Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1916 — MISSISSIPPI LEVEE BREAKS NEAR NATCHEZ [ARTICLE]

MISSISSIPPI LEVEE BREAKS NEAR NATCHEZ

75,000 Acres of Land Inundated By Swollen River—Lives Endangered and Damage Great. Natchez, Miss., Feb. 16.—An urgent appeal for help received here tonight from Newellton, La.,^where the Mississippi levee broke yesterday, said that a thousand or more persons were marooned by the flood waters with only a motor boat available to take them to safety. Three negroes had been drowned and outside the town itself about 76,000 acres of farm land was inundated. The government steamer Lafourche left here tonight with a number of small boats and rescue crews. Reports indicated that the gap in the levee at Newellton had widened to about 1,000 feet. A Newellton merchant telephoned from the flooded town tonight that the need of help was imperative. “We are in a desperate condition,” Mr. Jacoby said. “Water ranges from six inches to six feet in Newellton and there is only one motor boat available to. rescue a thousand or more persons marooned on the opposite side of Lake St. Joseph. The boat made trips back and forth last night and today, bringing in refugees and continued tonight, lfut the means of rescue are inadequate. Many of those here are women and children. From this side of the lake houses can be seen floating away in the flood. Whether they are occupied is not known.” Gov. Hall, of Louisiana, has been appealed to to secure funds to provide for the refugees.