AN INLAND SEA

Evening Star, Issue 19549, 6 May 1927, Page 4

AN INLAND SEA

MISSISSIPPI FLOOD WATERS MORE BREAKS IN LEVEES Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. / NEW YORK, May 4. News from New Orleans states that the Mississippi broke through two more levees in Northern Louisiana to-day, and these will release the full force of the waters into a region already partially inundated. The river from a point thirty miles north of the Arkansas border has become an inland sen, at many points fifty miles wide, and the water is pouring in upon nine parishes from three directions. The rail traffic .is dislocated, and communication is failing rapidly. Thousands of exiles! are scattering over the countryside in a wild dash for the high ground. Approximately 5,000 equare miles of the richest agricultural land in the State is laid waste. ■ A hundred small steamers are cruising ever the area in an endeavor to reach the danger points and remove the iso-; lated inhabitants who were caught by \ the suddenness of the onrush of the | waters. i The RedCl oss has announced that the relief subscriptions now .total 6,310,000 dollars. ] Two other Senators have telegraphed to President Coolidge asking that a special session of Congress should bej called to deal with the situation. Senator La Follette points out that Congress alone is competent to provide relief funds adequate to cope with the disaster and to provide proper rehabilitation. | Mr Hoover (Secretary of Commerce) and Mr Davis (Secretary of Labor) left Washington to-night for Vicksburg. i It is believed the culmination of the flood will come when the crest reaches the immediate vicinity of New Orleans. The low-lying delta region will probably mark the high point of damage, necessitating the widest efforts for relief.

MOVING SOUTHWARD FRESH BREAK IN.LEVEE. . TOWN OF RAYVILLE FLOODED. NEW YORK, May 5. (Received May 6, at 9.15 a.m.j A New Orleans message says that the crest of the Mississippi River flood ft moving southwards at a rate of fifty miles a day, leaving an increasingly large expanse of inundated territory in its wake. The water is pouring through the Hew breaks, covering the .entire northwest portion of Louisiana. Although the crest is already past that point, the flood waters there are joining the back Waters of the Arkansas River. Thousands of laborers are working to ■ Save the levees along the Old and Red Rivers, and the Bayou De daises, but ■ they are already virtually doomed. (Breaks at any of these places would add thirteen parishes to the inundated •. .area, bringing' half the State under .water. A fresh break occurred in the levee protecting Rayville, and the waters are pouring into the negro section. It is estimated that the whole town will be covered before to-morrow. The fresh inundations expected will bring the total flooded area to the vicin- , ity of 18,000 square miles, and will swell the number of homeless people to over 500,000. Meanwhile the authorities are concentrating on rescuing 14,000 persons who are marooned on high ground in the Tensas parish, who refused to leave their homes when warned. They will ■ 'have to be removed in boats. The rescue workers report that the “"greatest difficulty is being experienced ’ in persuading the victims, especially the negroes, to leave many of the danger . points. These men. when ultimately ' removed, are invariably suffering , severely from exposure and hunger.