Evening star., 1927-05-11
Collapse of Bayou Des
GIaiseS LeVeeS Above New
Orleans Feared Imminent.
WORKERS CONTINUE
TO BRACE RAMPARTS
Opening of Crevasse, Despite DAM
age, Would Ease Strain Elsewhere,
Experts Believe.
Rr the A ssnciated Press.


NEW ORLEANS, La, May IL
Levees at Bayou Des Glaises, about
10 miles above New Orleans, were
expected to collapse at any time to-
day, allowing a rush of muddy water
across the sugar bowl of Louisiana,
where most of the domestic cane is
grown. Word from that section to
Adj. Gen. L. A. Toombs, at Baton
Rouge, said the levee appeared ready
to collapse.
The fight has not been given up,
however, and at Big Bend, where he
roic efforts of citizens have been con-
centrated to bolster the weakening
rampant, work continued.
Should the crevasse occur today it
was believed that much of the strain
on the levees along the Mississippi
would be relieved, minimizing the
danger of an additional break along
that line.
Rescue Fleet Modified.
A collapse at Bayou Des GLASSES
would, however, inundate thousands
of acres of the most fertile soil in the
state, flooding many sugar houses and
driving additional thousands from
their homes to refugee camps. A
rescue fleet has been modified in the
danger zone, and prospects of loss OF
life have been reduced.
Vidalia, La, remained inundated by
waters from a crevasse in the pro-
lection levee that held backwaters
from the four crevasses in lower Con-
cordia Parish. Precautions had been
taken at Vidalia, and loss of property
wiz not be great. Many citizens
moved their household goods to high
ground more than two weeks ago,
when the levees along the river front
seemed in danger of collapsing.
The crests of two floods were NOV
ing toward Old River today, one
formed of the waters from breaks in
the Arkansas levees and the other of
the torrents pouring through the
Cabin Teele and Winter Quarters
in northeast Louisiana. The
latter is due at the mouth of Old River
between May II and 15
Water in the Tensas Basin was
deeper today than at any time in the
history of the State, weather bureau
officials reported. 1t still was rising
at the rate of inches In 24 hours.
Hoover i'm Baton Rouge.
Herbert Hoover. Secretary of Com
merce, was in Baton Rouge for a con-
ference on relief measures with for
mer Gov. John NJ Parker, flood die
tator. after which he will so to
Vicksburg. Miss, to confer with l.. o.
Crosby, food dictator of Mississippi.
and the financial committee in that
State on rehabilitation.
A 81 ,000,0 900 finance corporation for
rehabilitation of farmers in the flooded
delta of Mississippi was formed at
Jackson. Miss, yesterday afternoon
and began functioning today. More
than $350,000 in stock Of the corpora
remainder was expected to be sub
scribed in a few days.
Similar corporations are to be
formed in Arkansas and Louisiana.
One Of the outstanding examples of
the courage and determination with
which Federal and State engineers
and their laborers battle the rentless
river was at Villa Clara, miles
below st. Joseph, La.
Late Tuesday, May 3, an eddy de-
veloped at bend in the levee and
the river began eating into the dixie.
More than 300 men We're concen-
trated at the spot under the direc-
ton Of Capt. ID. l.. White, an engi-
neer.
River Gains Headway.
Despite their efforts the river
gained headWay. and at o'clock at
night telephone operators at St
Joseph, Waterproof and Newellton
were asked TO warn the people that
a crevasse was impending. For hours
the men labored, but the river tossed
out every sack of dirt thrown into
the hole.
The fight continued hour after
hour until it was decided to try tying
the sacks in place. This method
brought n small measure of success
and as the stream was checked ef-
forts were renewed. A barge of rock
finally arrived and was thrown into
the eddying current. breaking its
force. Within few hours the battle
had been won and the engineers de-
clared the levee will hold" 1t did