The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-01-28
Emergency Efforts to Cope
With Lower Reaches Of
Tide Widespread

MEMPHIS, Tenn, Jan. Is
(UP)-Men and machines battled
nature last night, with thousands
of soldiers, CCC workers and vol
unteer civilians working tireless-
ly to prevent the Mississippi river
from crumbling levees along a
1 ,000-mile front.
From Cairo, H., to New Or
leans, the determined fight was be-
ing made to keep the rampant
stream from crushing the govern
ment's 81 ,000,000,000 dyke sys-
TEN. Levees were being reinforc-
ed by sandbags, planks and mud
boxes
Death and destruction followed
in the wake Of raging Ole Miss.
Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri
and Tennessee reported toll Of
so known dead, hundreds i'll of
pneumonia and influenza, $780,
900 homeless. 100000 acres I'M
der water, and property damage
Of at least $30,000,000.
The Red Cross had complete
charge of evacuation and refugee
work while the army engineers
concentrated on saving the levees.
Memphis, virtually safe because
of situation on bluff, became
the hub for both organizations.
The city began to organize on
wartime scale to care for So
900 refugees. More than 10000
had arrived taxing the capacity of
the fair grounds concentration
camp.
A predicted crest stage of 55.5
feet at Memphis will not be felt,
Washington engineers announced
today. The new high mark pre-
dicted in about 10 days was 53.5
feet.
Meantime coast guard power
boats, row boats with cupboard
motors and other craft ploughed
up and down the Mississippi to
inundated towns and villages evac.
uating those who had been trap
ped by the surge of water.
At Melwood, Ark, as miles
south of Helena, a feverish bat
tie was waged 20 prevent weak
ened mainline levee from break
ing. Mellwood was evacuated. its
1000 population moving to Hell
ena and Barton.
The entire section of southeast
Arkansas was under virtual mar
tial law, national guardsmeI were
ordered to cooperate with civil
authorities.
Elaine, Ark, was deserted by
it's 500 inhabitants; the CCC
camp at Reelfoot Lake was left
as its personnel was assigned to
levee work.
Tiptonville residents refused to
heed warning to move, the har-
dy mountain folk of this Tennes-
see town prefering to work on
levces. An army dredge capable
of moving the entire population
of 1866 stood by ready to evacu-
ate the village if the dyke breaks.
Ridgely, Tenn, was deserted by
its citizens when the business sec
ton of the town was flooded.
Martin. Tenn, had 200 refugees
from Paducah, Ky, a town where
5000 Of its 10000 homes were
under water. Truman, Ark, with
population of 5000 was evacu-
ated when a levee broke.
The scene along the Mississippi
was the same from Cairo to Nat
chez, Miss. all low lands were
flooded and towns and tiny viii
lagos were under water.
The st. Francis river. in Arkan-
sas, continued to smash through
her banks and Marked Tree re-
ported 5000 homeless from this
flood. Appeals for boats were sent
By many communitiess along the
st. Francis. ,-,'''
Authorities issued an appeal for
all sightseers to stay off the high
ways in order to prevent clogging
of the roads needed to remove
refugees. Arkansas state police
prepared to close federal high.
ways 70 and 81 to all but urgent
traffic.
Every train coming into Mem.
phis from the north, east and west
brought refugees tonight. Many
of them carried bed clothing wrap.
ped in bundles and a few person
al effects. There was pathoS in
every scene.
81 don't know just what We
are going to do" cried Mrs. c,
William Willingham of Dell. Ark,
who was i'll of influenza. eve lost
everything. My husband is in Cor.