New Britain herald., 1927-05-23
FORD GIVES BOATS
To AID IN RESCUE
OF FLOOD Victims
CONTINUED from First Pagel

terday afternoon the lowiands were
dry and the streams within their
banks. Eight hours later they had
broken from their beds and We're
overspearding the lowlands, blanket
ing them to a depth of from two TO
i've feet an hour.
BrcauX bridge was completely cut
off from communication with the
rest OF the world except by boat.
southern Pacific branch lines tracks
in the town We're two and half
feet under water.
The town of Nermilon also was
under rapidly rising water.
So swift was the current sweep
ing through the section that one
man who was caught in the waters
had most of his clothing torn away
by the stream before he could strug-
gle back to dry land. The oil fields
and the salt mines of Anse la Butte
we're reported covered.
Old Town Disappears
For the first time in the history of
ST Martinsville. an old town. rich
with the traditions of Acadians, was
disappearing beneath the flood Wa
Ter already was tapping about the
base of the Evangeline Oak and was
expected to enter the 100 year old
church.
All women and children We're re-
ported safely out OF St. Martinsville.
Many of them had fled to refugee
camp established at Greenville. but
the driving rains flooded the site
chosen for their quarters there and
. they We're again forced to seek shell
Ter from the waters, removing to
he concentration camp at Lafay-
lite. The population Of the camp
here already had been swollen to
5.5o0.
Tho fight along the east bank
l,yoes of the upper Atchafalaya
It'll was successful, the citizens
NcEc hopeful of saving he rich par
i>hcs of the Sugar Bowl from the
flood. A raging current was tearing
ricrcely at the sodden walls Of mud
protecting Pointe Coupee and the
touT pdIlslltS bttNfeu Inc tt'll
fslaya and the Mississippi rivers.
however, and a desperate fight was
being maintained. This point was
about 100 miles northwest of New
Orleans and on the west bank of
The Mississippi.
Crest OF Flood
The crest of the flood had passed
on the lower Mississippi. DR.. I. NJ.
Cline, mcteoroloyist at the New Or
leans weather bureau believed and
the river will continue to fall be-
tween the mouth of Old River and
New Orleans.
Fall Will BE Slow.
The fall will be slow. however,
he said. since some of the flood wa
ters from the Tensas basin still are
finding their way back into the
main stream through Old River.
The real crest OF the flood. he
said, has not yet passed out Of the
Tensas basin. but the greater part
of this overflow is passing down the
Atchalafaya pasn through the
breaks along Bayou Des GLASSES.
40 miles northwest OF New Orleans
on the west side of the Mississippi
river.
Far up the river in northern
Louisiana and the Mississippi plans
were being made by planters TO
send tenants back into the neigh
borhood Of their plantations that
farming operations might be started
Immediately after the flood waters
recede. Hope was expressed that
planting might be started in Tensas
parish within the next week. but in
concordia, the adjoining parish to
the south it will be delayed from
two to three weeks longer.
Arrangements have been made ,
for the delivery of seed and every
possible aid will be extended for
the resumption of farming actlvl-
ties.