1927 — Late March-July, flooding, levee breaks, upper and esp. lower Miss. River–246-500
— ~1,000 Center for Environmental Sciences, St. Louis Univ. “Miss…River Floods.”[1]
— 1,000 Nowell. “The Flood of 1927 and Its Impact in Greenville, Miss.” MS History.[2]
— <1,000 PBS. Fatal Flood. Abstract and “More about the film Fatal Flood.”[3]
— <1,000 The Free Market. “Government’s Great Flood, September 1999.[4]
–250-1,000 USA Corps of Engineers. “75th Anniversary of the Great Flood of 1927,” 2002.[5]
— <1,000 US News & World Report. “Another Flood That Stunned America.” 9-12-2005.[6]
— >500 Delta Cultural Center, Helena AR. Delta Geography. “The Flood of 1927.” 2014.
— 500 Webley and Holmes. “Top 10 Historic U.S. Floods.” Time. May 11, 2011.
— <500 Camillo & Pearcy (Miss. River Commission). Upon Their Shoulders. 2004, p. 138.
— 300-500 Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Flood at a Glance.” 4-28-1927, p. 1.[7]
— 246-500 Blanchard estimated range.[8]
— 200-500 Daniel. Deep’n as It Come: The 1927 Mississippi River Flood. 1996, p. 8.
— 110-500 Daily Democrat-Times, Greenville, MS. “Received by Pat Scully…” 4-27-27, 1.[9]
— >100-500 Daily Herald, Biloxi. “New Territory Being Covered by Water.” 4-26-1927, p. 8.[10]
— 350 United Press. Berkeley Daily Gazette, CA. “Tornadoes and Floods…” 5-11-1927, 1.
— ~350 United Press, May 2.[11]
— 313 Burt and Stroud. Extreme Weather: A Guide & Record Book. 2004, p. 128.
— 313 Ludlum. The American Weather Book. 1982, 81.
— 313 National Climatic Center. “Losses in…Severe Floods…[US] Since…1902, p. 122.
— 313 Smith, Roger. Catastrophes and Disasters. Edinburgh/NY: Chambers, 1992, p. 110.
–>100-300 Miss. Delta. AP. “New Towns Inundated…” The Bee, Danville, VA. 4-25-27, 1.[12]
— 246 NWS. Top Weather Events of 20th Century within NWSFO New Orleans…. 2008.
— 246 Trotter et al. Floods on the Lower MS: An Historical Economic Overview, 1998.
— Hundreds Bragg, M. Historic Names and Places on the Lower Mississippi River. 1977, 1.
— 245 Mississippi Valley. Pampa Daily News, TX. “Floods of 1927…” 12-21-1927, 6.[13]
— 174-243 Blanchard tally based on State breakouts below.
— 200 Miss. Delta. AP. “New Towns Inundated…” The Bee, Danville, VA. 4-25-27, 1.[14]
— 157 Blanchard tally of deaths (mostly drowning) from locality breakouts below.
— ~150 by Apr 25. The Times, Harrison, AR. “Vast Area Faces…Floods.” 4-29-1927, p. 5.
— 114 ARC report cited in: Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Flood Death Toll…” 5-28-27, 1.[15]
— >100 AP. “Flood Death Toll Mounting.” Decatur Herald, IL. 4-24-1927, p. 1.
— >60 AP. “Floods at a Glance.” Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA. 4-23-1927, p. 1.
Summary of Fatalities by State
Arkansas 59-126
Illinois 2
Kansas 3
Kentucky 2
Louisiana 35
Mississippi 42
Missouri 4
Oklahoma 21
Tennessee 3
Texas 5
Tally 174-243
Breakout of Fatalities by State (and Locality where noted):
Arkansas: (59-126)
–126 Fayette Daily Democrat, AR. “126 Dead, 334 Cases Disease Ark. Flood Toll.” 5-4-27, 1.
–119 Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Continue to Blast Levee” (cont. from p1). 4-30-1927, p. 12.
–100 Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Flood at a Glance.” 4-28-1927, p. 1.
–100 The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. “Flood of 1927.”
— 59 ARC report cited in: Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Flood Death Toll…” 5-28-1927, p. 1.[16]
— 50 Blanchard tally based on locality and/or date breakouts below.
— 42 by April 20. The Times, Harrison, AR. “Flood’s Death Toll is Over 40.” 4-29-1927, p. 2.
— 21 State, by Apr 20. Times, Harrison, AR. “Flood Spreads Over Arkansas, 4-29-1927, 3.[17]
Locality and/or Date Breakouts:
— 50 Blanchard tally based on locality and/or date breakouts below.
— 1 Atkins, Apr 17. Thurman Burris, 17, “while trying to rescue his father and mother.”[18]
— 6 Clarendon, Monroe County, by April 21.[19]
— 2 Dardanelle, Yell County, Apr 17.[20]
— 4 Eldorado area, Union Co., Apr 9. Man, daughters, crossing flood stream on boardwalk.[21]
— 3 England area, southwestern Lonoke County, April 20. Drownings; African-Americans.[22]
— 2 Forrest City, St. Francis County, ~April 29. Drownings; males.[23]
— 1 Gould area, Lincoln Co., ~Apr 26. Captain, gov. craft assisting levee work, Ark. river.[24]
— 19 Knowlton Point, Bolivar Co., Apr 21-22.[25] Levee fails, gov. launch Pelican swamped.[26]
— 1 Lee County, prior to May 16. Exposure; male.[27]
— 1 Paragould, Greene County, April 17. Baby fell into flood water.[28]
— 1 Pendleton area, Desha County, by April 20.[29]
— 1 Pine Bluff area, Jefferson County, ~April 26. Drowning; Arkansas planter.[30]
— 3 Localities not noted, April 16 report – “at least three lives lost.”[31]
— 2 Localities not noted, ~ April 29. Exposure.[32]
— 3 Localities not noted, May 1. Drownings.[33]
Illinois ( 2)
— 2 ARC report cited in: Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Flood Death Toll…” 5-28-1927, p. 1.[34]
— 1 Locality not noted, Apr 17. Ray Rogers, 12, drowned.[35]
Kansas ( 3)
— 3 St. Paul, April 8. Drowning; train goes into washout and derails into flood ditch.[36]
Kentucky ( 2)
— 2 Hickman vicinity. Woman and new-born in a refugee wagon en route to Hickman.[37]
— 0 ARC report cited in: Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Flood Death Toll…” 5-28-1927, p. 1.[38]
Louisiana ( 35)
— 35 State. Blanchard tally based on breakouts below.
–~20 State, by May 17. Monroe News-Star, LA. “Rescue Workers…” 5-17-1927, p. 2.[39]
— 9 ARC report cited in: Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Flood Death Toll…” 5-28-1927, p. 1.[40]
Breakouts:
— 5 Bayou Jack area, St. Landry Parish. Bodies of man, 4 children found by relief worker.[41]
— 1 Big Cane area, St. Landry Parish. Body of man found by relief worker in barn.[42]
— 2 Big Cane area. Relief worker reports seeing bodies of two Blacks floating south.[43]
— 1 Hohen Solms area, May 30. Plane crash kills Amer. Red Cross Flood Relief Exec.[44]
— 1 Monroe, Monroe refugee camp, night of May 4-5. Exposure, female baby, 5 months.[45]
— 1 Moss Bluff, near Lake Charles, June 25. Child evacuee hit by car, was crossing road.[46]
— 9 Plaucheville, Avoyelles Parish, May 16. Female, 8 children, drown; home surrounded.[47]
— 11 Port Barre, St. Landry Parish, July 8. Drownings; boat of flood refugees overturns.[48]
— 1 Sterlington, Ouachita Parish, May 13. Exposure; section hand working in flood water.[49]
— 3 Locality and date not noted. Man, wife and child drowned when home was overturned.[50]
Mississippi ( 42)
— 42 ARC report cited in: Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Flood Death Toll…” 5-28-1927, p. 1.[51]
— 33 Blanchard tally based on locality breakouts below.[52]
Breakouts:
— 2 Greenville area, Washington County, ~April 25. ARC relief workers report two bodies.[53]
— 1 Greenville area, Washington County, ~April 26. Miss. National Guard rescue worker.[54]
— 2 Indianola area, Sunflower County. Drownings; two black men fall from a rescue barge.[55]
— 5 Lamont area, Bolivar Co., June 2. Drownings; boat capsizes; overflow water of river.[56]
— 2 Stringtown ~Benoit, April 26; bodies of a young man and woman found in driftwood.[57]
— 21 Winterville vicinity,[58] Washington County, by April 24.[59]
— 15 Winterville, Washington Co., Apr 24.[60] Women drown; house is destroyed by floodwater.
Greenville/Winterville area drownings (20); plus 55 named missing, June 14 report: [61]
— Livingston Briscoe
— Briscoe grandchild no. 1.
— Briscoe grandchild no. 2.
— Briscoe grandchild no. 3.
— Hattie Brown, child
— George Brown, worked at Blocker Dairy
— Lenora Brown, child
— Will Brown, lived on Nat Isenberg’s place near Blocker dairy.
— William Burrows, who “was working at the break.”
— Booker Carter, Winterville.
— Frank Jones
— Brother of Frank Jones
— Nancy Knuckles
— Briscoe Livingston Lamont
— Jessie Martin, Winterville.
— Ada Montgomery
— Robert Smith, Stringtown.[62]
— Julia Williams
— Williams boy
— Ada Williams
Missouri: ( 4)
— 3 Central, Apr 1. Lowell Sun, MA. “Six Lives Lost…in Central Missouri.” 4-1-1927, p. 19.[63]
— 1 Vigus area, April 13. Farmer on blind horse trying to make it swim flooded stream.[64]
— 0 ARC report cited in: Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Flood Death Toll…” 5-28-1927, p. 1.[65]
Oklahoma: ( 21)
— 21 Blanchard tally based on tally of Southwestern OK and Okay vicinity reports below.
— 17 Southwestern OK, April 7-9.[66]
— 14 Barry. Rising Tide, 1997, p. 16.[67]
— 4 Okay vic., Apr 19. Four African-Americans, 2 men, 2 women, while attempting rescue.[68]
–6-12 Rocky Ford vicinity, April 8.[69]
— 2 Location not noted, April 7.[70]
Tennessee: ( 3)
— 3 Ridgely area, April 7. Skiff carrying family fleeing flood capsizes; three children drown.[71]
— 2 ARC report cited in: Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Flood Death Toll…” 5-28-1927, p. 1.[72]
Texas ( 5)
— >5 UPI, Dallas. Altoona Mirror, PA. “Menace of Flood Spreads Rapidly.” 4-19-1927, p. 1.
Narrative Information
Bragg: “In 1927 the greatest flood of record devastated the Lower Mississippi Valley. Hundreds of lives were lost, millions of dollars worth of property was destroyed, and there was widespread suffering and hardship. The spectacular superflood captured the shocked attention of the whole nation. Congress responded by acknowledging that the Mississippi River was a national problem, not a local one, and the Federal government joined the unequal contest between man and the river. For the first time a comprehensive flood-control plan was made for the protection of the whole Lower Mississippi Valley. Known as the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project, or the MR&T Project, the flood-control plan includes levees, floodways, tributary basis improvements, and channel improvements. “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was given the responsibility for constructing and maintaining the flood-control works.” (Bragg. Historic Names and Places on the Lower Mississippi River. 1977, 1.
Burt and Stroud: “The flooding of the Mississippi River in April of 1927 was the seminal event that led to the federal flood-control program and gave the Army Corps of Engineers the job of controlling the nation’s rivers via the erection of dams, dikes, and other measures of flood abatement. The flood was a result of 12-24” of rain deluging Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Louisiana. In just three hours, on the evening of April 15, 1927, 13” of rain fell on the Jefferson and Plaque drainage district just south of New Orleans. A total of 20.4” was recorded here in just an 18-hour period.
“It was upriver from New Orleans that the worst flooding occurred. Eighteen million acres (several thousand square miles) of agricultural land went under water, along with all the cities and towns near them. When the river crested at Cairo, Illinois, it was at its highest level ever, and some portions of the river, along the border of Tennessee, rose an astonishing 56.5 feet above flood stage. The river actually became 80 miles wide at one point in Arkansas.
“New Orleans was saved from destruction when President Hoover ordered the demolition of the Poydras Levee, thereby allowing the Mississippi to bypass the threatened city and flow directly into the Gulf of Mexico. However, the action destroyed virtually all of the homes south of the city and made more than 10,000 people homeless. At the height of the disaster there were 750,000 refugees under the care of the Red Cross. A total of 313 lives were lost.” (Burt and Stroud. Extreme Weather: A Guide & Record Book. 2004, p. 128.)
Center for Environmental Sciences: “Many weeks of rain in the late fall of 1926 followed by high winter snow melts in the upper Mississippi River Basin caused the river to rise to alarming heights by the Spring of 1927. Residents all along the Mississippi were worried, and were strengthening and heightening the levees and dikes along the river, hoping to avert disaster. The crest of water was moving through the upper Midwest and had reached central Mississippi, and the rains continued. In April, levees began collapsing along the river sending torrents of water over thousands of acres of farmland, destroying homes, livestock, and leaving 50,000 people homeless. One of the worst-hit areas was Washington County, Mississippi, where an intense late April storm dumped an incredible 15 inches of rain in 18 hours, causing additional levees along the river to collapse. One of the most notable was the collapse of the Mounds Landing levee, whose collapse caused a ten foot deep lobe of water to cover the Washington County town of Greenville on April 22. The river reached 50 miles in width and had flooded approximately one million acres, washing away an estimated 2,200 buildings in Washington County alone. Many people perished trying to keep the levees from collapsing and were washed away in the deluge. The flood waters remained high for more than two months, and people were forced to leave the area (if they could afford to) or to live in refugee camps on the levees, which were crowded and unsanitary. An estimated 1,000 people perished in the floods of 1927, some from the initial flood, and more from famine and disease in the months following the initial inundation by the flood waters.” (Center for Environmental Sciences, St. Louis Univ. “Mississippi…River Floods”)
Daniel: “The flood of 1927 happened not only because of unusually heavy rains (though that was the principal cause), but also because of the cumulative tinkering of humans. Loggers for years had cut over the forests along the tributaries and the main river channel, and then farmers had cleared the land, robbing the water of a place to pause before running down to the Gulf When the torrential rains of 1927 poured down upon the valley, the water rushed directly into the streams, and for the first time in centuries the tributaries of the Mississippi all filled and began pouring their loads into the main channel simultaneously. The river had been abnormally high all winter, and by April it was brimming over.” (Daniel 1996, 4)
“Statistics tell part of the story: 16,570,627 acres flooded in 17o counties in seven states, $102,562,395 in crop losses, 162,017 homes flooded, 41,487 buildings destroyed, 5,934 boats used in rescue work, 325,554 people cared for in 154 Red Cross camps and 311,922 others fed by the Red Cross in private homes, and between 250 and 500 people killed. The organizations and agencies involved in rescue and relief add another dimension: the Departments of War, Navy, Treasury, Agriculture, and Commerce; the Veterans Bureau; the Red Cross; the National Guard; the U.S. Public Health Service; the Rockefeller Foundation; railroad companies; and state and local agencies.” (Daniel 1996, 8)
“In the vernacular of the people who live along the Mississippi River, a crevasse is a break in the levee. That single word carried dread, often panic, because water twenty feet above the land level bursts out across the fields, sweeping all before it. The April 21 crevasse at Mound Landing, Mississippi, about eighteen miles north of Greenville, sent shock waves through the entire area.
“When the levee broke early in the morning, men were frantically tossing sandbags on top of it, trying to keep the river harnessed. Many workers were killed when it collapsed; no one will ever know how many. At first the press reported hundreds, but later the figures were reduced; no ‘accurate count could be made, for the confusion was too great.” (Daniel 1996, 10)
Delta Cultural Center: “The 1927 flood occurred when the Mississippi River broke through levees in seven states (Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee) forcing over 42 major crevasses and inundating an area of approximately 26,000 square miles….
“By April 9, more than one million acres of land were covered by flood waters and the rain continued to fall.
“In the spring of 1927, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assured the public that the levees would hold. However, the levees failed. There were numerous breaks on the levees but the greatest single crevasse ever to occur on the Mississippi River was at Mounds Landing. It flooded an area 50 miles wide and 100 miles long with up to 20 feet of water. It put water over the tops of homes 75 miles away from the original break.
….By July 1, the waters finally began to recede but 1.5 million acres of land was still under water.
“The disaster left behind more than 500 people dead, over 700,000 people displaced from their homes, buildings and crops destroyed, and industries and transportation paralyzed. The Red Cross supervised 154 relief camps that sheltered and fed over 325,000 refugees.” (Delta Cultural Center, Helena AR. Delta Geography. “The Flood of 1927.” 2014.)
