Evening star., 1927-05-31
RADIO RELIEF NET
AIDS FLOOD FOLK
Last Struggle With Water
AWaited-Ear| Fitzpatrick
Killed in Crash.
By the Associated Press.

oS tht hSsOGidbCd Tces.
NEW ORLEANS, May 31.-A
radio web spread out to aid in meeting
an eleventh-hour emergency, citizens
of the lower valley today prepared for
their last bitter struggle with the Mis-.
sissippi as the greatest flood of its
history surged southwark over the
final lap of it's devasting course, finally
to lose itself in the Gulf of Mexico.
Under the direction of Lieut.. c. N.
Try, in charge of the Coast Guard
relief fleet at Morgan City, several
vessels equipped with radio have been
dispatcheed to cruise through the
bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin as
far UP as Donaldsonville, which is at
the head of the Boyou la Fourche. on
the Mississippi. These boats will re-
port any emergency to the mother
ship at Morgan City by radio and
boats will be rushed to the scene from
the nearest base. .....
Refugees Being Moved.
Refugees were being moved today
from the lowlands around Morgan
City as the flood waters climbed high
er. Morgan City is about 100 miles
west of New Orleans, at the mouth OF
the Atchafalaya. In the city itself
the last dry land was fast disappear
ing. Several hundred more residents
left either for the refugee camp, or
New Orleans. but great portion or
the population has refused to move.
Banks and some stores are carrying
on business as usual on platforms
built well above the present level or
the waters. One poolroom remained
omen to furnish recreation for the
residents who remain.
Several hundred persons were re-
moved from Ayoca Island. near Nor
gan City. yesterday when the water
started flowing over a 20-mile levee
which protects 1t. Other refugees
from Brunswick Bay section passed
through Morgan City on the way 10
the refugee concentration point at
Thibodeaux. Physicians from Nor
gan City We're visiting the many faml-
lies who planned to stay out the nood
on houseboats above and below the
city, to ~accinate them.
Planting Being Started.
While the flood continued it's slow
rise in the Sugar Bowl" section,
T6SlUCltS UtSdH W tchC
the fact that the waters from the
McCrea Crevasse were not spreading
as rapidly or as far as was at first
expected. Many planters who at first
thought their plantations were goins
to be totally ruined began making
plans to salvage what they could this
year in order to keep going until next
Spring.
In the Northern parishes of the
section dry land was beginning to
appear and planting was being started
almost before the waters ran off.
Relief headquarters at New Orleans
were covered with a pail Of gloom
today over the death Of Earl Kill
patrick, assistant disaster relief di'
rector, killed yesterday in a plane
crash near Donaldsonville. Mr.. Kill
patrick, who had charge Of the work
in Arkansas and Missouri, with head
quarters in Memphis, was on his way
to New Orleans for a conference with
Relief Director Harry NJ. Baker Of the
Red Cross when the plane In which
he was a passenger crashed. The
funeral will be held late Friday at
Portland, Greg.
The situation of the lower river
was practically unchanged, with the
river recording slow drop at all
points.