LEVEE TO BE BROKEN

Evening Star, Issue 19542, 28 April 1927, Page 6

LEVEE TO BE BROKEN

THE KHSSiSSiPPi FLOODS EFFORT TO SAVE HEW ORLEANS REPARATION TO BE MADE Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. NEW YORK, April 27. (Received April 28, at 9.35 a.m.) A Memphis message states that the Government officials, having endorsed the scheme, preparations are being made to cut the levee on Friday to relieve the Mississipi flood conditions. New Orleans must defray the cost, amounting to between 2,000,000 and 4,000,000 dollars, in addition to which the city must care for the 3,000 persons necessarily evacuated, and return them to their homes after the water recedes. Desperate conditions are now reported in many Arkansas towns, where outbreaks of measles, whooping cough, and other diseases are occurring in increasing numbers. Fifteen boats, which were ordered to proceed up the Arkansas River, rescued hundreds of marooned families. Mr Hoover has now arrived in New Orleans to take charge of the relief work. TRAPPERS LEAVE HOME AREA TO BE INUNDATED EVACUATED INHABITANTS’ DEMAND GUARANTEED. NEW YORK, April 27. (Received April 28, at 9.35 a.m.) A message from New Orleans states that, carrying all movable belongings, trappers and farmers to-day left their homes at St. Bernard and Plaquemines, and the parishes south of here, which have-been ordered to be inundated on Friday, as a precaution to prevent the flooding of New Orleans, and have headed for the city. Many of the 4,000 inhabitants of the doomed 70,000 acres maintained an armed watch at' the point at which the levee is to be broken, demanding guarantees against loss before quitting their posts. The waters, if admitted, would cover truck farms for several months, drown mushrats in numbers, and wipe out the trappers’ livelihood for years.— ‘ Argus ’ and Sydney ‘ Sun ’ Cable.

A TERRIBLE ALTERNATIVE

DROWNING PREFERRED TO INCINERATION.

NEW YORK, April 26

Preferring death by flood to death by fire, twenty-five whites and negroes were drowned when they jumped from a blazing building in a flooded village near Legand, in Tennessee. CREST NOT YET REACHED 288,030 PEOPLE ENDANGERED WIDESPREAD DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. NEW YORK, April 27. (Received April 38, at 11,45 a.m.) The rivers have not yet reached their crest. Sudden breaks in the Arkansas River endangered the lives of 5,000 marooned refugees. The Government engineer estimates that the previous high-water marks of the Mississippi River will be exceeded by at least Bft before the crisis is passed. It is also feared that 200,000 persons between Vicksburg and the mouth of the Red River will bo trapped in the rapidly rising water. Federal State officials claim that they are powerless to help them. The crest of the flood is not expected for two or three days. There is a serious shortage of boats for rescue work. In the meantime additional stories of death and destruction are reported hourly. The Red Cross has received over 2,500,000 dollars.