The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-02-01
FEAR MISSISSIPPI
LEVEE WILL CRUMBLE

lOOHIlH"eu W" Re.fS.
would send waters surging across
three counties and change the
course of the river so as to trans
fer thousands of rich acres from
Tennessee to Arkansas. The river
is the boundary between the TWO
states.
The flood ate through sandbag
reenforcements at Slough Land
ing Mack on the Kentucky-Ten-
nessee line and additional equip
ment was rushed into line.
Earth tremors added to the ter
rors of food sufferers in the TIP
tonville sector Saturday but a sur
vey Sunday indicated they had
done little damage.
Engineers preparing the Missls,
sippi levee system for it's greatest
test watched anxiously as the
Ohio flood crest reached Evans
vile. Ind, and slipped down.
stream toward Cairo, Ill.
The crest now is expected to
reach Cairo-conf1uence OF the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers-about
Thursday. =.
The river reached a stage OF
53.7 feet at Evansville and was
expected to go no higher.
Cairo, a triangular island cut
off on two sides by Ohio waters
and on the third by the Missis-
sippi, believed itself ready for the
test this week.
Reinforcement OF emergency
bulkheads atop the v-shaped wall
at Cairo was declared essentially
complete" The river had reached
a 1921 foot stage shortly after
noon and was tapping less than
a foot below the top Of the con.
crete wall. The emergency wall
of timber and cinders extended
three feet higher. however, and
no danger was felt that the city
would be flooded.
Flood waters which burst over
the Ohio's banks and cut a new
channel to the Mississippi north
of Cairo Friday eased pressure
on the walls of the bloodhound
community.
The dead by states:
Kentucky 249, Arkansas Al,
Ohio 81, Missouri II, Indiana IL,
West Virginia IL, Illinois II, Ten
nessee z, Mississippi a.. Alabama
2, Pennsylvania 8. ..
Department of Agriculture Off
Gals estimated that 300,OOO,O0o
tons of rich topsoil had been swept
from the Ohio valley and would
result in permanent loss to farm
ers. ....
War department headquarters
at Washington continued their
plans for removal Of possible
100000 persons along the M'ssis-
sippi despite. engineers predictions
that they would hold the river
within bounds.
The army had completed plans
for the greatest peace-time under.
taking of it's kind and awaited
word from the threatened low
lands before putting it into effect.
National guardsmen in Arkan-
sas forced some families from
their homes at bayonet point.
The food was in the cleanup"
stage in the upper Ohio valley as
waters slowly fell away from
wrecked homes and business
places.
Cincinnati, with damage esti-
mated at more than $25, 900, 900,
still suffered a water shortage.
A quarantine cut Louisville off
from the world. Highways were
blocked to all but necessary traf-
fic. A restricted area extended
FIVE miles from the city limit.
Families will be barred from their
homes until sanitation is restored.
An amoebic dysentery epidemic
was feared in Louisville. The food
has dropped nearlv three and one
half feet from a crest of ST. feet.
At Evansville, the worst flood
has passed.
Paducah, XIV. downstream, was
a picture of desolation. The city
virtually had been abandoned to
Ohio river backwaters. Nineteen
were known dead as Red Cross
workers strove to complete evacu-
alton. Mud, slime and water pour
ed into the upper stories of homes
and business buildings.
National guards were ordered
to use force if necessary to COM
plete removal of everyone from
Paducah. Armed guards accompa-
MED water trucks to prevent hi
lacking.
A single bridge under which
the flood waters rushed menac-
ingly gave Cairo, still farther
highway with the outside.
Mellwood, Ark, was another
focal point in the dangerous
southern food sector. An old
earthen dixie was settling and
suits of the laborious and lengthy
sessions in smoke-filled commit