NWS: “Mississippi River floods have been recorded since DeSoto’s expeditions of 1543. Man has tried to tame this major artery of the United States ever since. Federal legislation was enacted on May 15, 1928, with the passage of the Flood Control Act as a result of the Great 1927 Flood. An unusually wet period from August 1926 through the Spring of 1927 soaked the middle Mississippi Valley. A period of excessive rainfall during the first three weeks of April proved to be a disastrous climax to the rainy period. In 19 hours on April 14-15, the New Orleans area received over 14 inches of rainfall, while much of Arkansas and southern Missouri received over 9 inches in a one week period. The lower tributaries of the Mississippi River were experiencing record flooding along the Arkansas and Red Rivers, contributing to high flood crest moving down the mainstem. Baton Rouge exceeded its flood stage of 35 feet on February 12th and remained above flood stage until July 14th, a period of 153 days. The river at Baton Rouge crested at 47.8 feet on May 15th, nearly 2 feet higher than its previous record set in 1922, and a record that still exist today. On April 25th, the stage at New Orleans was at a record 21.0 feet. The main flood crest had not reached the city yet, and fears were mounting that this major commerce hub of the era was in danger of being inundated. By order of the Governor, the levee was dynamited at a point on the river 14 miles south of New Orleans, at Caernavon on April 29th. The effort lowered the river level one-half foot before the crest passed New Orleans on May 15th at 20.7 feet. Then entire levee system along the reach of the Mississippi River was decimated, and a large government effort was employed to restore and construct new and better structures for flood control. These efforts helped launch Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover into the White House in the ensuing presidential election. The impact of this flood was 16.5 million acres of land in seven states inundated and 246 people died. Over 600,000 people were driven from their homes and damages totaled $230 million in 1927 standards. The river was 80 miles wide in some places.” (NWS. Top Weather Events 20th Cen. NWSFO New Orleans/Baton Rouge Ser. Area, 2008)
Nowell: “The Great Flood of 1927 unleashed a spring season of catastrophic events along the banks of the Mississippi River. A weather system that stalled over the Midwestern states in the fall of 1926 brought untold amounts of water to the Upper Mississippi River region. The region’s burgeoning tributaries caused the Mississippi River to overflow in eleven states from Illinois to Louisiana. That same system brought heavy rainfall to the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta, an alluvial plain located in northwest Mississippi….
“The western edge of the Mississippi Delta is outlined by the Mississippi River along with its companion, a man-made levee, or earthen dam, that protects the valuable farmland from river overflow. The steady rainfall filled streams, bayous, creeks, and ditches in the Delta region and saturated the farmland. As the water rose in the Mississippi River and levees broke in other states, all indications were that 1927 would be one of the worst years for flooding.
“Levee guards were placed in camps at strained sites along the top of the levee and ordered to maintain them from danger of crevasse, a break in the levee which would allow water to enter the area it protected. As the water rose on the levee, it was the levee guard’s duty to fill sandbags and place them on top of the levee in order to stay ahead of the water height.
“In Mississippi there were two levee areas of special concern. Both were north of Greenville at the Miller Bend and the Mound Landing levees. A break at either of these places would allow water into the Delta town with the county’s largest population of about 15,000 people. Levee guards were on duty and the stack of sandbags were almost even with the rising water when the levee at Mound Landing in lower Bolivar County gave way on the morning of April 21, 1927.
“The alarm that the levee had broken was given to the people of Greenville by a prearranged signal, the fire whistle….The highest areas of Greenville were covered by only a few feet of water, however, the lower areas were inundated from eight feet to over rooftops.
“The crevasse was so huge it allowed a volume of raging water that covered nearly one million acres with water ten feet deep in ten days. The water, higher and stronger than any previous flood, soon engulfed a large portion of the Mississippi Delta, covering some two million acres of land in its final reach. It would be a continuing flood of water — the Mississippi River flowed through the crevasse for months….
“A refugee camp was established on the levee at the end of Washington Avenue in Greenville. Until the American Red Cross arrived, families, mostly African-Americans, slept in makeshift tents of quilts and materials brought along in their escape from their homes. When it arrived, the Red Cross passed out tents, saw that kitchens and sanitary facilities were built, and organized the large camp which would grow north along the levee for seven miles. Typhoid shots and other immunizations were given to prevent the spread of disease. Greenville’s William Alexander Percy, son of LeRoy Percy, headed the Relief Committee in Greenville. Local officials called in the National Guard to keep order….
“African-American families were instructed by some community leaders to stay on the levee to work in flood control and, later, recovery efforts. The men feared that if they allowed this labor force to leave they might not return. This decision to not let African-Americans evacuate and to work them without pay would soon bring an eruption of racial tensions.
“Greenville’s protection levee north of town did not hold in the initial April flood. Mayor Cannon and several leaders decided to stop the continuing flow of water into Greenville and to prevent the common occurrence of a June rise, the second assault of water, from entering the town. William Beanland, a civil engineer, was chosen to handle the repair work. He immediately went to work on plans to build a mud box with driven pilings and sandbags to seal the gaps. He, with the help of a committee of African-American leaders, got about five hundred black men working two shifts around the clock for nine days to repair the protection levee.
“The laborers were not paid and resented being threatened that if they did not participate in the levee repair, or other work such as unloading the food sent on barges by the Red Cross, that they would not be allowed to have the food that the Red Cross was handing out. Thus, the people struggling to live on a sliver of ground above water, became aggravated about their circumstances. Their squalid living conditions and work requirements were first reported through the Associated Negro Press and by the end of May had spread to the white press.
“As word spread about the mistreatment of blacks in the levee camps, Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover, who served as chairman of a special committee to coordinate all flood relief efforts, created the Colored Advisory Committee to look into the allegations and named Robert Moton from the Tuskegee Institute to head it. After investigations, the committee presented a harsh report to Hoover, but he failed to take any action. As a result of the living conditions caused by the flood, blacks were compelled to leave Washington County, of which Greenville was the county seat, to seek better lives in the North….
“The Mississippi River Flood of 1927 was the nation’s greatest natural disaster. The National Safety Council estimated deaths in the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta alone at 1,000. In Mississippi it directly affected an estimated population of 185,495. A total of 41,673 homes were flooded; 21,836 buildings were destroyed; 62,089 buildings were damaged; and 2,836 work animals, 6,873 cattle, 31,740 hogs, and 266,786 poultry were drowned. An entire crop year was lost.
“A major result of the 1927 flood, which had an impact in eleven states, was the National Flood Control Act of 1928 passed by the U. S. Congress.” (Nowell. “The Flood of 1927 and Its Impact in Greenville, Mississippi.” MS History Now.)
PBS, April 21, 1927: “Four hundred and fifty men had worked through the night in a desperate effort to save the levee, but the river rose too fast. One worker recalled, “It was just boiling up. The levee just started shaking. You could feel it shaking.” In the early hours of the morning small breaks started to appear. Fifteen hundred additional men were rushed to the site, but their efforts could not save the levee. What had begun as a small break quickly became a raging river. Guards forced the African American laborers to keep filling sandbags at gunpoint, but everyone there could feel that the levee was about to collapse under their feet. Sandbags started to wash away, the river ran over the top of the levee, and men took off as fast as they could run. As the levee collapsed, many of the workers were swept away. Soon every fire whistle, church bell and mill whistle rang out to warn the county.
“The force of the torrent was unstoppable, scouring out the land and uprooting everything in its path. Trees, buildings, and even railroad embankments were washed away in moments. Even Egypt Ridge, so named because no flood had ever reached it before, was soon engulfed. For 60 miles east of the crevasse and ninety miles south there was nothing but water. Where farms and towns had been, it looked like an ocean. Seventy-five miles away, in Yazoo City, the water was high enough to cover the roofs of homes. In a matter of days, 10 million acres of land would be under 10 feet of water.
“In a flash, the break at Mounds Landing left tens of thousands of people homeless. Almost the entire population of the county, 185,000 residents, was forced to evacuate. People stranded on rooftops or in treetops waited for boats to find them, praying they would be rescued before their building collapsed or tree was uprooted. But the water wasn’t the only mortal danger they faced. With storms continuing to pound the region and bring unseasonably cold temperatures, some died of exposure….
“It would take months for the water to recede. Five weeks after the levee collapsed, engineers surveying the crevasse found waves still as high as 12 feet and water deeper than 100 feet. The crevasse itself was three-quarters of a mile wide. In time, the flood waters would recede and towns would be rebuilt, but evidence of the yellow sea that engulfed the entire Mississippi Delta still exists today in the form of a 65-acre lake created by the levee break at Mounds Landing.” (PBS. “The Levee Break at Mounds Landing.” Fatal Flood.)
The Free Market: “Estimates place the death toll in the Mississippi Delta alone at as high as 1,000 people. Damage estimates ranged as high as 1 billion (1927) dollars.” (The Free Market. “Government’s Great Flood, September 1999.)
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture: “The Flood of 1927 was the most destructive and costly flood in Arkansas history and one of the worst in the history of the nation. It afflicted Arkansas with a greater amount of devastation, both human and monetary, than the other affected states in the Mississippi River Valley. It had social and political ramifications which changed the way Arkansas, as well as the nation, viewed relief from natural disasters and the responsibility of government in aiding the victims, echoing the Hurricane Katrina disaster in the present day.
“In largely agrarian Arkansas, the Flood of 1927 covered about 6,600 square miles, with thirty-six out of seventy-five Arkansas counties under water up to thirty feet deep in places. In Arkansas, more people were affected by the floodwaters (over 350,000), more farmland inundated (over two million acres), more Red Cross camps were needed (eighty of the 154 total), and more families received relief than any other state (41,243). In Arkansas, almost 100 people died, more than any state except Mississippi. In monetary terms, the losses in Arkansas (totaling over $1 million in 1927 dollars for relief and recovery) surpassed any other affected state.
“The Flood of 1927 had its origins both in nature and in man. In the late 1920s, technological advances kept pace with the growing economy. Heavy machinery enabled the construction of a vast system of levees to hold back rivers that tended to overrun their banks. Drainage projects opened up new, low-lying lands that had once been forests but had been left bare by the timber industry.
“Feeling protected from flooding by the levees, farmers borrowed money with easy credit from banks booming with the record levels of the stock market. They expanded their fields to low-lying areas on their own property or moved to new lands that were fertile from centuries of seasonal flooding. They felt safe behind the levees and secure in selling their crops to new markets, now accessible by railroad, truck, automobiles, and even international shipping. The “buy now, pay later” mindset of the 1920s encouraged people, including farmers of modest means, to purchase washing machines and other labor-saving devices on installment plans. Even nature seemed to be cooperating, as the summer of 1926 brought rain instead of drought.
“The spring of 1927, however, saw warm weather and early snow melts in Canada, causing the upper Mississippi to swell. Rain fell in the upper Midwest, sending its full rivers gushing into the already swollen Mississippi. Its destination, the Gulf of Mexico, acted as a stopper when it too became full. Then, in the South, it began to rain.
“April 1927 saw record rainfall in Arkansas, with more than seven inches falling on Little Rock (Pulaski County) in just a few hours. There was no place for it to go because the ground was saturated. Lakes, rivers, and streambeds were full. The swollen Mississippi River backed up into the Arkansas, White, and St. Francis rivers. The White River even ran backward at one point as torrents rushed into it from the Mississippi.
“Levees could not hold, with every one between Fort Smith (Sebastian County) and Little Rock failing under the enormous surge of water. The September 1927 National Geographic said that the streets of Arkansas City (Desha County) were dry and dusty at noon, but by 2:00 p.m., “mules were drowning on Main Street faster than people could unhitch them from wagons.” Water poured in and had nowhere to go. Homes and stores stood for months in six to thirty feet of murky water. Dead animals floated everywhere. Rich Arkansas farmland was covered with sand, coated in mud, or simply washed away, still bearing shoots from spring planting.
“Floods devastated Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, but the worst destruction was in Arkansas. In some places, the Mississippi River was sixty miles wide. Almost twice as much farmland was flooded in Arkansas as in Mississippi and Louisiana combined….
“The American Red Cross, as well as fellow citizens, responded quickly, with emergency workers arriving by trains, trucks, and automobiles. In Arkansas, fifty refugee camps, using Army tents and cots, were hastily built by the Red Cross, with one in Forrest City (St. Francis County) holding more than 15,000 of the homeless. But victims kept arriving from all around Arkansas—cold, sick, and hungry. Some found shelter in public buildings or other makeshift locations. Nearly all found themselves without food, water, or dry clothing. The segregated tent cities on high ground could barely hold them all. Disease ran rampant in the overcrowded camps. Conditions then worsened.
“With the floodwater having nowhere to go, much of Arkansas remained under water through the spring and summer and into September of 1927. Farmers could not plant crops. The carcasses of thousands of dead animals lay rotting in stagnant pools. Mosquitoes found perfect conditions to breed that summer, carrying malaria and typhoid to refugee camps already burdened with dysentery and the threat of smallpox. Emergency workers at the camps were also shocked at the extent of pellagra, a vitamin deficiency disease brought on by lack of protein.
“The death toll from all states devastated by the flood was placed by the Red Cross at 246…. But the number of people left without food, water, clothing, or work numbered almost 750,000.
“There were racial and socio-economic ramifications in Arkansas as elsewhere. Out-of-state emergency workers clashed with local health officials and large planters over the extent and types of aid and to whom such aid should go. In some places, the Red Cross distributed aid directly to the victims. But in others, so as not to challenge the plantation system, relief supplies were given to the large planters, who were then in charge of distributing them to their sharecroppers.
“Planters feared that their sharecroppers, both black and white and most deeply in debt, might not return home from the Red Cross camps, leaving them without enough labor to put crops in the fields when the land dried out. This led to a controversial mandate in which sharecroppers, particularly black sharecroppers, were admitted to and released from the camps only under the supervision of their planters. African Americans needed a pass to enter or leave the Red Cross camps. Some were forced at gunpoint by law enforcement officials to survive on the levees indefinitely in makeshift tents as water rose around them while would-be rescue boats left empty. They were forced by the National Guard with fixed bayonets to work on the levees, in addition to other flood relief efforts.
“The Red Cross maintained refugee camps for flood victims through September 15, when many people, black and white, were finally able to return to their devastated land to try to survive the winter and start over with virtually nothing.
“The Flood of 1927 took place when the rest of the country was enjoying the peak of Roaring Twenties prosperity. In Washington DC, the federal response under President Calvin Coolidge to the misery in the flooded South was simple: not one dollar of federal money went in direct aid to the flood victims.
“The Flood of 1927 brought Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover into the spotlight as Coolidge’s appointee to chair local and voluntary relief operations, laying the groundwork for his successful presidential campaign the following year. (In 1928, Hoover defeated Democratic presidential candidate Al Smith of New York and his running mate, Joe T. Robinson of Arkansas.) Hoover called the flood “America’s greatest peacetime disaster” and said that “the disaster felt by Arkansas farmers, planters and residents of river lowlands was of epic proportions.”
“Amidst the suffering, Hoover saw the opportunity for land reform to change the plantation system which had been in place since Reconstruction. With some large planters bankrupted by the flood, leaving huge tracts of land without effective ownership, Hoover proposed the idea of dividing the land into smaller holdings and building true land ownership for both black and white tenants and sharecroppers. Requesting confidentiality, Hoover issued a memorandum describing the proposal to a few individuals, such as Harvey Couch, flood relief director in Arkansas. Hoover suggested putting aside $1–2 million from flood relief funds. This money would be specifically used for resettlement on twenty-acre farms through a resettlement corporation with directors, including “colored representation.” Nothing came of the plan. When he was elected president, Hoover established private resettlement corporations, all of which were failures.
“Through the modern communications of the day, such as radio, the Flood of 1927 drew national attention to the plight of sharecroppers, black and white. It spurred a mass migration of black sharecroppers who had tired of farming, poverty, and debt. Thousands left the plantation as soon as they could, heading north to look for jobs in cities such as Detroit and Chicago. Mechanization and corporate farming replaced their labor. For white sharecroppers and independent small farmers, many family farms in Arkansas, as elsewhere, would come under corporate ownership.
“In 1927, the Mississippi River remained at flood stage for a record 153 days. When Arkansans could return to their homes, often in August or September, they began to rebuild. The town of Arkansas City, near McGehee (Desha County), lay beneath the muddy water of the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers from April through August 1927. The Red Cross cared for the entire population of 1,500 people while the town was completely rebuilt….
“The Flood of 1927 brought about a political shift, especially among African Americans. Those who had traditionally favored the Republican Party, the party of Lincoln, since the Civil War resented the Republican response, or lack of response, and shifted their allegiance to the Democratic Party.
“The 1927 flood also led to a change in attitudes regarding the government’s role in helping its citizens in time of crisis. Prior to this time, people generally feared “the dole” and preferred work to “charity.” However, the enormity of the catastrophe led many to support the type of New Deal programs proposed by Franklin Roosevelt’s Democratic administration in 1932. People now looked to Washington for help, for the misery was not over….” (The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. “Flood of 1927.”)
Trotter: “The 1927 flood left a disastrous impact upon the entire 1,250,000 mile 2 river drainage. The unprecedented rainfall began over the whole basin in late summer 1926, and didn’t abate until the summer of 1927. The flooding began at Memphis in the fall of 1926 and it was late August of 1927 before the last of the flood waters flowed into the Gulf below New Orleans. The levee system was decimated with over 120 crevasses (Fig. 1) and 165 million acres were inundated. There were 246 fatalities and over 600 thousand people were made homeless. The total damage was estimated at $230 million.
