Evening star., 1927-05-18
FLOOD TAKESLNES
IN VAST INUNDATED
AREA|N LOUISIANA
Undetermined Number Are
DroWned-More Deaths Ex-
peCted in Swift Current.
40 REPORTED TRAPPED
NEAR DESTROYED TOWN
5000 Square Miles in 20 Parishes
Covered as Waters Move
Toward Gulf.
BY tho Associated Press.

BY tho Associated Press.
NEW ORLEANS, May 1S.~-With
approximately 5000 square miles in
undated and the waters from breaks
in the Atchafalaya River and Bayou
Des GLASSES levees constantly covering
more territory, residents OF south cen
tral Louisiana today helplessly watch
cd the greatest flood in the history
Of the State as it moved toward the
Gulf of Mexico.
An undetermined number of lives
have been lost and prospects are that
many more will perish before the wa
ters finally fall. At Melville, 130 miles
northwest of New Orleans. on the
Atchafalaya River, where the most
serious break occurred yesterday, 10
negroes were unoflicially reported to
have been drowned. At Rosa planta-
ton, near Melville. the fate of 40 per.
sons was not known here. They were
thought to have been trapped in the
loWlands where a Is to 20 mile-an-hour
current was flowing.
Aviators who flew over that section
today believe the people had been able
to reach high land or levees.
Deaths Are Unconfirmed.
The States flood headquarters said
today no official confirmation had been
received of any deaths in the flood
area. Adjt. Gen Toombs wired from
MarksVille that he had found Mrs
Dupre and her eight children, who had
been reported drowned at Plaucheville.
n of
Alexandria, who is credited with say
ing 1853 persons in the Bayou des
GLASSES section. reported the drowning
of man and his two sons yesterday.
Clark said he removed the mother
from the roof of a floating house and
before he could reach the others the
house careened and they were swept
away. The bodies were not found.
Waters Cover 90 Parishes.
Army engineers said that 20 parishes
We're covered in whole or in part by
the flood waters and that approximate
ly 5.2O0,G COO acres had been inundated.
To tho north of Bayou des GLASSES.
flood waters still covered 13 parishes
between the Arkansas line and Old
River Approximately 1000 square
miles remained inundated in that area,
- "ao VStijletlcdA oSlOW 0dyOu ueS
GLASSES, an area of $3.50 square miles
has been flooded. Backwaters on the
east bank of Atchafaiaya have Gov
cred ESQ square miles, mostly marsh
land. in Iberville parish.
Two thousand men, working in two
l2-hour shifts, were fighting to save
the leVee at McCray on the east hank
OF the Atchafalaya, opposite Woodside
ana $50 miles northwest of New
orleans. George G. Schoenberger,
state engineer, said that he believed
they had won. Two concrete mattress
making boats We're en- route to the
scene. 1T was thought that with the
aid Of those the embankment would
hold.
Dukes at Morganza, $50 miles from
New orleans, on the west bank of the
M ississippi, and at Plaquemine Point.
Is miles below Baton Rouge. on the
east side, were reported in better con.
ditlon, due to the work of armies of
men.
Hoover Reviews Rescue Boats.
Secretary Of Commerce Hoover as
sumed the role of admiral today. He
reviewed Coast Guard and other rescue
boats at Torras, near the mouth of
Old River After conferences with T..
Q. Crosby, relief dictator for Missis.
sippi, John NJ. Parker. Louisiana di.
rector, and former Senator LEROY
Percy of the same State on co.ordi.
nation of relief plans, the Secretary
motored to Torras to mako nlape for