The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-02-01

The MISSISSIPPI gave one WraCh-
full surge yesterday against a two
mile sandbag wall. linking two
levees at Bessie, Tenn, and broke
through to spread water across the
lowland near the Kentucky Tennes-
see line. Today that water was
finding its way back to the main
channel, two miles down stream,
but for a time 1t threatened Tip
tonville, Tenn, and Reelfoot lake.
Minor Occurrence
Looking at the entire 1,200-mile
levee system, the break at Bessie
was a minor occurrence, but 1t sent
600 men Keeling backward to scraln-
BILE aboard boats. At one point the
water came through seven foot
deep, and waves stopped foot and
half deep across the regular
leveeS at each end Of the sandbag
wall.
Fearful that such break might
happen anywhere, army engineers
devised a co-ordinated plan Of cam
paign and issued a communicate
concerning 1t.
"A comprehensive and cohesive
plan Of patrol and maintenance
covering every foot Of levee will be
instituted at once to attack trouble
the minute trouble appears any.
where" the communique read.
Government and levee board pa
trolmen will join forces In the day
and night and watch for trouble. A
patrol station will not exceed two
miles. Smaller stations will be es-
tablished in suspicious spots. Pa
trolmen will report any semblance
Of trouble to their sector command
ers, who will rush men and ma
terials to the spot before q danger
Gus situation develops"
Relief Workers Busy
Washington, Feb. 1-(UP)-Fore-
casts of snow and colder weather
for the Ohio River Valley spurred
relief workers today in their drive
to rehabilitate the homes Of more
than million flood victims.
Directors Of clean up" activities
in communities where the river Is
slowly receding called for all pos
sible speed in returning refugees
to warmer, permanent quarters.
They warned, at the same time,
against re-entcring too soon. dwell
lings which the flood weakened and
covered with filth.
The u. s. Weather Bureau, Tor
the first time in almost two weeks,
released a forecast In which rain
was not mentioned for the flood
zone. 1t predicted slightly colder
Temperatures and light SHOWS for
New York, Pennsylvania. West Vir-
ginia, Ohio, and Kentucky.
Disaster workers hoped to return
many of the refugees to their homes
before cold weather hits the $50
concentration camps and 1903 field
hospitals which provide little pro-
lection against severe weather.
On Three Fronts
Admiral Cary T. GraySon, Red
Gross chairman, directed activities
today on three fronts: Upper Ohio
valley rehabilitation; rescue work
at the confluence Of the Ohio and
Mississippi where the crest OF the
flood was felt and preparedness
along the lower Mississippi.
Most of his chief aids were
aboard a flood relief special In
Memphis ready to start a tour up
the Mississippi and Ohio or, If nee
essary, to direct the battle to keep
the Mississippi within Its billion
dollar double levee system.
Grayson kept In constant con-
tact with the committee, relaying
to its members information pouring
In from field workers and In turn
dispatching the committees observ-
atoms to directors Of the 10000
disaster workers. He also kept
President Roosevelt abreast Of de-
velopments.
Mr.. Roosevelt, In thanking the
nation for Its support Of his birth
day parties to raise money for in
fantile paralysis victims, depressed
to appeal for Red Cross funds. He
expressed hope Of decreasing "the
probability Of future floods and
similar disasters"
The Red Cross drive for funds
neared Its 100000 goal. Head
quarters reported that contributions
now total $8.3l9,500.
The district embraces the fertile
area, comprising Missouri. Arkan-
sas. Tennessee, and Mississippi,
threatened by the flood crest stu
In the Ohio that devastated Louis
vile, Paducah, and scores Of small
Ter Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana
towns, and did great damage in
cincinnati causing, in all, 378