“John M. Barry in his book Rising Tide has eloquently outlined the social and economic impact of that natural disaster upon the nation. As Barry points out, a major portion of the 600 thousand people made homeless was black tenant farmers which made up the labor force of the agriculture-based Delta. Those refugees were not allowed to leave and were forced to work and live on the levees that year to provide damage control. Up to that time, flood relief and river management was largely driven by economics rather than humane concern for the citizens.
“Relations between diverse racial and economic groups were needlessly strained by the lack of planning and flood management procedures. Fearing that a flood in New Orleans would ruin the economic structure and investment stature of that city, bankers and commodities brokers convinced the governor to open the levee at Caernarvon 14 miles downstream. The destruction of the levee and the resulting flood inundated the two lower parishes of Louisiana displacing thousands of people and destroying the trapping, farming, and fishing industries for the following several years. Given the crevasses upstream from New Orleans, the necessity of dynamiting the levee was questionable.
“As a result of the devastation, the Flood Control Act of 1928 was passed. Levee and reservoir maintenance and management was placed in the hands of the Army Corps of Engineers (COE), with cooperation among levee boards, river commissions and emergency management officials.”
(Trotter et al. Floods on the Lower MS: An Historical Economic Overview, 1998.)
USACE: “Vicksburg, Miss., March 12, 2002 — This year marks the 75th anniversary of the devastating flood of 1927 that caused death and widespread destruction throughout the lower Mississippi Valley, from Arkansas to Louisiana, from Cairo, Ill., to the Gulf of Mexico.
“The nation’s most destructive flood began with the heavy rains that pounded the central basin of the Mississippi in the summer of 1926. By September, swollen tributaries were pouring through Kansas and Iowa.
“From December 1926 to April 1927, heavy rains continued throughout the central areas of the basin. There were three flood waves on the lower Mississippi in January, February and April, increasing in magnitude each time.
“In February, the White and Little Red rivers broke through the levees in Arkansas, flooding more than 100,000 acres with 10 to 15 feet of water. 5,000 people were left homeless.
“The April rains were very intense and river stages rose rapidly on the Mississippi. By April 9, more than one million acres of land were covered by floodwaters, and the rain continued to fall. On April 19, a levee near New Madrid, Mo., burst open, flooding an additional one million acres.
Portions of seven states (Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi) were under water.
“It is not known exactly how many died in the great disaster. Historians once estimated the death toll at 250 victims, but deaths due to disease and exposure after the immediate flood are hard to tally; some estimates exceed 1,000 deaths. At Mounds Landing near Greenville, Miss., for example, a flood surge blew out a levee where thousands of terrified workers were building a bunker of sandbags. Swirling westward, the flood ravaged 2.7 million acres of farmland before rejoining the mainstem of the Mississippi at Vicksburg, Miss.
“The levee break at Mounds Landing was the greatest single crevasse ever to occur on the Mississippi River. It flooded an area 50 miles wide and 100 miles long with up to 20 feet of water. It put water over the tops of houses 75 miles away.
“There were numerous breaks in the levees on the west bank of the river, also, inundating lands are far west as Monroe, La.
“As the wall of water moved south into Louisiana, state and city officials prepared for the worst. Governor Oramel H. Simpson, with the concurrence of Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover and the Corps’ Chief Engineer Edgar Jadwin, authorized a plan to turn the flood into the St. Bernard and Plaquemine Parish marshlands, a desperate attempt to save New Orleans, La.
“On April 29, 1927, at a place called Caernarvon, La., 13 miles below Canal Street, in New Orleans, La., 39 tons of dynamite was used to crevasse the levee, sending 250,000 cubic feet of water per second through a …tall-grass marshland.
“New Orleans escaped serious damage, but the diversion annihilated of the marsh traditionally trapped by the Canary Islanders whose 18th century fore parents had colonized Louisiana for Spain.
“On May 17, the flood continued south and west toward the City of Melville and the fast-running Atchafalaya River. “The water leaped the crevasse with fury,” reported a contributor to the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
“Breakers were shooting through and leaping over each other way up the streets of the town. [The flood] swept everything before it. Washtubs, work benches, household furniture, chickens and domestic animals were floating away.”
“By August 1927, when the flood finally subsided, the disaster had displaced about 700,000 people. Twenty-six thousand square miles were inundated to depths up to 30 feet, levees were crevassed, and cities, and farms lay waste. Crops were destroyed and industries and transportation paralyzed.
“At a time when the federal budget barely exceeded $3 billion, the flood, directly and indirectly, caused an estimated $1 billion in property damage.
“It was a disaster of tremendous proportion, awakening the national conscience to the need for a comprehensive program to control the giant river. From destruction and ruin came the 1928 Flood Control Act, which authorized the Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) Project, the nation’s first comprehensive flood control system.
“Until 1927, a “levees only” approach to flood protection was used up and down the valley, and most levees were built by local levee boards with the Mississippi River Commission’s help.
“However, the 1927 flood illustrated that the “levees only” approach was inadequate to control and safely handle the river’s flood flows. It was time to take a new approach. More than 300 competing flood control plans were proposed, and Chief Engineer General Edgar Jadwin’s proposal won the competition. His plan differed from the “levees only” approach in three major respects: (1) the incorporation of floodways to divert peak flows and hold down stages in the main channel; (2) backwater areas to divert peak flows from the river and store a portion of the flood waters near the peak of the flood resulting in reduced downstream stages; and (3) designing all works on the basis of a project flood — a great hypothetical flood derived from examining historic rainfall and runoff patterns.
“This comprehensive system of works was formalized in the 1928 Flood Control Act, which authorized the Jadwin Plan — or what came to be known as the Mississippi River and Tributaries project.
“The Mississippi River and Tributaries project has four major elements: (1) levees, (2) floodways and control structures, (3) channel improvements and stabilization measures, and (4) tributary basin improvements. These elements work together to provide flood protection and navigation, and foster environmental protection and restoration.” (United States Army Corps of Engineers. “75th Anniversary of the Great Flood of 1927,” 2002.)
US News & World Report, 9-12-2005: “For days, the rain fell. The rivers swelled, the lakes rose. And when the water could no longer find a place to go, it battered the weakest parts of the levees that had protected thousands of people and blew through, sending a surge of white-capped brown water faster than the spill of Niagara Falls. So began the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, the most catastrophic deluge ever to hit the South and one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. The seminal event of pre-integration southern politics, the 1927 flood inundated an area about half the size of New England. It killed as many as 1,000 people and displaced about 700,000 more. At a time when the entire federal budget was barely $3 billion, it caused an estimated $1 billion in damage.” (U.S. News & World Report, September 12, 2005)
Webley, et al. USGS: “Date: April-May 1927,
“Significance: Most destructive river flood in the history of the U.S.; 500 killed; 600,000 homeless
“Holmes says: The sheer landmass involved in this flood makes it incredibly noteworthy. Across Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, some 16 million acres of land (26,000 square miles) were inundated with water from the mighty Mississippi. At Vicksburg, Mississippi, alone, the river was 80 miles wide. This flood shifted the influence of flood policy in the U.S., which is still impacting us today. Everything — our levee policies, the way we engineer all of these things — was built out of what people learned from the 1927 flood.”
(Webley, Kayla and Robert Holmes (USGS). “Top 10 Historic U.S. Floods.” Time. 5-11-2011.)
March 30, TN, MS, AR: “Memphis, Tenn., March 30 (AP) – Laconia Circle, a district of 12,300 acres of fertile Arkansas land lying in a northeastern extension of Desha county in the southeast section of the State, was today being gradually covered by waters of the Mississippi river. Levees surrounding this semi-circle of earth lifted against the perennial encroachments of the Mississippi and White rivers, by slaves of Frenchmen migrating upward from Louisiana a hundred years ago, gave way late yesterday. Residents of the section, about 2,000 in number, consisting mainly of negro farm laborers, had ample warning of the break and fled to safety with their livestock and some household effects before the waters poured in.
“The break was gradually widening despite efforts of 200 laborers under direction of United States river fleet engineers, who have worked since Sunday to strengthen the levee. A 52-foot stage on the Mississippi was registered today and the flood crest has not yet been reached…
Red Cross Asked to Aid.
“Natchez, Miss., March 30 (AP) – The Red Cross has been asked to extend relief to Artonish, Miss., a farming community in Wilkinson county, where 400 persons are being driven from their homes by the rising waters of the Mississippi River. The community is protected by a private levee but will be inundated when the Mississippi reaches a stage of fifty feet on the Natchez gauge, which is now 48,3. In addition to the land expected to be flooded at Artonish, lowlands on the East bank of the Mississippi are flooded to Angola, La., twenty miles below, where the Red Cross has already started relief work.
Waters Spread Over Farms
“Helena Ark., March 30 – Housed in box cars, hundreds of tenant farmers and negro hands today watched the muddy backwaters of the Mississippi river spread over their land, further delaying farm work. Box cars were sent to the danger zone today to provide temporary housing for refugees for the flooded area inside the Laconian circle levee which broke at 2 o’clock this morning. No actual suffering has been reported.” (Corsicana Semi-Weekly Light, TX. “Many Acres Land Inundated by Break in Levees Tuesday.” 4-1-1927, p. 1.)
April 2, IA: “Des Moines, April 2 – (UP) – Clear skies greeted most of Iowa today after rain and snow-storms of the past three days. Reports from Mason City stated eight inches of snow has fallen there, four inches are reported at Cherokee, and seven inches at Spencer. It was necessary to clear surfaced roads with snowplows. Heavy rains over the central and southern portions of the state have swollen all streams and the river cities of Keokuk, Fort Madison, Burlington and Muscatine arc preparing to fight a flood menace as the Mississippi river is rising rapidly.
“Muscatine reported a river stage of 13.8 feet and still rising rapidly. Sixteen feet is flood stage there but no damage is expected until the 19 foot mark is passed. Muscatine Island, where 20,000
acres of rich fertile farm lands lie below the water level, protected by levees, is being carefully watched to prevent a possible break in the dikes. All dirt roads are a sea of mud and many cars were reported mired down…” (Waterloo Evening Courier, IA. “Heavy Rains and Snow Fill Rivers.” 4-2-1927, p. 2.)
April 2, MO: “St. Louis, Mo., April 2 – Incessant rains of the last two days brought the Mississippi river to within a foot of the 30-foot flood stage here today with the water steadily rising.” (Sunday Messenger, Athens, OH. “Near Flood Stage.” 4-3-1927, p. 11.)
April 7, MS: “Clarksdale [MS], April 7 – (AP) – More than 700 persons living in the basin of the Old Burks levee on the Mississippi river have received warning to move from the Yazoo Mississippi delta levee area because of a weak point in the levee. The Burks levee is 15 miles southwest of Clarksdale. Representatives of the levee board say that Burks landing is physically a parallel case with the situation at Laconia Circle, Ark., where the levee toppled into the river two weeks ago, but a much smaller area is endangered in the Burks section. A large pocket has developed in the shore line of the levee, the official report said today, bringing the caving bank within 25 feet of the spur levee. After inspecting the defensive wall at the danger point, levee board members expressed the belief that a breach in the spur levee during the high water period is a probability. Fifty or more families today were moving out of the menaced land, which is in a loop of the river and others were expected to heed the advice of the levee authorities before nightfall.” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “700 Basin Residents Must Flee.” 4-7-1927, p. 1.)
April 7, TN: “Ridgley, Tenn., April 8 – (AP) – Three small children of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Pressly were drowned last night when the skiff bearing the family capsized in the backwater of the Mississippi river six miles South of here. Bodies of the children had not been recovered today. The Pressly family consisting of the parents and three small children fled from their home last night at the sound of an approaching storm. The vicinity of their home had already been invaded by the backwater and they feared heavy rainfall might endanger the safety of the little house. Paddling away from the house the family had gone but a short distance when the little boat began to rock violently. One of the children screamed and the skiff overturned. The parents sought frantically for the little ones but were unable to find them in the darkness which covered the flooded area. Pressly and his wife were rescued by neighbors who heard their cries…” (Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald, MS. “3 Children Are Drowned.” 4-8-1927, p. 1.)
April 8, IL: “Rain continuing over Thursday slowed the fall in Big Muddy river, but was not expected to seriously check the outgoing flood in the Mississippi and Ohio at Cairo. The flood situation Friday was:
Big Muddy fell 3 inches overnight
River stage at Cairo Friday morning was 53.1.
Gateway Route No. 2 remained open, although the highway was wet and springy in spots in the flood areas.
Ferry service continued to struggle through the flood out of Cairo and Mounds.
“The Red Cross is taking care of 300 refuges in the Dog Tooth Bend country north of Cairo, where persons routed by the flood in the Mississippi are living in tents.
“Steamboats continue to creep past Columbus, KY, thus to avoid making waves against threatened levees….
“Drainage districts in the Gorham-Jacob-Raddle area suffered another flood of rain water over Thursday into thousands of low-lying areas with drainage ditches already overflowing.
“River dwellers continue to read weather signs nervously, knowing that a deluge over the watershed of either the Ohio or Mississippi over the week might doom crop prospects for 1927.”
(Daily Independent, Murphysboro, IL. “Rain Slows Flood Relief Over Egypt.” 4-8-1927, p. 1.)
April 8, MS, TN, KY, IL, AR: “Vicksburg, Miss., April 8 – (AP) — The Mississippi river was registering 51.7 feet here today, a rise of two-tenths of a foot in 24 hours. All levees in the third Mississippi district are holding and no immediate danger was seen.
“Natchez, April 8 – Mrs. Margaret E. Butler, field representative of the American Red Cross in Mississippi, here, for preparatory work looking to relief in the threatened flood areas, will go to Clarksdale tonight on account of the threatened break in the Mississippi river at Burks Landing. The gauge on the Mississippi River here today reached 52.2, a rise of two-tenths. Flood stage is 46 feet.
“Memphis, April 8. – Levees at Burks Landing in Coahoma county, Miss., and Columbus, Ky., threatened spots, continued to hold today against the swollen tide of the Mississippi river which is now carrying the largest volume of water since 1922….
“Columbus, Ky., citizens stopped weak points in the levee to protect their town menaced by the rising waters. The level of the river is now higher than the town and the citizens work in relays to reinforce the levee’s weak spots. Fishing docks, moored to the levee, are visible above the housetops. One has to look up from the streets to see the river.
“A rise of only one-tenth of an inch in the past 24 hours was reported by the weather bureau today at Cairo, Ill., where the flood crest is due. The flood stage at Cairo is 45 feet. The river stood 53.2 feet there this morning with a further rise anticipated. A rainfall of 1.54 inches was reported at Cairo in the past 24 hours.
“The weather bureau said the river will rise to a stage of abut 38.0 feet at Cottonwood Point by April 10, 42.5 feet at Memphis, April 12, and 52.5 feet at Helena, Ark., April 14.
“Additional acreage would go under water, if there is another break in the Laconia Circle, Ark., levee, where several thousand acres were inundated by a break last week. Sandbags were being used to strengthen the small bulwark which has been holding back the flood waters of the Mississippi since th early part of last week….” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “Volume is Biggest in Five Years.” 4-8-1927, p. 1.)
April 8, OK and KS: “Kansas City, Apr. 8. – (AP) — Flood waters surging in on the heels of cloudbursts had swept at least 11 persons to death in Oklahoma and Kansas tonight, with hundreds of homes inundated, railroad service paralyzed, and further flood warnings being issued. Six were drowned and six others were missing after flood waters trapped two families of Mexicans in their home near Rocky Ford, Okla. Only two of the 14 in the house were known to have escaped….
“More than 100 houses were flooded in Parsons, Kans., water covering floors to some four feet in depth. Twenty-five families forced from their homes in Wellington, Kans., last night, returned today when Hargis Creek receded within its banks.” (Morning Republican, Findlay, OH. “11 Flood Dead in Western States; Homes Inundated.” 4-9-1927, p. 1.)
April 16: “St. Louis, April 16 – (AP) – Government engineers here today said the most damaging flood of all time in the lower Mississippi river valley would strike Monday when the river would reach its crest at Cairo, Illinois. The stage there today was 53.7, more than 10 feet above, flood level, but the city was protected by a high levee…
“Engineers said the unusual condition was caused by the simultaneous flooding of the Mississippi’s tributaries both above and below Cairo. They estimated the flow of the Mississippi just above Cairo would be 800,000 cubic feet a second, which would be augmented to 1,000,000 cubic feet by the waters of the Ohio. The crest of the flood would travel about 35 miles a day, engineers estimated.”
Horror and Desolation in Flood
“Memphis, Tenn., April 16 — (UP) – Horror and desolation riding upon the crest of an unprecedented rise in the Mississippi river swept over half of Arkansas today and spread out to engulf sections of Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.
“Snapping like a match stick, the levee at Judsonia. Ark., went out this morning despite the labor of hundreds of men augmented by women. The water is four feet deep in Judsonia streets and hundreds of the inhabitants from the surrounding lowlands are fleeing before the torrent.
“More than $230,000 damage occurred at Branson, Mo., and Hollister, Mo., when flood waters of the White river left their banks and swept down into he fields.
