The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-04-20

occurring ut the rate Of an average
Of two day.
At Maeto Bottoms, in Arkansas
county. relief expeditions reported
that refugees were running up and
down levees. crying out to be rescued.
Many sought safety in tree tops.
An Arkansas national guard Off
Ger, flying over the territory between
Little Rock and Pine Bluff, yester-
day dropped warnings to homestead
ers to flee the rising waters caused
by break in levee at Fourchc bot
toms, in Pulaski county.
Refugees Cling 10 Steeplcs
The aviator reported refugees
clinging to church steeples and in
trees to escape the rising tide.
The Arkansas river rose to new
heights south Of Pine Bluff last night
and fears were entertained regarding
the ability Of the lcvees holding at
at least three points. Special trains
were being rushed from Pine Bluff
to carry sacks to reinforce the weak
cning dikes.
Hickman, KY, was one OF the greaI
refugee camps along the river. It y
almost directly opposite New
Madrid and the rows Of army tents
there give it the appearance Of an
army cantonmcnt. Water was again
rising at Hickman, after having show
ed q decline when the break occur
red at Dorena.
The levee situation in Mississippi
and Louisiana was believed by gov
crnmcnt engineers to be as good as
could be expected under the immense
amount Of water.
Overcast skies throughout the val
ley today caused apprehension OF
further rains, while an encouraging
report from St. Louis was that the
river would reach its crest today
with q rise of two-tenths of foot.
CLARENDON, ARKANSAS, IS
FLOODED WHEN LEvEE BREAKS
Helena, Ark, April 2O-tR-Thc
White river levee protecting Claren-
don, Ark, gave way early today, ac-
cording to information received from
the manager of the telephone cx-
change there.
Wallace Graham, manager Of the
telephone company at Clarendon. told
the Associated Press that the water,
surging through the gap, swept aside
obstructions in its rush and carried
cabin boats through the center Of
the town.
Graham said he believed there had
! been loss Of life. He was unable to
leave his office six hours after the
levee collapsed because Of the swift
current.
A number of persons were maroon
ed in the county court house and
above the roar Of the rushing water
could be heard the screams of fright
ened women and children who sought
safety in the building.
Clarendon is u town Of about 3.5OO
| population, the county seat OF Monroe
| county.
Other breaks in the White river
levee were reported near the town
last night.
River Boats Crushed
The rushing waters, held back bs
| the levee for days, burst through thu
embankment with roar heard al
over the city. River craft moorct
along the levee were carried through
| the crevasse into the town with such
| force that many of them were smash
, ed against the court house and othe
buildings in the business section. l
| is believed, according to the meagel
messages coming through to Helen;
early today, that some Of these
| houseboat dwellers may have beer
! drowned. Residents Of the town
! however, for the most part had lei
for higher ground the day before.
STORM CASUALTY LISTS
| SHOW MORE THAN 100 DEAD
Kansas City, April 2O-tP)-With
casualty lists Showing more than 1O(
dead, the southwest today continued
| it's gamble on rapidly changing
weather reports in the hope of avoid
ing further losses in tornadoes, freal
storms and floods.
Hundreds Of farmers and towns
people in western Missouri, southern
Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas re
fused to take chances on estimates
of arrival Of flood crests, and re
mained away from homes inundated
several times during the last two
weeks. Others compared flood warn
ings with river readings and declined
to leave for higher ground.
50 Dead In Texas
| Texas maintained its lead with
more than 80 dead and scores injur
ed, mostly in tornadoes. OklahOms
was next with an estimate of "
killed in floods and high winds. Sew
eral were listed as flood victims il
/ Kansas and Missouri
Rescue parties found that 10 per
1 .~~. ~nn~i.h~A ss. II hhot In, n