Evening star., 1927-05-08
Weather Bureau Reiterates
Warning to Protect
Levees Above City.
CREST OF WATERS NOW
SOUTH OF VCKSBURG
Rescue Work Goes Steadily For
ward as Rushing Torrents Spread
Over Louisiana Towns.
BY the Associated Press.

! BY the Associated Press.
/ NEW ORLEANS. May 7-Driven
| riotiously before the flood crest, the
waters of the Mississippi had reached
new high levels tonight over a long
stretch north of New Orleans from
Donaldsonville to Angola.
Record stages also We're recorded at
places along the Old River, which
empties into the Mississippi north of
Baton Rouge, and which is receiving
flood waters from the Red, Ouachita,
Tensas and Black Rivers as well as
from the great crevasse and back
water lake spreading in northeastern
Louisiana.
In announcing this situation on the
two rivers, the Weather Bureau re-
iterated its warning that every pre-
caution should be taken to guard
against the stages above New Orleans
with the approach of the crest, which
now is south of Vicksburg, approx
mately half way between Memphis
and New Orleans.
Expects Leyees to Hold.
After an inspection of the levees
along the present greatest danger
point-the S0-mile front on the Old
River and the Bayou des Glaises to
the south-Gov Simpson declared at
Baton Rouge that in his opinion these
embankments were strong enough to
hold the anticipated highest flood
stage and thus save south central
Louisiana.
Mai. w H. Hoicombe, chief Army
engineer for the fourth district, who
is travelling down the river with
Secretary Hoover and his party. stated
at Natchez that the west bank de-
fenses on the lower Mississippi which
are yet to bear increased burdens
from the flood, were being well main
tanned. He added that the east bank
defenses We're not so satisfactory at
some places, but officials of the Pont-
chartrain Levee Board declared these
dykes were much stronger than they
We're when they withstood the 1922
flood.
Conditions here at New Orleans
We're considered satisfactory, the
river having fallen one-tenth of a
foot during the past "a hours as a
result of the increasing torrent fiow-
ing through the artificial crevasse
made at Caernarvon, 15 miles to the
South.
Previous Record Exceeded.
The Weather Bureau announce
ment said the stages on or below
the Old River were above the highest
previous crest by one foot at Angola,
three e-tenths of foot at Baton
Rouge and one-tenth of a foot at
Donaldsonyille. The actual stages
were 55.5 feet at Angola, As feet at
Baton Rouge and 36 feet at Donald
sonville.
A somewhat improved situation in
northeastern Louisiana just below the
Arkansas line was reported, the back
waters apparently having reached
their crest at Mer Rouge, Bonita and
Oak Grove. At Rayville the water
had come to a standsti1l, with from
two to three feet of flood in some
parts of the town.
Further South. however, crevasse
waters from the Mississippi were
spreading, with a rise of the water
in st. Joseph, Newellton and Tall
lulah. Jonesville also was well under
water and all wires to that important
lumber milling center were down.
Rescue work went steadily for
ward over that section, and after a
trip of inspection, Gov. Simpson said
refugee relief was progressing satis-
| factorily with no great hardship
among the refugees as far as food
and shelter was concerned.