Army Aid For Flood Refugees
“Washington, April 16 – (UP) – Army aid for flood refugees in Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas and Missouri was ordered by the War Department today following emergency appeals for relief of varying character from those states.
Hundreds Flee Before Waters.
“Charleston, Mo., April 16. – (UP) – A large break in the Mississippi river levee south of here today flooded Dorena, Ark., and approximately 100,000 acres of farm land. Between 1,200 and 1,500 persons were driven from their homes by the advancing flood. Warnings had been issued however, and none are believed to have drowned. Water stood from 10 to 13 feet deep over the inundated area. Dorena is just across the Mississippi from Hickman, Ky., which also is threatened. A company of national guardsmen had worked all night at the levee which gave way.
Levee Breaks; Mounds, Ill., Flooded
“Marion, Ill., April 16. – (UP) – A break in the Mississippi River levee today flooded Mounds, Ill., with four feet of water, which was rapidly rising, officials of the Central Illinois Power Company here were notified today. The company’s power plant at Mounds was disabled. Mounds is a city of 2,661 inhabitants. It is only eight miles from Cairo, Ill., and the flood will rush on to the levee, which protects Cairo from the rear. Cairo is surrounded by a protecting wall, however, and is believed safe.”
“Memphis, Tenn., April 16 – (AP) – Thousands of men, recruited from every available source, today were throwing tired bodies to the end of endurance in the greatest battle man has ever made with the Mississippi river. From southern Illinois to New Orleans, the flood menace grew to gigantic proportions today. Continued rains throughout almost all of the valley and in the headlands of the Mississippi’s tributaries promised no surcease from the gradually mounting tide.
“Columbus, Ky., where the levee in front of the town gave way during the week, registered rapidly rising water in its streets. Only a few residents remained in their homes and those in upper floors. The remainder of the population had moved out to the hills back of the town when the breach threatened.
Dangerous at Hickman, Ky.
“At Hickman, Ky., the flood was considered by engineers more dangerous than at any other point. The contour of the river at Hickman throws the weight of the headland waters flush upon the government dikes, which turn them westward. On the Missouri side of the river, Cape Girardeau and other towns were preparing for any eventuality, though no immediate danger was reported.
River 25 Miles Wide
“The Mississippi, normally about one and a half miles wide at the widest point, was spread out in many places to 10, 12 and 15 miles wide. In some places where there are no bulwarks to hold the waters, the river is reported to be as high as 25 miles wide.
“Armed guards at Tunica county, Miss., were walking the levee 24 hours a day to prevent a recurrence of a recent dynamiting attempt there. The levee was believed able to withstand the water in sight at the point where the dynamite blast occurred. Only slight damage was done….”
(Portsmouth Daily Times, OH. “Thousands Engaged in Greatest Battle Man Has Ever Made With Mississippi River.” 4-16-1927, p. 1.)
April 18: “(By Associated Press). Rich farming lands along the Mississippi and its tributaries, and in many cases dwellings and farm buildings, continued to yield today to the mighty sweep of the flooded streams. Inundation of land within a 250-mile radius of Pine Bluff, Ark., alone, was estimated at around 100,000 acres and along the 1,200 mile stretch of the Mississippi between Cairo, Ills., and New Orleans, as well as its almost countless miles of flooded tributaries, it appeared that the acreage flooded might be estimated in millions. The Red Cross at St. Louis estimated that at least 65,000 persons have been driven from their homes, but the estimate was regarded as conservative, as compared with many press reports….
“Two more breaks in levees were reported today, one going out at east Cape Girardeau, Ill., and another near Pastoria, Ark. Each added thousands of acres to the flood area. Rains in Arkansas last night were described in press reports as ‘torrential’….” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Levees in Ark. Break. Pine Bluff Area Flooded; Dyke Near Cairo Goes Out.” 4-18-1927, p. 1.)
April 19: “Kansas City, April 19 (AP) — Floods caused more damage in southwest states today following a series of tornadoes, electrical storms and cloudbursts last night. Heavy rains in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma sent streams to record marks again as farmers and residents of valley towns were returning to their homes damaged by floods and storms in a two week’s siege of unusual weather.
“Scores of persons were driven from their homes in southeastern Kansas when the Neosho and
Verdigris rivers overflowed to further weaken railroad tracks and highways. Upwards of 100 families at Iola spent the night in the Salvation Army barracks and the city grade school when the Neosho rose until it was three miles wide.
“From two to fur inches of rain fell in central and southern Kansas….
“Flood warnings were broadcast in Oklahoma, where the Arkansas and other large rivers carried the torrent into Arkansas to add to the volume sent into the over-taxed Mississippi river.
“The Missouri river also was at flood stage between here and St. Louis. Government engineers reported large areas inundated. Police and firemen were called to southeastern Kansas City early this morning where several families were taken from their homes in flooded lowlands, caused by inability of storm sewers to drain the section after an all night rain….” (Emporia Gazette, KS. “Cloudbursts Start Kansas Floods Anew.” 4-19-1927, p. 1.)
April 19: “Kansas City, April 19 – (AP) — Sixteen more deaths were added today to the heavy toll of floods, tornadoes and freak storms that have swept the southwest in the last two weeks, as the elements renewed their onslaught in Kansas, western Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Rivers in southeastern Kansas, fed by rains of cloudburst proportions, neared record heights, with hundreds of families in the lowlands driven from their homes and thousands of acres inundated.
“The Verdigris, Neosho, Fall, Cottonwood, Walnut and Arkansas rivers in Kansas were spreading over the lowlands, pouring their waters into Oklahoma….” (Morning Republican, Findlay, OH. “16 Added to Toll in Southwest by Raging Elements.” 4-20-1927, p. 1.)
April 21, Associated Press: “….A crevasse in the main levee on the Mississippi river at Stops Landing, near Scott, Miss., today exposed approximately 400 square miles of the delta to the flood and threatened Greenville and a number of smaller towns….Stops Landing, 18 miles north of Greenville, Miss., gave way under the poundings of the Mississippi river at 7:45 o’clock this morning, letting in a rush of water which will spread over about a dozen counties in the delta section of Mississippi before flowing back into the Mississippi near Vicksburg….At the time the break occurred the river at Greenville was at a stage of 54.6 feet, a rise of one foot in twenty-four hours. The crevasse occurred in the big levee below the point where the Arkansas and White rivers pour their bulging tides into the Mississippi. About 250,000 acres of rich farmland in the south end of the Mississippi delta will be inundated as a result of the breach….[quotes a plantation manager to effect that ‘This part of the levee held in 1913 and in 1922.’….Fifteen hundred men worked on the levee throughout the night, according to a telephone report from Greenville, and the defenses have been menaced for two days by wave wash which has been sloshing over the dike….Thousands of tenant farmers live on the great plantations which make up the rich farming area. More than 90 per cent are negroes….” (Daily Herald, Biloxi and Gulfport, MS. “Levee Gives Way; Water Rushes Into Delta.” 4-21-1927, p. 1.)
April 21: “Little Rock, April 21. – The White river broke through the Clarendon levee at 1:30 yesterday morning and in a few minutes the earthen wall was awash. Less than ten minutes later Clarendon, with its 3,000 population, was almost submerged. Rushing down upon the town, the flood caught many residences unawares, and scenes of wild disorder followed. People fled to surrounding elevated points, while many moved to the second story of their homes. Others began screaming for help, and rescue parties, braving the raging torrent, sought them out. A large ferry boat broke its mooring and drifted about the main street, crashing into many buildings. More than 14 feet of water was standing in some of the principal business streets last night. No deaths have been reported but fear is felt for many who are marooned in their homes. Hundreds are marooned in the courthouse and last night several houseboats swept loose by the flood, were scraping their hulls against that building. Because the town was struck during the night, many were forced to flee without sufficient clothing. Box cars were strung out along a railroad sidetrack to care for refugees, while many fled to Tom’s hill, a mound one mile north of the town.
“Relief boats with food and clothing were sent to Clarendon from Brinkley, and last night boats were plying through the town in an effort to save persons marooned in their homes.
“Disease has attacked refugees at Wynne and Parkin. There were 250 cases of measles, 235 cases of whooping cough and about 63 cases of mumps reported yesterday.
“The death list was swelled to 21 yesterday when three more death reports were verified. Other reports of deaths were received, but could not be substantiated….
“Water from the break in the St. John bayou levee on the Mississippi in Missouri began reaching Mississippi county [Ark.] yesterday and will continue spreading out over the entire St. Francis river valley basin. The water was over the highway between Pettyville and Blytheville for a mile and traffic has stopped. Water between Pettyville and Manila is falling because of breaks, but is covering the section between Manila and Leachville. Water is rising in the mainland on the east side of Big Lake and gradually is covering the entire district between the lake and Dell, 10 miles southwest of Blytheville. Twenty-nine boxcars were sent to Big Lake yesterday morning to be used temporarily to house the homeless. The Red Cross and the American Legion both at Blytheville have organized for relief work. Brinkley yesterday became the relief center for more than a thousand flood refugees driven from Clarendon and other parts of Monroe county, after the levee at Clarendon had crumbled and released a 46-foot wall of water.” (Harrison Times, AR. “Flood Spreads Over Arkansas.” 4-29-1927, p. 3.)
April 22: “Washington, April 22. – (AP) – President Coolidge today issued a proclamation asking for aid for the sufferers in the area flooded by the Mississippi river and its tributaries. The flood situation ‘is indeed grave,’ the president’s proclamation said, and for the task of caring for the thousands of refugees ‘additional funds must be obtained immediately.’ Mr. Coolidge recounted the efforts of the war department and other government branches to relieve suffering, but added that the ‘burden of caring for the homeless rests upon the agency designated by government charter to provide relief in disaster – the American Red Cross’.” (Bismarck Tribune, ND). “Coolidge Asks Aid For Flood Sufferers,” April 22, 1927, p. 1)
April 22: “Unconfirmed reports from Knowlton, Ark., said 18 refugees drowned there when a boat was drawn through the crevasse rent in the levee. Petttyville, Ark., was literally wiped off the map when the flood tore buildings from their foundations and swept them away.[73] At Little Rock, hundreds of families were in danger.” (Bismarck Tribune, ND. “Mississippi Valley Flood Worst Known,” April 22, 1927, p. 1.)
April 22: “Washington, April 22.—(TP)—Floods now sweeping throughout the Mississippi river valley leaving death and destruction in their wake had their origin in rains that fell about eight months ago In the opinion of Harry C, Frankenfield of the government weather bureau. He said today that the floods were unparalleled In the record of the bureau, and that for a great part of the inundated territory the crest of the high waters still was a matter of days and for some sections perhaps weeks away. This, he added, was particularly true of the lower Mississippi basin area.
“Mr. Frankenfield, the government’s leading authority on floods, declared that the present flood conditions began last August. At that time, he said, rains were general over the central portion of the country, and began filling the water sheds contributory to the Mississippi system. These rains continued with more or less regularity until October, he added, and in September floods occurred in the several small rivers at a time when the waters stage of the streams under normal conditions should have been at low water mark. Floods also occurred In the Illinois river and later in the Wabash system In Indiana, he continued, and high water existed in many streams In the Mid-West in October. November began with streams bank-full and in December, he said, the Green river in Kentucky, and the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers went over their banks, while the Illinois continued to flood. In this month the Cumberland reached the highest mark of its record.
“The new year ushered In by the Mississippi going into flood at a point near New Madrid, Mo., and the lower Ohio also went over its banks. The crest of the Mississippi high water was reached at Vicksburg, in January at a mark of 46.5 feet with no flood stages below the city. Heavy rains then began over the Ohio and Arkansas valleys and the floods became general throughout Ohio. In February conditions were more or less at a standstill, but in March, the rivers began to rise again and since that time have been on the increase from Cairo to the mouth of the Mississippi.
“Mr. Frankenfield predicted that every flood record will be broken from the mouth of the Ohio to New Orleans. ‘Memphis is due to experience the crest of the flood about Sunday’, he said, ‘and the high water mark at New Orleans will come between May 3 and 12’.” (Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “August Rains Began Flood Says Authority.” 4-22-1927, p. 11.)
April 23: “Associated Press. Known dead in the Mississippi valley flood now exceeds sixty. Thousands of refugees are in peril on levees, knolls, housetops and in trees. The number of homeless previously estimated at 75,000 is increasing hourly as the flood waters roll over additional territory in Arkansas and Mississippi….
“Army engineers estimated that 2,000 square miles of Mississippi delta country will be flooded. Greenville, Mississippi, the largest town to be hard hit is being evacuated. Water there is steadily rising and many refugees in small buildings are in danger without adequate means of transporting them to the river landing.
“A great fleet of river steamers, barges, launches and smaller craft, augmented by seaplanes, is engaged in rescue work and has saved thousands overnight, both in Mississippi and Arkansas.
“Warnings of record crests on the lower Mississippi at Natchez, Baton Rouge, Donaldsonville and New Orleans are issued by the weather bureau.
“Two hundred armed guards are added to the number patrolling the dykes between New Orleans
and English Turn, while similar precautions to prevent blowing of the levees have been taken elsewhere in Louisiana and Mississippi.” (Associated Press. “Floods at a Glance.” Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA. 4-23-1927, p. 1.)
April 24: “…Henry M. Baker, disaster relief director of the American Red Cross, was placed in charge of the work in the whole flood district with headquarters at Memphis, and Secretary Hoover, head of the Red Cross flood division. was directed by President Coolidge to proceed to Memphis to establish an enlarged organisation, and to study the necessities of the situation.
“By direction of Secretary Davis,[74] Maj. Q. T. Ashburn, in charge of the Mississippi river barge line, ordered the commandeering of all river steamers to assist in relief work, principally to remove refugees from threatened river towns. Army supplies including tents, food, and medicines, have been ordered from several corps areas.
“Red Cross estimates placed the total number of refugees now at nearly 100,000 and an even larger number of people are threatened as the crest of the high water moves slowly down the river past Memphis….
“Appalling conditions existed at Greenville, where the water stood more than waist deep. Sanitary conditions were described as deplorable due to the failure of the water and sewerage systems, and the presence of nearly 10,000 refugees in addition to the normal population of 12,000. There was a shortage of bread and no dry clothing was to be had by the water-soaked citizens.
“Rescue work in the northern flood are being pushed by the coast guard which Saturday ordered a relief party consisting of the entire personnel at Louisville to proceed to Cairo to aid in this task. More than 3,000 refugees have been taken out by the coast guard cutter Kankakee.” (Associated Press. “Flood Death Toll Mounting.” Decatur Herald, IL. 4-24-1927, p. 1.)
April 25: “Memphis, Tenn., April 25. – (AP) – Following somewhat freakish courses, flood waters from the Mississippi and its tributaries overran more towns today in both Mississippi and Arkansas, rendering additional thousands homeless and adding to the already staggering total of property damage.
“Occasional reports of deaths filtered through from the vast inundated territory but careful checks of the lists placed the known dead at a little more than 100, with an estimated death toll of approximately 300.
“Indianola, in Mississippi, and Arkansas City and Marked Tree, in Arkansas, were the latest towns to be visited by the flood waters. Their combined population is about 6,000 but each had a large quota of refugees and the encroachment of the flood waters has created a serious situation for the relief authorities to combat….Under five feet of water early today, Arkansas City, 20 miles north of Greenville, became isolated, all telephone and telegraph wires going out. Five hundred persons were homeless there and appeals for immediate relief were sent to Governor Martineau, of Arkansas before communication lines went down. This flood water came from the Pendleton break, on the Arkansas river. Reports today to the Mississippi levee board said there had been another break in the levee on this river, and should this prove correct, the situation in and around Arkansas City would be aggravated….
“South of New Orleans a vast territory was being flooded by waters rushing through a break in the levee at Junior Plantation caused by the steam inspector ramming the dyke. Evacuation of a section about thirty square miles was under way. Back waters in northern Louisiana also were spreading, forcing many of the inhabitants of that section to high ground or nearby cities and towns which, it appeared, would be safe from the floods.
“Levees along the Mississippi were holding well today except that weak spots were developing around Helena, Ark., and above Vicksburg….
“Five hundred persons were taken from a levee top at Wayside last night by the steamer Wabash, which stripped away its guard rails in a dangerous ascent of a drainage canal to reach the marooned people. Told that it would be impossible for the Wabash to negotiate the canal, Captain Henry Meyer ordered the vessel into the channel while gunfire and screams from the levee, a mile away, rent the air.
“The government boat Talualian rescued eight persons, including two small children, who were clinging to willow tops after their gasoline launch burned.
“With more than 100,000 persons already homeless and refugee camps swelling almost hourly in population, grave fears were felt by officials for inhabitants of the delta country between Greenville and Vicksburg, who have been warned to evacuate their homes before the flood waters from the Stop Landing crevasse arrived. Reports to National Guard officials at Greenville last night indicated that few were leaving, despite the fact that they have been urgently advised to
do so.
