Flood Menace Rolls South

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 26, 1 February 1937, Page 7

Flood Menace Rolls South

Mississippi Now Scene of Danger

FEVERISH STRENGTHENING OF DEFENCES OF MEMPHIS. United Press Association—By Electrlo Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Sunday, 9.10 p.m. CHICAGO, Jan. 39. With the crest of the flood still not in the river the Mississippi river bas risen to a higher stage than any hitherto reported. Cairo (14,000) at the junction of the Ohio with the Mississippi, is preparing to meet the crest on Wednesday. To-night it lay on an island amid raging waters. The Ohio is crawling towards the 59foot stage with an expected crest of 61 feet which is unprecedented.

North of Cairo, in so-called Little Egypt, the smaller communities, notably Mound City, were evacuated when tho flood waters backed up inundating them.

131,000 acres of south-eastern Missouri were flooded as a result of the opening of levees. The complete evacuation of Paducah, 8000 inhabitants of which remained to-day, has been ordered, forcibly if necessary, in order that when the Ohio’s crest strikes on Tuesday the danger to human life will be obviated.

Memphis (253,000) is in the path of tbe rolling flood tide, but is confident that her situation on higher ground will save her. She is a city of refugees, 2500 of whom come from the flooded Arkansas lowlands, Tennessee river points and even the Lower Mississippi delta. Over 115,000 men are strengthening the Memphis dyke area. Fourteen Memphis schools have been ordered to be closed to handle the refugees. Five hundred flood sufferers are in hospitals for treatment of influenza, pneumonia, typhoid and smallpox. RIVER 47 FEET AT MEMPHIS. EVACUATION ON 200-MILE FRONT. WATERS RECEDING IN UPPER REACHES OF OHIO. Received Sunday, 20.50 p.m. NEW YORK, Jan. 30. Two earth tremors in the Memphis area sent engineers hurriedly to check the levees which, however, were unharmed. Gwenn Craig said: “Wo aro conservatively optimistic. We are going to hold the entire river." But he reiterated that he was prepared to evacuate from Cairo to New Orleans if necessary. The river gauge at Memphis registers 47 feet and the waters have produced the so-called “hot 6pot" in various levees which caused consternation among the engineer*. The river threatened to overflow Hickman, Kentucky, to-night. Tho evacuation of livestock and the removal of household goods has begun on a 200-mile front from Hickman to White River, Arkansas. Almost overlooked in the greater horror of Ohio’s devastation, reports are now coming of the great damage in Tennessee, Arkansas and Nashville which have reported considerable privation as a result of the Cumberland river overflowing. Cities along the northern reaches of

tbe Ohio to-day began to report rehabilitation. Cincinnatti optimistically broadcasted “Business as usual." Louisville was greatly cheered by the receding waters. Evansville is half under water as much as twelve feet, with the river still rising but not so swiftly as beforn*. *

The fight against disease continues unabated. Two hundred thousand have been inoculated for typhoid at Louisville alone. Thirteen million units of serum for vaccines of all kinds have been sent to the flooded areas.

TERRIBLE MENACE TO CINCINATTI BLANKET OF GAS COVERS WATERFRONT LOUISVILLE’S DEATHROLL MAY BE 400 Received Sunday, 20.30 p.m. NEW YORK, Jan. 30. A blanket of gas from punctured mains covered the inundated waterfront at Cincinatti to-night. Fire Chief Houston described the fire peril as deadlier than anything Cincinatti had ever faced. The danger is increase! by Hie presence of millions of gallons of petrol on the water. A smoking ban was established throughout the entire region. Even passengers in train* passing through the city are prohibited from smoking. Chief Houston issued a warning to cities downstream that the petrol would float there eventually if not ignited at Cincinatti. "One spark and the indus j trial section of Cincinatti and most of the suburban towns would be sur* rounded by fire." Federal engineer* have been asked to consult the citv authorities and decide on methods to remove the danger. The river has fallen two feet but it is expected it will be another week before downtown business can be resumed. Louisville’s hospital superintendent, Dr. Buschmeyer, predicted that the deathroll will run far above the estimates. He said he believed 400 bodies had already been prepared for burial. Mayor Miller insisted that the toll was not more than 190. Flood control headquarters at Memphis reported that the Ohio river had broken through the levee five miles north of Cairo and was threatening to cut off the city from the north, its only remaining exit area. It is believed, however, the break will probably relieve the tremendous pressure on the 64 foot seawall behind tho city which lies 40 feet below the level of ths flooded rivers. The schools in Memphis are closed in order to use the buildings as shelters for refugees. In Louisville it is estimated the flood loss there alone will be 100,000,000 dollars. Three-fourths of the streets are as yet under water. The entire* nation is listening on the radio to head distress calls from the Louisville station and directions to police boats. Four men were caught in the rapids of what was once the busiest downtown intef&etftton add were rescued while the directions to boats to effect a rescue were "carried from coast to coast by tho radio hook-up.

Another weird call was a message to all police boats that a man, aged 21, had gone berserk through flood suffering, struck his father over the head with an oar, stole a motor boat and was reported to be cruising aimlessly in the flood waters. The police were instructed to confiscate the boat and arrest the man.

Another call instructed the police is seize the hip boots of any resident not engaged in relief work and give them to those willing to work.