Evening star., 1927-04-29
Planes Circle Doomed Dis
trict as Troops and Armed
Boats Stand Guard During
Engineers Preparations.
AIRMEN TO GIVE SIGN
WHEN ALL REACH SAFETY
bikes North of New Orleans in
Danger-Crews Work Night and
Day, But New Areas in Three
States Are Inundated by Surg
ing Rivers,
Sy the Associated Press.

Sy the Associated Press.
NEW ORLEANS, La, April 90
ancient plantations bordering a field
knade famous more than century ago
BY feat of American arms were dedi-
hated today to the racing waters of
The Mississippi.
By this sacrifice it was hoped that
New Orleans, quaintest of American
cities, and the metropolis Of the
South, might be saved from the fate
bf more than score Of towns TO the
northward, now buried under waters
let loose in the greatest flood in the
history Of the Nation.
Five thousand residents Of the st.
Bernard and Plaquemine parishes
kere safely in New Orleans today
when the military authorities reported
kzaat the area affected by the decision
10 cut the Mississippi River levee at
Roydras had been evacuated. A few,
However, refused to leave, preferring
10 take their chances in the flood.
Troops Search Area.
Down the East River bank road far
into the two parishes, scores of houses
ktood deserted. Their owners are
refugees in New Orleans, housed in
Itl6 AEDlN bctSC VI eeAAN wan -
and relatives. A detail of soldiers who
bearched the area early this morning
reported that all were warned and
that the only ones who remained did
30 with full knowledge Of the situa-
zion.
While 1900 pounds Of dynamite ar
rived at Poydras, Baton Rouge re-
ported that water was running over
the Galacock levee across the river
4Hn side
Of the stream.
Warlike scenes We're presented as
blans went forward for the first delib-
Rrate cutting of the leveeS since the
control of the Father of Waters was
undertaken by this system of dlkes
hearty half a century ago.
Armed Boats on Scene.
Long before the zero hour of noon
kfn1ed soldiers of the State of Louis
ANA began patrolling the breastworks
built against a mighty rivers assault.
Armed craft moved here and there on
the river, and seaplanes droned over
head. none of them equipped, how
eyer, with, anything more dangerous
than a camera.
With the crack Of dawn a detach-
pnent of the National Guard marched
10 the scene selected for the break at
Povdras. 10 miles south of New Or
leans. and spread out fanwlse to give
4 last warning TO the few hundred
residents of the territory who had
failed to heed early admonitions TO
abandon their homes for safe ground
In or near New Orleans. Other sol
Jiers guarded the roads from TINS
city. and three hours before noon the
highways were cleared and the area
within two miles Of the location of the
II, -,I 90 f..oH H7o ONLY those
bearing military passes were admitted
within the Gordon of troops, and such
= nasses were extremely difficult to OBJ
lain. Careful plans for creating the
crevasse should be prepared by State
engineers in consultation with Off
rers Of the United States Army En-
Kineers Corps, but they were jealous
" guarded, for reasons which were
not disclosed.
Break to Be 900 Feet Long.
Word did go out in advance, how
aver. that the break would be 1000
feet long. between the parishes of st.
bernard and Plaquemines, and eX'
tending northward from point with
in a few hundred yards of the plant
bf the Orange Grove Refinery Co., a
large industrial alcohol works.
The purpose was to loosen the mas
hive levee along that stretch by the
bse Of dynamite in many small
fharges. thus leaving to the force of
The flood waters the completion OF the
breach which is expected TO reduce
The level of the wafer here approx
b1ately three feet in from three 10 six
hays.
Extraordinary precautions were
taken to prevent accident and insure
the safety Of all those who might be
A--ift 1aUtriptnd t1rHQTS
Issued from the first State military
district provided that after the engi-
heers' tug had signaled that prepara
lions for the blasting we're completed
an interval Of Is minutes would be
Allowed for the removal Of troops from
The danger zone and for a seaplane
10 ascertain il the area was clear Of
civilians.
The planes signal of "all's clear"
Fas three white sheets Of paper re-
leased at short intervals. That, too,
was the signal for the firing of the
blasts by means Of an electric gun
operated on the State engineers tug
thus relea sing the waters which
Eventually We're expected to inundate
about 500 square miles before draining
pT into the gulf.
Other Craft Permitted.
Besides the engineers tug. more
than half-dozen other craft were
permitted within the restricted area
The Alexander. carrying Gov. Simpson
hnd his party; the Comahche, carrying
newspaper correspondents; the Mag
holia, carrying an official party, in
cluding Mai. Gen. JadWin, chief o.
Army Engineers; a scout boat ant
seyeraI Coast Guard cutters for patro
Euty.
The animation and hustle at Poy
Hras was in marked contrast to th'
ecenes enacted at the concentration
camp at the Army base here, wher'
hundreds of the several THOUSAND
sorced from their homes in the TIVE
; southeastern parishes were gathered
BiIentfy, from early morn, they counte
the hours until the flood waters woult
be released to rush across country
anundating the homes where their life
Interest lay; where they long had liveC
and worked and where they ultimately
will return when the waters have
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