“As the gigantic flume of water swept to the gulf in its unprecedented flood stage, ever widening its tentacles to grasp human abodes and pounding against the levees of the lower Mississippi valley, armies of men labored to guard the top levees and to strengthen other bulwarks which appeared to be weakening against the mighty pressure. It was the same in Arkansas, where the flood waters from old breaks in the Arkansas river crept up over the streets of more towns, or the Red river spouted its swollen wave into fertile valleys, menacing hundreds of families….
“Winchester, in Desha county, Arkansas, was among the new places visited by the flood from the Arkansas River, where near Texarkana sections of Lafayette county, were covered with waters from the Red River levee at Findley.
“Men and materials have been rushed to two places on the Mississippi Levee at Fairs Point, where a slough occurred yesterday and at Brunswick’s Circle, ten miles north of Vicksburg where the levee appeared to be weakening.
“Thousands of acres in northern Louisiana were going under water from swollen tributaries. Refugees poured into Natchez and other places on high ground.
“With attempts to plug the crevasse abandoned, a mighty volume of water tore into the lower western section of the Louisiana delta from the break of Junior Plantation near Diamond. It was estimated that 24 squares miles would be inundated. Weather forecasters did not believe the break would lessen the flood menace to New Orleans….
“Flooded Greenville, under voluntary military control, will not be evacuated, since about 4,000 of the townsmen have declared their intention of remaining in the city with some 6,000 negro refugees encamped on the Mississippi levee….
“Four thousands persons were vaccinated with anti-typhoid serum yesterday, tt, being necessary to use force to vaccinate screaming, frightened negro children….
“Fifteen negro women were drowned at Winterville when the house in which they were marooned gave way before the flood….These drownings increased the known dead list in this area to 21.” (AP. “New Towns Inundated…” The Bee, Danville, VA. 4-25-1927, p. 1.)
April 25: “By Bruce Catton, NEA Service Writer. Memphis, Tenn, April 25….The Mississippi valley region today is one vast valley of desolation….Fully 3,000,000 acres are under water today. The property damage probably will be at least $100,000,000. The death toll of storms and floods already is close to 150. Five states lie directly in the path of the ghostly riders of desolation. The Mississippi and its tributaries have inundated western Kentucky, Southeastern Missouri, the eastern half of Arkansas, western Tennessee, and western Mississippi.[75] In most of these states the flooded area extends 25 miles inland for the full length of the Mississippi….” (The Times, Harrison, AR. “Vast Area Faces Long Siege of Poverty as Result of Floods.” 4-29-1927, p. 5.)
April 26: “Washington, April 26. – (AP) – War department officials were preparing today a telegram to Governor Simpson of Louisiana, informing him that if army engineers found no technical objection to his proposal to cut the levee on the Mississippi river at Poydras, ten miles below New Orleans, to save that city from flooding, the secretary of war would interpose no objection to the action Governor Simpson plans to take.
“Since considerable damage to property is certain to result in the territory inundated b cutting the levee, however, war department officials thought it necessary to take precautions in framing the telegram to the governor for signature by Secretary Davis in such a way as to make it plain that the federal government could not accept a share of the liability for that damage except by specific authorization of congress.
“New Orleans, April 26. (AP) – The proposal of Governor O. H. Simpson to cut the levees south of New Orleans to protect the city from the coming crest of the Mississippi flood waters brought vigorous protests today from residents of extreme southern portions of the state and from residents of northern, delta districts. Citizens of the Poydras section, well protected by strong, high levees, many of whom are trappers who would be deprived not only of one season’s work but who would be unable to pursue their trapping activities for several seasons expressed resentment at the proposal to cut the levees there.
“Newspapermen were barred from the meeting, but officials who attended it said that there was a threat of open warfare should the proposal be carried out.
“Residents of the upper delta, converging upon Natchez, appeared before the Association of Commerce there and requested that Senator Harrison be asked to protest against the proposed action. A break in the levee below New Orleans, they pointed out, would not save the delta regions from the flood waters and if the levees should be cut anywhere, they urged, the break should be at Morganza, in Pointe Coupee parish, about twenty miles north of Baton Rouge….A break at Poydras, they argued, while it would relieve the city of New Orleans, would have little effect on the upper delta, while one at Morganza would relieve both the upper and the lower delta regions. A crevasse at Morganza would divert the water into the Atchafalaya river through which it would pass into Grand Lake and thence into the Gulf of Mexico, flooding portions of six or seven parishes.
“The citizens of St. Bernard, largely dependent upon trapping for a livelihood, felt that a break in the levees in their territory would kill off trapping animals and deprive them of their usual pursuits for a period of several seasons…
“The residents of the area which would be affected by such crevasse would be warned and evacuated before the levee would be cut. They would be paid damages and it is understood a reparations committee was designated at the meeting….
“Baton Rouge, La., April 26. (AP) – Any proposal for cutting the Mississippi river levee at Morganza or at any point above Baton Rouge or for sixty miles below the city would receive vigorous protest from the citizens of this entire section, it is stated here by those familiar wit the conditions on the west side of the river. Such a break at Morganza, it is pointed out, would result in devastation equal to or in excess of that brought about by the levee breaks in the neighborhood of Greenville. The entire basin between the Atchafalaya and the Mississippi rivers to the point of the break to the Gulf of Mexico would be inundated and a dozen larger town would be rendered uninhabitable. A break in this section would flood practically the entire sugar section of the state and the waters would cover upwards of 3,000 square miles, it is estimated.” (Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Simpson Requests Permission to Cut Levee.” 4-26-1927, p. 1.)
“Memphis, April 26. – (AP)….With the known death list steadily climbing above the 100 mark, and varying estimates of from 200 to 500 dead in the whole stricken area, every precaution was being taken to prevent additional casualties from disease, hunger and exposure.” (Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “New Territory Being Covered by Water.” 4-26-1927, p. 8.)
April 26: “Memphis, Tenn., April 26. – Swiftly and irresistibly the flood waters of the charging Mississippi river arid its tributaries rolled across new ground today in three states — Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana – inundating half a dozen or more additional towns and thousands of acres of farm lands. Driving the homeless before it, the floods claimed new victims here and there, swallowing up a Mississippi National Guard rescue worker near Greenville, an Arkansas planter near Pine Bluff and the captain of a government craft assisting in levee strengthening on the Arkansas river near Gould.
“With the known death list past the hundred mark, estimates of the total fatalities up to this time ranged from 300 to 500. Rescue workers in the Mississippi delta region feared that many lost their lives today as the flood waters continued across that region….
“Contamination of the emergency water supply set up at Greenville, Miss., several days ago was disclosed today by an analysis and warning was given to boil all water used for drinking purposes or cooking.” (Harrison Times, AR. “Flood Crest is Moving South Into Louisiana.” 4-29-1927, 1.)
April 27 (Wednesday): “(By The Associated Press). To protect new Orleans from the mighty flood rolling down the Mississippi, a long breach in the levee south of that city has been ordered for Friday noon. The Louisiana National Guard has been mobilized for any emergency and soldiers now stand guard over long stretches of the levee. Many trappers and other residents of the two parishes to be flooded maintain their armed watch where the break is to be made, demanding guarantees against loss before quitting their posts.
“A general exodus of the residents of the two parishes has begun with the roads to New Orleans crowded with automobiles and wagons piled high with household goods and other possessions.
“With the crest of the flood approaching inundated Arkansas City, Ark., additional towns in that state and Mississippi are in danger. Complete flooding of southeastern Arkansas is threatened by the weakening of the South Bend levee on the Arkansas river south of Pine Bluff.
“The great army of homeless, now estimated at more than 160,000 is hourly increasing as the flood waters move across Arkansas and Northern Louisiana.
“To rescue the marooned the Red Cross has requisitioned 100 small craft from the coast guard.
“Additional seaplanes for use over the ten thousand square miles of inundated territory in seeking out the isolated refugees have been called for by the organized relief forces….” (Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Flood at a Glance.” 4-27-1927, p. 1.)
April 28: “….Louisiana and New Orleans under civilian dictator for duration of flood emergency as Former Governor John M. Parker assumes post as director of situation after appointment by Secretary Hoover…
“Death list swells as Arkansas reports one hundred dead from floods in that state alone. Varying estimates continue to place death toll between 300 and 500 in seven states affected…..” (Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Flood at a Glance.” 4-28-1927, p. 1.)
April 29: “Little Rock, April 29 – Associated Press – Mayor Gillison of Lake Village said today that from 1200 to 1500 refugees are packed like sardines in barns and other buildings in Chicot county, which, he declared, is a vast sea, save for a small spot around Eudora. He said conditions are very distressing. Lake Village, he stated, is ruined with everybody broke and trapped refugees floating around on small rafts and floating trees in water from 20 to 30 feet deep.
“Pine Bluff, April 29. Colonel Joe Harris reported that 2000 feet of the levee caved into thee Arkansas river below South Bend today. The situation is described as alarming….” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR. “Over 1200 Refugees ‘Packed Like Sardines in Chicot County Sea,’ 2000-Foot Cave-In at South Bend.” 4-29-1927, p. 1.)
April 29: “New Orleans, April 29 – The levee at Poydras south of this city was broken by state engineers with a charge of dynamite at 2:17 o’clock this afternoon. Blasting of the levee was delayed two hours while engineers planted dynamite to tear out the crevasse. Several hundred pounds of dynamite were set in the levee. State engineers tore away a stretch of the dike 1,000 feet long in the hope of saving New Orleans from the flood waters coming down the Mississippi from the vast inundated area to the northward. A total of 1500 pounds of dynamite was used in the three charges, which were set off at intervals, the first at 2:17 p.m., the second at 2:21 and the third at 2:27….The break will flood 800 square miles, it is estimated….” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR. “Levee Blasted Below New Orleans to Save Historic City; Warlike Scenes Precede Use of Dynamite.” 4-29-1927, p. 1.)
April 30: “Pine Bluff, April 30 – (Associated Press) – Water rushing through the break in the South Bend levee which went out yesterday, was rising this morning at an estimated rate of six inches per hour in Gould, Dumas, McGehee, Varner and other towns within 25 miles of the crevasse.
“Colonel Harris, who led the fight to save the levee, said no trains had left Gould since the break but that residents would evacuate the town as soon as possible. ‘All southeast Arkansas will be flooded,’ Harris said.
“Water from two to 14 feet deep covered McGehee today and a number of houses are being swept from their foundations. The South Bend levee break is 125 feet wide….
“It was reported today that 500 are marooned at Montrose.” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR. “Water Rapidly Covering Several Arkansas Towns From South Bend Break; Refugees Again on Move.” 4-30-1927, p. 1.)
April 30: “Natchez, Miss., April 30 – (Associated Press) – The Mississippi River was charging through an 80-foot breach in the levee at Glasscocke, 25 miles below here, Saturday night [Apr 30]. J. R. Adams, member of the State Board of Engineers, said the floods would cover approximately 500,000 acres, endangering the lives of all who remained in the area….
“Two hundred additional tents were received by the Red Cross Saturday and were being placed in readiness for the influx of refugees from the Black River section.” (San Antonio Express, TX. “500,000 Acres in New Flood Area. 80 [foot] Breach in Levee at Glasscocke Makes Vast Inland Sea.” 5-1-1927, p. 17.)
May 2: “Pettyville, Ark., May 2 – (Associated Press) – Another break in the main drainage levee on the west side of Big Lake in Mississippi county, Ark., occurred today and the water is sweeping an area seven miles wide and flooding territory heretofore untouched. Engineers estimated the new flood area to be four feet under water. The break was due to pressure from the backwaters from the New Madrid break. Two other levees near Manlin are reported in a weakened condition and it is feared these cannot hold much longer….
“Reports received here said two miles of the Missouri Pacific tracks in Tensas parish, Louisiana are flooded by water from southern Arkansas. Water is six feet deep in Bardell and Rayville expects to be flooded by night.
“Alexandria, La., May 2 (AP) – The Red river levee at Vick broke today, relieving the situation at the Big Bend embankment south of the city where a crevasse threatened.
“New Orleans, May 2 – With the flood crest of the Mississippi passing Vicksburg, armies of men fought desperately today to raise and strengthen the levees from the mouth of Red river to New Orleans where the record stages are forecast for from May 5 to May 18….
“Torrents flowing through four crevasses south of Vidalia are completing inundation of Concordia parish with the prospect of submerging parts of the four adjoining parishes….” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR. “Levees Give Way on Big Lake, Red River, Flooding New Area; 70,000 Louisianans Must Move.” 5-2-1927, p. 1.)
May 3: “New Orleans, May 3 (Associated Press)….More towns are reported under water with more threatened and a fleet of rescue craft, large and small, is operating over the funnel-shaped area between the Red and Mississippi rivers, taking out the marooned, and sending a warning to persons in the threatened places. The gauge at Vicksburg shows a rise of three-tenths of a foot to the flood stage of 68.5 feet. New Orleans shows a drop of one-tenth to 20.5 feet, attributed to the break made in the levee at Poydras.
“The population of refugee camps swelled hourly with more than 15,000 flocking to five camps alone tonight. Delhi, Louisiana, has more than 5000. Two airplanes with 400 pounds of medical supplies have been sent there as a precaution.” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR. “Flood’s Fury Now Visited Upon Louisiana; Six Parishes Under Water; Refugees Concentrating.” 5-3-1927, 1.)
May 3: “Memphis, May 3 – (Associated Press) – While forces of mercy coordinated in the Red Cross organization worked tirelessly in the seven flooded states to feed and clothe refugees and the marooned, health and sanitary forces were strengthened to battle the spread of typhoid. Stanley Graham, a refugee from Marked Tree, and a refugee at Bruins’ Landing, Ark., are believed to be dying of the disease.
“The battle against the disease stalking in the wake of unsanitary conditions due to the flood, has just begun, said Dr. E. R. Reid, national medical officer of the Red Cross, who added that perhaps 75,000 in the camps had been given typhoid and anti-smallpox immunization.” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR. “Fighting Disease in 7 States in Wake of Flood; 75,000 Given Smallpox Serum; 2 Typhoid Cases.” 5-3-1927, p. 1.)
May 4: “Little Rock, May 4 – (Associated Press) – The death list in Arkansas from the flood now stands at 126. Sixteen cases of typhoid, 195 of measles, 59 of influenza, 30 of malaria, eight of smallpox and seven of pellagra, have been reported by the health department.” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR. “126 Dead, 334 Cases Disease Ark. Flood Toll.” 5-4-1927, p. 1.)
May 5: “New Orleans, May 5 – (Associated Press) – Rescue of 50,000 men, women and children, many of whom were cornered by repeated breaks in the Mississippi levee during the last four days, is the immediate problem confronting the relief machine in Louisiana today.
“Craft of every type from steamer to flatboat, plied the water opposite Natchez moving the homeless to safety in the concentration camps, while airplanes moved over the flood area locating refugees on house-tops and in trees.
“As this flight for life continues to the northward, engineers and laborers are working feverishly to divert the great mass of water bearing down upon the lower valley back into the Mississippi and save the rich sugar cane belt….
“Vicksburg, Miss., May 5 – A statement today by the third river district engineer here said approximately 100 square miles are under water from the Cabin Teele crevasse, the waters having reached a mile west of Tallulah flowing north through Roundaway bayou. It is believed to be about five miles from the delta. The engineer said the attitude of the people handicaps the rescue work, as they are slow in getting out of the danger zone.
“Natchez, Miss., May 5 – Fleeing from the rising waters of the Mississippi and Black rivers, 12,000 inhabitants of Tensas parish, Louisiana, engaged in a complete evacuation of the parish today for the first time since 1882. The parish contains 400,000 acres of the richest land in the state and it is expected that the entire area will be under water by night.
“Ten thousand refugees from Tensas and the Black river basins are expected to be camped here by Saturday [May 7]. Five government steamers are aiding in the evacuation of St. Joseph.” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR. “50,000 Louisianans Are Caught in Lowlands After New Breaks in Levees; Rescue Craft Busy.” 5-5-1927, p. 1.)
May 6: “Memphis, May 6. – Raging torrents of the unprecedented Mississippi Valley flood today, after more than three weeks’ rampage, had placed 323,837 persons, a record number for disaster in this county, under care of the American Red Cross. The list swelled hourly as additional flood waters poured from broken dykes in Louisiana and officials of the Red Cross would make no attempt to predict what the final total of the flood sufferers would be.
“The record figure, announced by Henry M. Baker, national director of disaster relief for the Red Cross, does not include complete counts from the inundated sections of Louisiana. Continual movement of refugees there, in addition to the emergency situation which has prevented field workers from making their reports, may delay the complete check for several days.
“Of the 323,837 persons, 173,566 are refugees in sixty concentration camps in seven states affected by the flood. The others are persons receiving food or other supplies in their flooded homes, in upper floors of town buildings and in other places where they have elected to remain rather than go to the refugee camps.
“Mississippi led the list with 160,941, many of whom are Louisianans brought to Vicksburg or Natchez from the inundated sections of northeast Louisiana. Arkansas, with a slight influx of Missouri refugees, was second with 114,373. Last reports from field workers in Louisiana gave a total of 22,748 persons under Red Cross care with the expectation it would go between 35,000 and 40,000.
“Four upper valley states not so severely visited by the floods, ranked in-order: Missouri, 11,821; Illinois, 6,600; Tennessee, 4,322; and Kentucky, 3,032. In the latter state were many refugees from Missouri.
