THE MISSISSIPPI FLOODS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 297, 12 June 1912, Page 6

THE MISSISSIPPI FLOODS

GREATEST IN HISTORY. 200,000 HOMELESS PEOPLE. San Francisco, May 13. The Mississippi has now been in flood for more than five weeks. Far from the danger- being over, at date of writing, there is imminent risk of a levee giving way at Baton Rouge, in the State of Louisiana, which would result in the inundation of 70 small towns in eight or nine parishes, ruining hundreds of sugar and rice plantations in Louisiana, and washing away many sawmills. In extent of country over which water has washed, and in the amount of loss, the flood has surpassed all records. In a bulletin issued by the United States Geological Survey it is stated that the inundation "will probably pass dctwn in history as the worst flood in the Mississippi since the settlement of the valley." Some 200,000 homeless persons are being fed at the expense of the Federal Government, and the money so far appropriated by Congress for this purpose and for the rescue of settlers, exceeds £300,000. The breaking of the west side main levee at Torras, Louisiana, allowed flood water to rush over two thickly populated parishes. This -revasse caused more damage than i >: ' • other single break occurring in that Btate. In many instances farmers and their children were compelled to take refuge on rafts, which they shared with their live stock. A newspaper correspondent who made a trip through the parishes of Concordia, Catajoula, and Tensas, stated that all of these were under water, with the exception of a few towns protected by levees. "The inhabitants are homeless and destitute," he said. "Five ■ thousand white persons along the Black I river are in a desperate fix. The GovI ernment supplies received there are inj adequate. Many families accepted the | food rafts, and when the floods came I moved their ' household goods aboard. I The rafts are now anchored to trees, I and that is the way they are living. | For a day and night desperate endeavors were made to patch the break ! at Torras, but the task proved impossible of fulfilment, and when work was abandoned water was rushing through the breach at the rate of 12 miles an hour. Preparations had been made in anticipation of a break at Torras. As at other threatened points, a train had fceen placed ready to leave at a moment's notice. When the break came the inhabitants rushed for the train. Even some cattle were put aboard. Couriers rode all night through the country south of the point where the break occurred, warning persons who were without telephone connection of the approach of the flood water. Steamers and gasoline launches plied over the inundated territory, picking up marooned parties of men, women, and children, 1 and five rescue trains picked up refugees and cattle from the concentration points. Scenes are described in the despatches of women screaming and men shouting as they hurried into their homes and seized their children and valuables when tiie alarm was sounded that the Torras levee had broken.