees hold,
even in absence of further rains in
the Ohio and Missouri valleys.
Yeomen work has been done on the
levees all along the line, this being |
especially true at Arkansas City,
where a stage of more than So feet
has been reached, and where several
thousand men are reported to be
working on the levee. In Tensas
equally heroic work is being done.
Every foot of levee is being carefully
watched, day and night, volunteer
guards going on duty one day or one
night week along side of the reg
ular pay guards, who are on duty
every day or night. The water is cost
ing the Levee Board heavily, possi-
bly, $4,000 day, in the entire Fifth
Levee District, but voctory at any
price will be cheap, as overflow now
would mean unspeakable disaster to
this country.
lone levee, on the line between
Tensas and Madison, has given some
trouble and uneasiness, but unless
the power of nature can overcome
the ingenuity of man it will hold.
Money and men are being freely
used to hold it. This is also true Of
White Oak. Botany Bay, above
st. Joseph, has also been source OF
trouble. Here the water has almost
crept over the levee, but the top has
been sacked for several miles, and
further strengthened by earthen
breastworks supported by plank re-
vetment "a inches high. About $50
men are working on this levee, and a
Delco electric light plant has been
installed on the levee that the work
can be continued during the night.
Much fear has been entertained at
St. Joseph because of Botnay Bay
levee, but the men on that embank-
men have said to the waters, "You
shall not pass" and they mean it!
Kempe Bend, perhaps for the first
time in it's history, has given no un-
easiness, due largely to the Lake St.
Peter canal, which constantly drains
all seepage water away, leaving the
base of the levee dry, something un-
precedented in the history of Kempe
levee.
The Gazette perhaps is little less
optomistic than some Of the levee
officials with regards to Kempe levee.
At present two volunteers and one
pay guard patrol seven miles of this
levee by day with like number at
night. The country adjacent is
sparsely settled and means of COM
munication are not good. A phone
has been put in at the U. S. quarter
boat, lying nearly eight miles below
st. Joseph. Should a weak spot de-
velop about half way between town
and the quarter boat it would mean
the loss Of perhaps an hour, maybe
more, before the news could reach
headquarters at either end, With may
be greater loss of time in getting re-
inforcements to the threatened point.
In high water as in fire, time is val
liable. We think this stretch Of seven
or eight miles should be divided into
beats Of two miles each, with two
volunteers and one pay guard on each
beat. True twill require more men,
but they are here, and every man in
= Tensas, white and colored alike, is
ready and eager for duty.
st. Joseph is expected to guard
Kempe as far down as Newton Ferry
Lane, and Waterproof takes the pa
troll from that point south. We un-
derstand they are patroling the levee
south Of Newton Ferry Lane with
two guards to the mile.
Some of the better informed hold
that Kempe, in present enlarged
size, presents an impregnable front
to the Mississippi, and is practically
invulnerable. No doubt this opinion
= is well founded but it must be re-
membered that the unexpected some
times happens. The Gazette is not
e uneasy about Kempe, we know it is
one Of the finest pieces of engineer
ing work in North Louisiana, but
over-confidence sometimes prepares
the way to disappointment. Hence
our insistence that the guards be
doubled on this levee, if only as
matter of precaution.
Tensas is making the greatest
: fight in its history against the Mis-
sissippi, and if the good Lord will
just give us good weather for three
weeks longer the fight will be won!
Stores of material are being held
in readiness at convenient points
along the entire line of levee and
government boat has gone to Botany
Bay, and the levee board has arranged
for the serving of hot meals on the
boat to all levee workers. Food has
been sent to the levee from St. Jo-