“The new figures were compiled from reports to headquarters of the Red Cross here by field workers in the sixty-four area offices within the flooded zone.
“These reports showed that 95,000 persons have been immunized for typhoid and 85,000 for small-pox. Ninety-nine trained Red Cross disaster workers were stationed in the field; forty Red Cross physicians and 78 Red Cross nurses.
“Twenty-seven airplanes and seaplanes and 826 power boats flying the Red Cross flag, were in the flood waters. Thirty wireless stations were operating as mediums of communication between flooded points and headquarters, mostly on vessels stationed at various places along the river….” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “Special Session of Congress Wanted.” 5-6-1927, p. 1., col. 2.)
May 11: “Baton Rouge, May 11 – Associated Press – Approximately 800,000 acres of rich cultivated land and 25,000 farms are under water in northeastern and east central Louisiana, reports from eleven parish agricultural agents to state Commissioner Wilson said today. The reports, which were given to Secretary of Commerce Hoover, practically doubled previous estimates of the inundated area. Three parishes, Concordia, Tensas and Madison, were completely flooded, the reports said….” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “800,000 Acres, Rich Lowlands, are Inundated.” 5-11-1927, p. 7.)
May 16: “Alexandria, May 16 – Associated Press – Mrs. Dupree, widow, and her eight children were found drowned today in the attic of their home at Plaucheville below the Bayou des Glausis levee crevassed, according to a message from Bunkie.” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR. “Widow and Eight Children Drown in Attic of Home.” 5-16-1927, p. 1.)
May 17: “By Associated Press. New Orleans, May 17. – Loss of life which rescue workers at first hoped might be averted during the flood in Louisiana, hovered lake a grim specter over the Big Bend and Bayou DeGlaize section today. Relief workers in various parts of the inundated area reported a total of approximately 20 already dead from the flood waters.
“At Plaucheville, in the path of the Bayou DeGlaize flood, three women and six children were reported drowned in one house. An official report, confirmed by Red Cross headquarters said that a man, his wife and child were drowned when their home was overturned by flood waters and they were pinned underneath. A relief worker reported finding the body of a man in a barn above Big Cane, and said that he had seen the bodies of two negroes floating south. A relief worker out of Bunkie said that he had seen the bodies of a man and four children in the lower Bayou Jack section, but because of the heavy load of refugees he was bringing into camp he was unable to stop and take the bodies into his boat.
“As the reports of the first deaths came in, there came also a warning from Leonard G. Coop, Red Cross executive at Opelousas, who said that he had grave fears for the safety of many residents east of Opelousas unless they evacuated quickly. ‘If they don’t move before the flood reaches them,’ he said, I have doubts as to our ability to save them when the waters do arrive. The low territory grows narrow toward the south and I don’t believe boats will be successfully navigated in the current which is bound to flow over this territory after the flood stops spreading above. ‘I talked to Mr. Hoover and he issued orders for Red Cross workers to move residents out of the menaced area. However, we have no right to forcibly evacuate these people.’ Mr. Coop indicated that he believed it might become necessary to bring many of the people from the area by military force.
“Below Opelousas, between the Atchafalaya river and Arnaudville, the low country is only 10 miles wide, and it is here, where the current will be swiftest, that the danger zone is believed to lie. Towns above Opelousas were reported under water at depths varying from 6 to 15 feet. Plaucheville was reported to be from six to ten feet under water. Along Indian Bayou the water was reported to be nine feet deep. Opelousas, on high land and out of danger, is preparing to take care of 5,000 refugees. The water is expected to reach the vicinity in about 48 hours….
“At Plaucheville, bearing the brunt of the flood, 150 persons were being cared for at a convent which was situated on high land. A hundred of these were living in the homes of the priests. Bunkie citizens and a train load of relief workers and boats from Alexandria were combing the territory around Cottonport.
“The Texas and Pacific railroad ran its last train out of Melville last night, taking 250 refugees from that point to Opelousas. Later the locomotive was sent back and all the rolling stock of the road in Melville removed. Fifty flat boats were build at the refugee camp at Opelousas yesterday and were launched today to take marooned persons out of the territory east of there.
“On the lower Mississippi the situation was unchanged. The gauge at New Orleans read 20.6 late last night, a drop of .1 in 24 hours. Three danger points remained in the levees above New Orleans. One is at Woodside. Another is at Morganza, 30 miles north of Baton Rouge, where the water was above the old levee and washing at the board base in which sand bags topping has been placed. Secretary Hoover and his party planned to inspect this point today. The third weak spot is a Plaquemine Point, 18 miles below Baton Rouge on the east bank of the Mississippi. Planters there said that there had been eight breaks there in the past three days, tow of them letting water in. All were stopped successfully, but the levee was reported to be wet and muddy…” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Rescue Workers Spurred in Efforts with Reports of South La. Life Loss.” 5-17-1927, 2.)
May 18: “By Associated Cross. New Orleans, May 18 – Estimates compiled by relief headquarters and engineers place the acreage covered by flood waters in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana to date at 11,000,000, including 5,000,000 in Louisiana, 4,000,000 in Arkansas, and 2,000,000 in Mississippi.” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR. “Flooded Area in 3 States is 11,000,000 Acres.” 5-18-1927, p. 1.)
May 18: “Little Rock, May 18 – Property damage of approximately $10,000,000 about 60 percent of the farm land barren of crops this year, bridges and highways practically ruined and cities and towns wrecked. That, in brief is the story of the situation in just two counties, Desha and Chicot, Arkansas, as a result of the flood. Even now a large part of the two counties named above are under water, in places several feet deep.
“County Judge T. R. Jacobs of Desha county, who is in Little Rock, to confer with Governor John E. Martineau and Dr. C. W. Garrison, state health officer, on southeast Arkansas conditions, said: ‘Things in Desha and Chicot counties are just about as bad as they can be.’
“During the 48 hours previous to Judge Jacobs’ visit to Little Rock, the water had fallen but two inches. Judge Jacobs said the damage in his county will probably total $5,000,000 and that the damage in Chicot county will likely run as high. Bridges and highways are practically ruined, Judge Jacobs said…” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR. “Flood Loss Totals $10,000,000 in Two Arkansas Counties.” 5-18-1927, p. 1.)
May 20: “By The Associated Press. New Orleans, May 20. – With Bayou Teche converted into a raging torrent and overflowing in many places, residents of the Acadian country through which the bayou sweeps today were rapidly approaching panic stage. Bayou Teche, which ordinarily has little current, has been fed by backwaters of Atchafalaya and Bayou des Glaises breaks and now has reached mammoth size. Approximately 105,000 persons are in this menaced territory. John M. Parker, state relief director, has issued a warning that the residents of 27 little towns should flee for their lives.” (Daily Democrat-Times, Greenville, MS. “Bayou Teche is Converted into Raging Torrent.” 5-20-1927, p. 1.)
May 24: “By Associated Press. New Orleans, May 24. – The last dry spot in the famous Louisiana ‘sugar bowl,’ an area approximately 150 miles north of New Orleans on the west bank of the Mississippi, was threatened with immediate inundation today through a break in the levee at McCrea, ten miles below Old river on the east bank of the Atchafalaya. Two thousand men, augmented early today by an additional thousand, saw their frantic work fo for naught went the pent-up waters rushed through at 3:30 o’clock this morning.
“Officials had estimated that a break at McCrea would affect 80,000 people, flooding 1,142,000 acres of rich cane lands between the Atchafalaya and the western levees of the Mississippi. Five parishes, including the largest and the smallest in the state, lie in the path of waters from the McCrea crevasse. The five have a total population of 107,481 and contain 4,445 farms with a total acreage of 2,408,320.
“Seven of the eleven sugar cane producing parishes in Louisiana will have been partially, or entirely covered by flood waters before they finally sweep into the gulf of Mexico. In 1925 the eleven produced almost 4,000,000 tons of sugar cane.
“Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, Assumption and Terre-Bonne will feel the weight of the waters and they may extend far enough eastward to touch Lafourche. The break will widen the stream sufficiently to leave a solid sheet of water stretching from the levees of the Mississippi westward for fifty miles to the uplands beyond Bayou Teche. The most fertile strip of farming lands from the northern-most tip of the state to the Gulf of Mexico will have been flood-swept before the waters merge with those of the gulf.” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “M’Crea Levee Breaks.” 5-24-1927, p. 1.)
May 27: “By Associated Press. New Orleans, La., May 27. — Water is entering New Iberia from
two sides with backwater from Grand Lake moving gradually into the town to meet the bulging Bayou Teche, the telephone operators there told the Associated Press over long distance today. Virtually all of the residential section already has been flooded and the water is moving upon the main business streets, she said. ‘The water hasn’t come into the business section yet,’ she said, ‘but we can see it from the telephone building.’
“Many of the inhabitants already have left the town for concentration camps at Lafayette, Crowley and Jennings, and a number of others have gathered in the high school buildings where they will live in the upper story until the water recedes….
“A special flood bulletin issued here today by the weather bureau said ‘A further rise of four inches is reported from Breaux Bridge, and from best information available this indicates a flood surface slightly above 32 feet mean gulf level at that point.
“At St. Martinville the water has continued to rise, and is six feet deep above the rail, one fourth mile west of the freight depot….`water rushing with terrific current to Catahoula Lake through canal. Gauge in the Teche at St. Martinville reads 23.9, a rise of 1.3 feet in 24 hours. A further slow rise is indicated from St. Martinsville during the next two days. Near Loreauville the Teche is reported rushing through west and east banks. A wave of water swept into New Iberia yesterday and last night and water is reported this morning about 50 yards from the main street, and 3 to 4 feet deep…’.” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “New Iberia Invaded by High Water.” 5-27-1927, p. 1.)
May 28: “New Orleans, May 28. – One hundred and fourteen persons have lost their lives thus far in the Mississippi flood, the American Red Cross reported today. The report, made by Henry M. Baker, director of disaster relief, to James L. Fieser, vice-chairman of the organization in charge of operations, and to Secretary of Commerce Hoover, included no reports or rumors of deaths, but only those verified by the organization. The largest number of flood deaths occurred in Arkansas, where 59 died. Mississippi ranked next with 42, Louisiana 9, Illinois 2, and Tennessee 2. None was reported in Kentucky and Missouri. The report said some of the dead had not yet been identified.” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “114 Lose Lives.” 5-28-1927, p. 1.)
May 30: “Baton Rouge, La„ May 30 – Earl Kilpatrick, chief of the rehabilitation work of the American Red Cross, was killed when the seaplane UO-15 in which he was a passenger en route from Memphis to New Orleans, crashed in a field at Hohen, 40 miles south of here Monday afternoon. Lieutenant Joe Gregory, naval aviator, piloting the plane, was unhurt. Lieutenant Gregory was quoted as saying that the plane ‘slipped’ from under him and went into a nose dive crashing into the field. Gregory was uninjured and proceeded to New Orleans in an automobile….” (The Times, Harrison, AR. “Red Cross Chief Killed in Plane. Earl Kilpatrick, Director of Flood Relief, Dies When Seaplane Crashes to Earth.” 6-3-1927, p. 6.)
June 6: “Little Rock, June 6 — Farmers and their families busy rehabilitating their homes after the recent, flood, have been forced to lay aside their work again and flee before new high waters in eastern Arkansas. It is estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 persons in the eastern part of the state will be homeless again.
“Secretary of Commerce Hoover and a party of relief officials decided Monday to extend their visit here until Tuesday because of the new threat. They came to discuss rehabilitation and remained to consider relief problems.
“Arkansas’ four largest rivers, the Arkansas, White, Black and St. Francis, have risen to dangerous stages, the weather bureau announced Monday. Heavy rains have been falling for several days along the headwaters of the Arkansas and that river will reach almost flood stage at Fort Smith, on the western border, Tuesday, the weather bureau predicted. Flood stage there is 22 feet. The rivers are at flood stage in some of the eastern counties and are flowing through old breaks in the levees. Lands on which farmers had started replanting crops were being re-inundated, county and district flood relief chairmen reported at Monday’s conference.” (The Times, Harrison, AR. “Valley Residents Again Face Flood.” 6-10-1927, p. 2.)
June 8: “New Orleans, June 8 – The following flood bulletin was issued by the local weather bureau today:
In the upper Tensas basin the water has continued to fall at the rate of about 2 inches in 24 hours, with flood surface at Tallulah now slightly under 89 feet above mean gulf level. Fall of .3 to .4 foot is reported from the central and southern portions of the Tensas basin with flood surface at Jonesville 57.6 feet, and along Old river about 55 feet above mean gulf level.
The flood has continued to recede slowly in the upper Atchafalaya basin, both east and west of the Atchafalaya river, with fall of .1 foot from Melville southward to the Plaquemine-Loreauville line, leaving flood levels east and west from Melville only slightly lower than yesterday.
In the lower Atchafalaya basin the gauge at Morgan City was stationary at 9.6 but rise of .1 foot is reported at the majority of places east of Morgan City along the Southern Pacific main line, with flood levels above mean gulf as follows: Ramos 8.6; Bayou Boeuf 8.2; Gibson 8.2; Donner 8.3; Chacahoula 8.1. These heights correspond to readings on the Morgan City gauge of 11.1 at Chacahoula, the most eastern point, to 11.6 at Ramos, 5 miles east of Morgan City.
The expected influence of the rise now coming down the Mississippi river is covered in statement in bulletin of June 7.’”
(Monroe News-Star, LA. “Flood Bulletin Issued by Bureau.” 6-8-1927, p. 5.)
June 8: “Greenwood, Miss., June 8th, 1927. Congressman Will M. Whittington returned to Greenwood today, and in speaking of the tour of the Mississippi Valley from Cairo to the Gulf of Mexico by the members of the Senate and House Committees on flood control, among other things he said.
“The Congressional tour of the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association was the most comprehensive inspection ever made by a Congressional Committee covering the overflow area of the Mississippi Valley. There are four great basis in the Valley, to-wit: The St. Francis, Yazoo, Tensas, and Atchafalaya, and each of these basins was visited. New Madrid and other towns in that territory suffered great damage as a result of the break in the Mississippi levee at Dorena, Missouri, and also from the breaks along St. John’s Bayou levee. New Madrid was the first town in the path of the floods visited. It was free from water, but the people, who were returning to their former homes, were apprehensive of the result of a second flood. None of the breaks in the levees along the Mississippi river and its tributaries has been closed. Conditions at New Madrid were deplorable; the water system of the town was damaged, houses were destroyed, and the injury to merchandise and household effects was enormous.
“The Committee traveled by train, automobile, mule team, surf boats, and steam boats; every means of travel with the exception of aeroplane was utilized. Conditions were observed at first hand. The trip was concluded at Morgan City, Louisiana, near the Gulf of Mexico, and the Congressional party disbanded at New Orleans Monday, June 6th, after having begun the tour Monday, May 30th. Crops were being planted in Arkansas and northern Louisiana, but the crest of the flood was passing through lower Louisiana and this crest was observed by the Congressional party at Morgan City.
“Greenville, Mississippi, was reached on the third day of the trip after the party had inspected the break at Mounds Landing. This break is probably the greatest that ever occurred in the levees on the Mississippi river. It is now estimated that there is a lake in the break something like one hundred feet deep with an area of two hundred and eighty-five acres. These lakes at breaks are known as Blue Holes. The lands adjacent to the break at Mounds Landing were among the most highly developed in the Mississippi Valley. The entire party was greatly depressed to find the water flowing through the crevasse much deeper than they had anticipated. They were scarcely prepared, however, for the deplorable conditions found in the city of Greenville. One-third of the city was still submerged and words are inadequate to describe the loss and damages to residences, streets, stores, oil mills, warehouses, compresses, saw mills, and other enterprises in the city of Greenville.
“The Committee had already visited Clarendon, Arkansas, where every building was injured, where many of the streets were destroyed, and where large brick buildings were demolished; they had already visited McGehee, Arkansas, where the damage to pave streets was especially great, where water mains and the sewerage were utterly destroyed, at which place large gullies were found where the streets had formerly been; the Committee had already observed conditions in Arkansas City, where the wreck was probably more complete than in any other town in the entire Valley; but the city of Greenville, Mississippi, with population of fifteen to eighteen thousand, was the largest in the path of the floods in the entire Valley, and the floods that poured through Greenville covered a larger area in the Yazoo Delta than in any other section. The damage, therefore, was greater. Every member of the Committee, as they drove through that part of the city where the water is still from three to eight feet deep, was probably more impressed with the horror of the flood there than in any other place….” (Daily Democrat-Times, Greenville, MS. “Congressman Will M. Whittington Returns to Greenwood.” 6-14-1927, p. 3.)
June 9: “The state health authorities have won new laurels for themselves in handling the problems growing out of the flood. No epidemic of disease has appeared anywhere in the flooded area. And instead of resting content with defensive tactics, the health authorities are taking advantage of the emergency to make war on the delta strongholds of malaria and to capitalize the present situation for the ultimate advantage of all our people.
“The state today is spending twelve and one-half cents of every state tax dollar in some phase of
health work. So long as the Health Department continues to function with its present efficiency, the taxpayers will not begrudge a single nickel appropriated for disease control and prevention. Instead we are coming to realize the absolute necessity for a full time county health unit in very county, working in perfect harmony under the state authorities.” (Hattiesburg American, MS. Editorial. 6-9-1927, p. 12.)
June 10: “New Orleans, June 10….Official records show that the Mississippi river has risen 4.7 feet at Memphis since June 1 and a further rise of about 2½ feet is predicted. This will bring the flood stage up to within about six feet of the record stage made in April. This is a minimum prediction and the chances are that the water will rise even higher. Such a rise in the Mississippi river as is indicated will flood large areas of land recently replanted.” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Cotton Letter. Fenner & Beane.” 6-10-1927, p. 6.)
June 11: “(By Associated Press). New Orleans, La., June 11. – The flood officially ended today as Former Governor John M. Parker pronounced his task as flood relief dictator completed and retired from the office to resume his work and fishing activities on his farm at St. Francisville. Mr. Parker paid high tribute to Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover and all the agencies which have co-operated in the flood fight and relief work, and expressed the belief that the American people would recognize their duty to protect the people of the valley from a recurrence of flood disasters.” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “Parker Has Quit Job in Flood Relief.” 6-11-1927, p. 1.)
June 13: “Houses in the flooded portions of Louisiana are due for another washing after the flood recedes, the next time with soap in addition to water. This is one of the details of the campaign by which community health will be protected in Louisiana in the aftermath of the flood, made public today by Dr. K. E. Miller, United States Public Health Service, director of the Bureau of Parish Health Administration for Louisiana, co-operating with the Red Cross medical officer, Dr. William R. Redden. Briefly, the general plan is for medical and sanitation experts to follow behind the receding waters, putting their precautionary measures in effect as they progress through the flood regions of the state. One force, including sanitary engineers, inspectors, and Red Cross nurses, will operate from a headquarters at Monroe, under direction of Dr. C. W. Armstrong, health officer of Rowan county, North Carolina, loaned for flood service assisted by A. H. Fletcher, sanitary engineer from the Louisiana State Board of Health. Similar groups will be formed for other sections, one being in process of organization at Alexandria under Dr. George M. Boteler, for work in central Louisiana.
“It is planned to concentrate primarily on towns and villages where public meetings will be held to organize the work in each community. The program will be extended to rural sections as far as possible. It contemplates a general cleanup in the flood areas as the waters recede. Rubbish will be disposed of, animal carcasses destroyed, new sanitary provisions made, water supplies chlorinated, mosquitoes fought by oiling pools, use of Paris Green, and screening; while the nurses with the health forces will visit homes, interviewing parents of young children, and instructing in their care and diet, where such assistance is necessary. Inoculations will be completed where required. Special efforts will be made to combat malaria.
“The novel feature of the program as explained by Dr. Miller, is the plan to literally scrub with soap and water the interiors of all houses flooded by the rivers and streams. He pointed out that aside from the depressing effect of muddied walls and floors, the waters everywhere held the possibility of all sorts of infections and diseases, and the scrubbing would be not only freshening but really an effective safety measure.
“Much of the success of the entire health plan, Dr. Miller emphasized, will depend on the people of the affected communities, who must necessarily help themselves, guided by the educational efforts of the health experts.
“Health authorities of the Red Cross are seriously considering one detail already in effect at Vicksburg, Miss. At that camp, the refugees returning home are given tags marked ‘Vaccinated –smallpox and typhoid — Vicksburg Camp, 1927,’ It is thought the idea might be adopted to other points also. Dr Miller reported that excellent progress already is being made on the general health program, and that generally the forces are receiving satisfactory co-operation.” (Monroe New-Star, LA. “Health Worker Will Start Soap and Water Drive.” 6-13-1927, p. 5.)
June 15: “As one of the immediate and notable results of the flood, there have been sent to every part of the inundated areas, large numbers of public health officers, inspectors, and nurses. These have given and are giving their time, being paid from their home offices, often in states quite remote from the Mississippi valley. Their chief efforts are being devoted to sanitation as a sequence of flood conditions.
“Dr. K. O. Miller, in charge of public health units of Louisiana under the state board of health, today paid a high tribute to the broadly unselfish work that is being done by the tireless efforts of these workers and also he commended most highly the generosity of the home states that have paid al the expenses and every cent of the salaries of the workers while they are in flood sanitation work.
“There is right now in Monroe, as a base, probably more talent due to the presence of health workers of note, than at any single time in the past history of Monroe….” [Goes on to note presence of health, medical and sanitation personnel from AL, IN, elsewhere in LA, MD, NY, NC, TN, TX, WV and WI.] (Monroe News-Star, LA. “LA. Health Board Official Lauds Sanitary Work.” 6-15-1927, pp. 1, 7.)
June 16: “By Associated Press. New Orleans, June 16. – Details of the plan by which the Red Cross proposes to spend $500,000 in health and sanitation work in the areas recovering from the Mississippi flood were announced here today by Dr. Wm. R. Redding, national medical officer of the Red Cross. The announcement followed the approval of the budget by Secretary of Commerce Hoover, James L. Feizer, vice chairman of the Red Cross and Henry M. Baker, disaster relief director for the Red Cross.
“The plan of the Red Cross is to institute 30-day health reconstruction programs in all sections as soon as the emergency period is over, the announcement said. This program embraces the immunization of all returning residents against typhoid and smallpox, the purification of water supplies, the destroying of all carcasses left by the flood, spraying all stagnant water to prevent breeding of malaria mosquitoes and personal health and nursing service.
“The plan calls for service of 270 workers in areas hardest hit by the flood. There will be 45 physicians, 49 health officers, 20 sanitarians, 50 sanitary inspectors and 103 nurses, apportioned as follows:
“Arkansas: 4 physicians, 20 health officers, 5 sanitarians, 20 nurses, 20 sanitary inspectors.
“Louisiana: 35 physicians, 16 health officers, 8 sanitarians, 20 sanitary inspectors, 59 nurses.
“Mississippi: 6 physicians, 8 health officers, 2 sanitarians, 10 sanitary inspectors, 25 nurses.
“Missouri: 5 health officers, 5 sanitarians, 4 nurses.
“Tennessee: No personnel.
“In the program, which is already being carried out in sections where further inundation is considered improbable, the following supplies will be needed: Forty-four barrels of crude oil for burning carcasses; 2,400 barrels spraying oil; 139 spraying cans…180 cans chloride of lime; 1,440 barrels hydrated lime; 19,975,000 grains quinine; 210,750 yards mosquito netting, in addition to 100,000 mosquito, bars furnished by various committees; seven tons dynamite to be used in burying dead animals and material for screen doors and window screening.
“The Red Cross also announced the virtual completion of the emergency health program, which has cost $140,000 [?]. Up to June 15 it has expended $190,000 on health work, $50,000 of which, was for the inauguration of the 30-day program. Forces varying from 250 to 500 persons have been engaged in health work in the last eight weeks, the announcement said. The total supplies provided the workers up to June 15 were:
“Hydrated lime 976,200 pounds; unslaked lime 40,000 pounds; chloride of lime 33,208 cans; crude oil 130,420 gallons; spraying oil 74,980 gallons; spraying cans 144; screening 275,000 yards; quinine sulphate 9,254,408 grains; typhoid vaccine 312,500 cubic centimeters; smallpox vaccine 130,500 points. The announcement said that 50,000 cubic centimeters of typhoid vaccine had been donated by the French Red Cross.
“Since Easter Sunday 340,000 persons have been immunized against typhoid, the announcement said. The total is expected to reach 500,000 before the thirty-day program is completed.
“In discussing the health situation in the flood-stricken areas, Dr. Redding said that not only had there been no serious outbreak of diseases but that the proportion of illness had actually been less than the normal expectation in the same districts.” (Monroe New Star, LA. “Announcement Details of Health Drive; $500,000 in Fund.” 6-16-1927, pp. 1 & 12.)
June 17: “By Associated Press. Mississippi river flood control was placed squarely up to the federal government by the Mississippi River Flood Control association in conference at Memphis yesterday.
“Congressman Riley J. Wilson, who arrived in Monroe from Memphis today after attending the session, stated it was the most successful in the history of the association. Twenty-eight levee boards were represented and the work was handled with unprecedented enthusiasm. It is pointed out by Congressman Wilson that an important phase of the conference work was the recommendation that all tributaries be included in the federal flood control program, If this is followed by Congress, it will mean that Ouachita and other Northeast Louisiana parishes not on the Mississippi will get federal aid in their flood prevention programs.
“The conference was marked by a unanimity of sentiment favoring national rather than local control, together with the adoption of resolutions allying the association with the Chicago Flood Control Conference in its efforts to impress the need of flood legislation on Congress….
“The main ext of the resolutions which with the vote of confidence accorded officials and directors of the association constitutes the principal action of the conference, follows:
The magnitude of the Mississippi river flood disaster of 1927, the inundation by flood waters of more than 10,000,000 acres of land, the loss of life, the enormous destruction of property and the widespread destitution resulting therefrom, demonstrated that the control of the flood waters of the Mississippi river is a problem beyond the power of the states and local organizations and one which can only be handled by the national government…
(Monroe News-Star, LA. “Flood Control is Task for National Agencies, River Conference Says.” 6-17-1927, pp. 1-2.)
June 21: “By the Associated Press. Washington, June 21. – A systematic health program in the states affected by the Mississippi flood is to be continued for eighteen months it was announced today by Secretary Hoover, who said the work would be directed especially against malaria and typhoid. It will be financed by contributions of ‘certain private agencies’ in cooperation with the public health service and state and county authorities. ‘We have completed arrangements for a systematic health program over the flood states, especially directed against malaria, typhoid, etc., to be continued for eighteen months,’ Secretary Hoover said. ‘The program is to comprise first a clean-up campaign in each county supported by the Red Cross extending over thirty days after the flood recedes, in cooperation with state and county health officers. ‘Second, this is to be followed by continuation programs over eighteen months to be conducted by state health officials under leadership of United States health service and financed by contributions of certain private agencies in co-operation with United States Health Service, state and county associations.
“The cost of the clean-up campaign has been covered by appropriation of $500,000 from Red Cross Mississippi flood funds, and the cost of the continuation campaign is estimated at $1,100,000 to be provided by the various agencies outside the Red Cross as above. The whole plan goes into action at once.
“The Southern states have conducted vigorous campaigns for many years and had to a very large degree eliminated malaria, but an aftermath of the receding water from the flood has been a number of outbreaks which it is proposed to at once control.’
“Secretary Hoover estimated the total flood damage at from $200,000,000 to $400,000,000. He said that the total damage to railways, highways, crops and buildings would amount to at least $200,000,000.
“The commerce secretary will return to the flood regions tomorrow for a ten days inspection trip.” (Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Hoover Makes Health Plans.” 6-21-1927, p. 1.)
June 22: “The staff of public health workers from several states who have been giving their services to this section of the state in flood and post-flood work in their line, are to conclude their labors and leave for home this week. About twenty men, many of whom are noted specialists in their particular lines, have been working out of Monroe as a base for some weeks’ time.
“Dr, C. W. Armstrong, public health executive of North Carolina, in charge of this body of men, stated this morning that he is more than pleased with the opportunity that has been afforded to render aid to the sister state of Louisiana in her emergency need….Never was public health so in the limelight as now. It has been weighed in the balances and found to be a vital essential of modem life and a protection to humanity both in normal times and doubly so in times of flood and emergency nature. The great impetus that has been given this work is bound to bring substantial results, not only in Louisiana, but also throughout the entire south and the rest of the United States as well,” stated Dr. Armstrong this morning….” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Health Workers to End Labors; Lunch Planned.” 6-22-1927, p. 5.)
June 24: “Mosquitoes are thick in the bottom lands of Arkansas that were overflowed during the recent floods. Which is a reminder that our troubles arising from these vast inundations do not stop when the water drains off. The Red Cross and the public health agencies have done wonders in taking measures to prevent loss of life through disease among flood sufferers. It is said that a half-million people in the Mississippi valley have received the typhoid inoculation. This is fine. Now for malaria. It is easy to advise even when the difficulties in acting on the advice are so vast that everyone must know them. But the fight against malaria, which is a fight against mosquitoes, must be made, and the sooner the better. Arkansas has made a big start toward the elimination of malaria when the floods gave us a setback. But we cannot stop fighting. Not only should communities call on health authorities and the Red Cross for advice and aid, but individual farm families should do the same thing. The regions that were flooded now need every ounce of human energy they can muster, and few things reduce human energy more quickly and effectively than malaria.” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Others Say. For Human Energy.” Reprinted from the Arkansas Gazette. 6-24-1927, p. 4.)
June 27: “(By Associated Press) New Orleans, June 27. – An inland lake, varying in width from ten to thirty miles, still extends from Northern Madison parish 210 miles southward, through Tensas and Atchafalaya basins to the Gulf of Mexico, a survey of the flood area by Dr. I. M. Cline, of New Orleans, revealed today.
“During the crest of the flood the lake had a width of from twenty to forty miles and stretched across the entire length of the state, 250 miles from the Arkansas line to the Gulf of Mexico. But two dry ridges reared themselves above the surface of the water, one reaching across the length of Morehouse parish and the other stretching across Franklin and West Carroll.
“Since that time the recession of the waters has gradually moved the limits backward until seven of the northern parishes have emerged from the flood. Ouachita and Caldwell, whose western boundaries were deluged, have reappeared. Richland and East Carroll, entirely submerged, again is above water. Morehouse, West Carroll and Franklin again are dry after being completely inundated except for the two narrow ridges.
“Along the edges of the muddy lake the water gradually has receded. The cotton lands of the northern Tensas basin have reappeared, but the fertile lower Tensas region still is under water; the sugar bowl parishes of the eastern Atchafalaya basin yet are to emerge and much of the Evangeline country in the western Atchafalaya basin have not yet emerged.
“Parts of the parishes in the Tensas basin have reappeared and recession has been general over a strip five to ten miles wide on the western border of the Atchafalaya basin, and extending from southern Avoyelles Parish to New Iberia. A slight recession has occurred along the eastern border of that basin. Much of the more elevated land in the Tensas basin should be free of water by July 15 to 20, Dr. Cline said, but the Atchafalaya basin will not be entirely dry before the end of July.” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “Inland Lake Much Smaller in Areas Affected by Flood.” 6-27-1927, p. 1.)
June 28: “Eighty percent of the flooded families reached in Craighead county, 75 percent of the population in the flood area immunized against typhoid fever, and a large amount of relief of health and sanitary conditions there is the record of Miss Mary Fitzsimon, former Red Cross nurse for Washington county with headquarters here and who has been at Jonesboro and in the flood district working during the past month. Miss Fitzsimon was the last Red Cross nurse which Washington county had….Tuberculosis…mumps, chicken pox and other diseases were among those treated or provided with other medical care.” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR. “Former Red Cross Nurse Here Serves in Flooded Areas.” 6-28-1927, p. 1.)
June 29: “By International News Service. Oak Grove, June 29. – A survey of the Beouff River flooded section was made yesterday by Dr. John L. Kelly, parish health officer, and he reports sanitary conditions are very deplorable and malaria is now prevalent in most of the homes, as the mosquitoes are very numerous and the people do not have their homes screened. The people do not have any fresh vegetables which gives them an unbalanced ration, and this condition causes diarrhoea, which has affected many families and is still prevalent. These people will not average a bale of cotton to the family as the cut worms have completely destroyed two plantings and the corn is less than half stand. There is no public work available for these people and unless they receive help from some benevolent source, they are bound to endure great suffering. The Red Cross, through Dr. Oscar Dowling, president of the state board of health, is supplying medicine and service.” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Overflow Area in River Section Given Survey.” 6-29-1927, p. 10.)
June 29: “Natchez, Miss., June 30. — The refugee camp established by the Red Cross early in April was discontinued yesterday and about 300 people, the last of the population which reached a peak of 3300 following the breaks in the Mississippi levee in Concordia and Tensas parishes, are en route to their homes. With the exception of about 250 refugees from the lower part of Wilkinson county, all of those made homeless from the flood in this area were from Louisiana. The Natchez camp was highly praised by Secretary Herbert Hoover, Secretary Davis, Red Cross officials and sanitary experts.” (Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Refugee Camp Breaks Up.” 6-30-1927, p. 4.)
July 1: “(By Associated Press) Memphis, July 1. – Only 35,000 persons in the flood area now are dependent upon public support, Herbert Hoover, secretary of commerce, has announced. The number who have been dependent totaled 608,000, but all except 35,000 have returned to their homes, the commerce secretary reported.
“Mr. Hoover, who stopped here en route to Washington after a survey of the flooded section, said that 59 of the 101 flooded counties are sufficiently free of water to permit county committees to make a house to house canvass of rehabilitation needs. Another 22 counties are almost out of the water and the canvass there will be made soon. The remaining 20 counties are still under water and prospects are they will remain so until too late to plant crops this year, Mr. Hoover said. Mr. Hoover reported that 3,500,000 acres were flooded and that 1,300,000 acres will be planed so late crop prospects are doubtful.” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “35,000 Depend on Red Cross.” 7-1-1927, p. 1.)
July 8: “New Orleans, July 8. — (AP) — Eleven negro flood refugees were drowned at Port Barre today when the flat boat upon which they were being returned to their homes at Woodside and Melville overturned, the Associated Press learned over long distance telephone from Red Cross representatives at Port Bare. The boat operator aided materially in the rescue work and was entirely exonerated by the coroner’s jury investigating the accident. Seven of the bodies had been recovered this afternoon. Twelve negroes on the boat were rescued. The boat sank when an aged negress became excited and ran screaming to the edge of the boat as it was towed away from the wharf at Port Barre. Other negroes followed her in an attempt to quiet her and their weight caused the boat to topple over.” (Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Boat Overturns Drowning Eleven Negro Refugees.” 7-8-1927, p. 5.)
July 19: “The Rockefeller Foundation is planning flood relief work on a permanent basis in the flooded area of the Mississippi valley. Aid from this great organization will take the form of sanitary engineering looking toward the eradication of such diseases as malaria. A comprehensive program of sanitation is one of the delta’s greatest needs. With work in all the fever spots of the world as the basis of experience, the Rockefeller Foundation is admirably fitted for this huge task. The difficulties are not insuperable. A certain amount of money plus tireless perseverance on the part of full time health officers and sanitary engineers will clean up the delta country and make it just as healthful as any part of the nation. The Foundation has the money and the experts. Its expressed intention to co-operate with existing health agencies in this task of sanitary engineering is in thorough keeping with its lofty purpose of doing everything possible to free mankind from the shackles of disease and ignorance.” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “Rockefeller to the Rescue.” 7-19-1927, p. 4.)
July 19: “(By Associated Press). Greenville, Miss., July 19. — Train service over the Columbus and Greenville Railroad, which has been suspended since the flood, will be resumed tomorrow night, according to an announcement today by railroad officials. With this announcement and the fact that the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad resumed train service here Saturday by way of Rolling Fork, all of the lines with the exception of the Riverside Division, north of Metcalf, on the Y. & M. V., are open.” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “Resume Train Service.” 7-19-1927, 6.)
July 20: “On a front that extends from Southern Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico, a battle is raging on the outcome of which the health of the whole nation may depend; it is a battle of man against microbes, and the battle-front is the flooded Mississippi river valley. Dr. William R. Redden, National Medical Officer of the Red Cross, is leading the fight for man, with the cooperation of Federal and State health authorities and resources of the United States behind him. His problem is so to combat thee menace of disease in the disaster zone that not only will there be no serious outbreak among the thousands of crowded flood refugees, but that no aftermath of disease will threaten the health structure of the whole-country.
“Despite the odds against them, the health officers have been successful to date. More than eighty counties of seven states flooded, or slime-coated from receding waters; thousands of dead animals submerged, or in the fields; drinking water polluted, mosquito-breeding lakes by the mile — all these and many other factors contribute to one of the gravest health problems in the nation’s history. Yet the health conditions in the disaster zone are better than normal, and there have been no epidemics.
“A health program was inaugurated in tho flood urea which demanded safe water, safe milk, universal typhoid inoculation, mosquito control, malaria preventives, disposal of dead animals, garbage and sewage, and ample medical service for the refugees.
“Approximately 300,000 persons have been inoculated against typhoid, 125,000 against small pox; already 1,378,188 grains of quinine have been issued; 78,000 gallons of oil for spraying mosquito-breeding areas; and lime by the carload has been sent in. to disinfect carcasses. The munitions in this war are medical and chemical, but their bulk looms like the munitions of a World War battle field.
“The forces engaged in the campaign include 31 health, officers, 13 sanitary engineers, nine sanitary inspectors, 23 physicians, and 118 nurses, the latter under supervision of Miss Elizabeth G. Fox, Red Cross nursing advisor during the emergency, and her assistant, Miss L. Malinde Havey.” (Daily Democrat-Times, Greenville, MS. “Flood Aftermath Challenges Nation Health Forces in Red Cross Campaign.” 7-20-1927, p. 2.)
July 21: “By Associated Press. Rapid City, S.D., July 21. – Informed personally by Secretary Hoover, head of the administration’s Mississippi relief committee, of pressing conditions caused by the inundation of thousands of acres of southern lands, President Coolidge was prepared today to give consideration to the question of whether an early session of congress was advisable to cope with the problem.
“The president was told by the commerce secretary that immediate general aid was necessary to help the flood area re-construct its levees and rehabilitate its homes, but Mr. Hoover, without mentioning a special session, said he was convinced that the refugees could be taken care of until congress meets in regular session in December. He expected that with economy there would be $3,000,000 on hand from the Red Cross fund on November 1, but declared ‘it is impossible at this date to determine what the necessities will be after that date.’
“In recommending ‘immediate’ federal aid, Secretary Hoover said he had in mind the fact that state legislators were unable to raise enough money to carry on the imperative work of closing levees broken by the floods and that local communities would not be in a position financially to meet taxes falling due on levee bonds because little better than half of the flooded acreage had arisen from the waters in time for the regular spring planting.
“Whether Mr. Hoover’s picture of conditions in the south coupled with the recommendation of Senator Smoot of Utah, for an early session had caused any reaction at the summer White House, was to be seen. ‘The inability to pay interest, state and levee taxes and for some individuals to find food for winter may create a continuing problem,’ Mr. Hoover reported. ‘The people involved are greatly discouraged.’
“The secretary also laid before the president a suggested plan for permanent flood control, including these principles:
“Higher and wider levees and extension of federal responsibility for the levees on some of the tributaries.
“A safety valve upon the levee system by the provision of a spillway to protect New Orleans and southern Louisiana, most probably using the Atchafalaya river for this purpose.
“Possible by-pass, or spillway, northward from the Atchafalaya to the Arkansas, possible creation of emergency flood basins and possible storage facilities in the tributaries.
“Mr. Hoover estimated that an appropriation of from $15,000,000 to $20,000,000 annually for ten years in addition to the annual present appropriation of $16,000,000 would not only provide permanent flood control but would also complete a program of making the Mississippi and its tributaries navigable.” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Need Prompt Federal Aid, Says Hoover. Picture of Situation in Flood Zone Placed Before Coolidge.” 7-21-1927, pp. 1, 8.)
July 25: “Colonel Luke Lea, publisher of the Commercial Appeal, the Atlanta Constitution, and the Nashville Tennessean, has wired the ninety-eight United states Senators of the nation urging each of them to bring pressure to bear on President Coolidge to call Congress in special session early in October. Himself a former senator from Tennessee, the Nashville editor and publisher senses the need for federal action in rehabilitating the stricken delta.
“Congressional action is so imperative that it is almost impossible to sense the mental processes of President Coolidge in delaying has call. Flood control is so peculiarly a federal problem that it would have been placed under the exclusive jurisdiction of the national government years ago if the territory concerned had been anywhere else than in the South.
“Secretary Herbert Hoover in last Wednesday’s conference with President Coolidge told the chief executive that the need for a special session was imperative. Mr. Hoover is in a better position to know the facts than any man in America. To repudiate his recommendation is to convict President Coolidge either of rank stupidity or congenial small-mindedness, or selfish political self-seeking.
“The sooner the president issues the call, the sooner will the morale of the discouraged victims improve. The sooner Congress meets, the quicker those gaping holes in the levees can be closed against next spring’s rise. The quicker Congress convenes, the sooner the nation with an overflowing treasury can relieve the National Red Cross of its burden of feeding clothing the destitute victims of the nation’s greatest disaster during the terrifying winter which faces them.” (Hattiesburg American, MS. “That Special Session” Editorial. 7-25-1927, p. 4.)
August 17: “Jackson, Miss., Aug. 17. – Dr. Felix J. Underwood, secretary and executive officr of the Mississippi state board of health, who has made a survey of the recently inundated sections of Mississippi, finds that with one exception the health and sanitary conditions in that region are about normal. There ahs been a minimum amount of malaria, typhoid fever, stomach and other complaints, he reports, but the recurrence of pellagra is causing concern. There is little pellagra found in any other section of Mississippi at this time, Dr. Underwood states. With the exception of the pellagra recurrence in the Delta section, the general health of Mississippi people is gratifying to the health officers, he asserts.” (Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Sanitary Conditions in Flooded Area About Normal.” 8-17-1927, p. 5.)
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Joplin Globe, MO. “Flood Threatens Lower Valley of the Mississippi.” 4-15-1927, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=147042737&sterm=flood+mississippi
Laurel Daily Leader, MS. “Arkansas and Yazoo Rivers Spread Wider.” 5-2-1927, p. 8. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=140763238&sterm=mississippi+flood
Laurel Daily Leader, MS. “Two Men with Vaccine Reach Greenville After Hard Fight with Terrific Flood Waters.” 5-13-1927, p. 6. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=140763280&sterm=flood
Lowell Sun, MA. “Six Lives Lost and Property Extensively Damaged in Central Missouri.” 4-1-1927, p. 19. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=60832212&sterm=flood
Ludlum, David M. The American Weather Book. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1982.
Monroe News-Star, LA. “800,000 Acres, Rich Lowlands, are Inundated.” 5-11-1927, p. 7. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200060669&sterm=flood+disease
Monroe New Star, LA. “Announcement Details of Health Drive; $500,000 in Fund.” 6-16-1927, pp. 1 & 12. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200122612&sterm=flood
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Cotton Letter. Fenner & Beane.” 6-10-1927, p. 6. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=199106887&sterm=flood
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Flood Bulletin Issued by Bureau.” 6-8-1927, p. 5. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200122565&sterm=flood
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Flood Control is Task for National Agencies, River Conference Says.” 6-17-1927, pp. 1-2. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200122620 and at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=199106928
Monroe New-Star, LA. “Health Worker Will Start Soap and Water Drive.” 6-13-1927, p. 5. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200122596&sterm=flood+disease
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Health Workers to End Labors; Lunch Planned.” 6-22-1927, p. 5. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200125403&sterm=flood+disease
Monroe News-Star, LA. “LA. Health Board Official Lauds Sanitary Work.” 6-15-1927, pp. 1, 7. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200122606&sterm=flood+disease
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Levees in Ark. Break. Pine Bluff Area Flooded; Dyke Near Cairo Goes Out.” 4-18-1927, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200051743&sterm
Monroe News-Star, LA. “M’Crea Levee Breaks.” 5-24-1927, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200060790&sterm=flood
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Need Prompt Federal Aid, Says Hoover. Picture of Situation in Flood Zone Placed Before Coolidge.” 7-21-1927, pp. 1, 8. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200044490&sterm=flood ; and at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=199107124&sterm=flood
Monroe News-Star, LA. “New Iberia Invaded by High Water.” 5-27-1927, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200060810&sterm=flood
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Others Say. For Human Energy.” Reprinted from the Arkansas Gazette. 6-24-1927, p. 4. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=199106973&sterm
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Overflow Area in River Section Given Survey.” 6-29-1927, p. 10. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=199107007&sterm=flood+disease+malaria
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Refugee Camp in Increase” (cont. from p.1) 5-5-1927, p. 7. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200060534&sterm=flood+disease
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Rescue Workers Spurred in Efforts with Reports of South La. Life Loss.” 5-17-1927, p. 2. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=199106742&sterm
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Section Hand is Dead as Result of Exposure.” 5-14-1927, p. 5. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=200060708&sterm=flood
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Small Son of Flood Refugees is Dead From Auto Crash.” 6-28-1927, p. 14. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=199107002&sterm=flood
Morning Republican, Findlay, OH. “11 Flood Dead in Western States; Homes Inundated.” 4-9-1927, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=187390993&sterm=flood
Morning Republican, Findlay, OH. “16 Added to Toll in Southwest by Raging Elements.” 4-20-1927, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=187391680&sterm
Morning Republican, Findlay, OH. “38 Death Toll in Flood; Homeless Now Total 75,000.” 4-23-1927, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=187391703&sterm=
National Climatic Center. “Late Reports. Losses in Individual Severe Floods in the United States Since July 1902,” page 122 in Climatological Data National Summary, Vol. 27, No. 1, Jan 1976. Asheville, NC: NCC, Environmental Data Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Google digitized. Accessed 12-3-2014 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=UyMIAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, New Orleans/Baton Rouge. Top Weather Events of the 20th Century within the NWSFO New Orleans/Baton Rouge Service Area. Slidell, LA: NWS, NOAA, 5-22-2009 last modified. At: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lix/html/top10.htm
Nowell, Princella W. “The Flood of 1927 and Its Impact in Greenville, Mississippi.” Mississippi History Now (Mississippi Historical Society). Accessed 11-21-2009 at: http://mshistory.k12.ms.us/articles/230/the-flood-of-1927-and-its-impact-in-greenville-mississippi
Pampa Daily News, TX. “Floods of 1927 Take 457 Lives, Inundate 20,000 Square Miles.” 12-21-1927, p. 6. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=123303364&sterm
PBS, American Experience. Fatal Flood. At: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/flood/index.html
Portsmouth Daily Times, OH. “Thousands Engaged in Greatest Battle Man Has Ever Made With Mississippi River. Flood From Southern Illinois to New Orleans,” 4-16-1927, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=60787063&sterm=flood+mississippi
San Antonio Express, TX. “500,000 Acres in New Flood Area. 80 [foot] Breach in Levee at Glasscocke Makes Vast Inland Sea.” 5-1-1927, p. 17. Accessed at:
http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=71009874&sterm=mississippi+flood
Smith, Roger. Catastrophes and Disasters. Edinburgh and NY: Chambers, 1992.
Sunday Messenger, Athens, OH. “Near Flood Stage.” 4-3-1927, p. 11. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=18819036&sterm=flood
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. “Flood of 1927.” Accessed 10-4-2009 at: http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=2202
The Free Market. “Government’s Great Flood, September 1999. At: http://mises.org/story/2658
The Times, Harrison, AR. “Flood Spreads Over Arkansas, 4-29-1927, p. 3. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=152372181&sterm=mississippi+flood
The Times, Harrison, AR. “Flood’s Death Toll is Over 40.” 4-29-1927, p. 2. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=138657870&sterm=mississippi+flood
The Times, Harrison, AR. “Red Cross Chief Killed in Plane. Earl Kilpatrick, Director of Flood Relief, Dies When Seaplane Crashes to Earth.” 6-3-1927, p. 6. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=138657891&sterm=flood
The Times, Harrison, AR. “Valley Residents Again Face Flood.” 6-10-1927, p. 2. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=138657893&sterm=flood
The Times, Harrison, AR. “Vast Area Faces Long Siege of Poverty as Result of Floods.” 4-29-1927, p. 5. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=152372182&sterm=
Trotter, Paul S., G. Alan Johnson, Robert Ricks, David R. Smith, Donnel Woods. Floods on the Lower MS: An Historical Economic Overview (Technical Attachment, SR-SSD 98-9). National Weather Service Forecast Office, New Orleans/Baton Rouge, Louisiana and WSO/COE, Vicksburg, Mississippi, March 1, 1998. At: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/topics/attach/html/ssd98-9.htm
United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). “75th Anniversary of the Great Flood of 1927.” USACE Mississippi Valley Division/Mississippi River Commission (News Release), March 12, 2002, 5 pp. At: http://www.mvd.usace.army.mil/offices/pa/releases/2002/Rel0206.pdf
U.S. News & World Report. “Another Flood That Stunned America.” September 12, 2005. Accessed at: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/050912/12leadall.b.htm
Warren Tribune, PA (Gerald P. Overton, United Press staff correspondent). “Red Cross Fund for Flood Relief doubled. Homes of 200,000 in Louisiana Inundated by Latest Breaks. Minimum of Ten Million Asked of Chapters Following Meeting Between Hoover and President.” 5-2-1927, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=24192039&sterm=mississippi+flood
Waterloo Evening Courier, IA. “Heavy Rains and Snow Fill Rivers.” 4-2-1927, p. 2. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=86852569&sterm=flood
Webley, Kayla and Robert Holmes (USGS). “Top 10 Historic U.S. Floods.” Time. 5-11-2011. At: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2070796_2070798,00.html?xid=rss-specials
[1] “An estimated 1,000 people perished in the floods of 1927, some from the initial flood, and more from famine and disease in the months following the initial inundation by the flood waters.”
[2] Writes “The National Safety Council estimated deaths in the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta alone at 1,000.”
[3] “In the spring of 1927, after weeks of incessant rains, the Mississippi River went on a rampage from Cairo, Illinois to New Orleans, inundating hundreds of towns, killing as many as a thousand people.”
[4] No explanation is provided as to how the figure of 1,000 deaths is derived, or from what source.
[5] “It is not known exactly how many died in the great disaster. Historians once estimated the death toll at 250 victims, but deaths due to disease and exposure after the immediate flood are hard to tally; some estimates exceed 1,000 deaths.”
[6] Writes that “as many as 1,000 people” died.
[7] “…in seven states affected.” Cites Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover “at New Orleans after completing inspection tour” on 300 flood deaths.
[8] In out attempt to tally individualized deaths as reported, we came up with 145 deaths (all but 3 due to drowning). In our tally of deaths reported by State-listing we report a range of 174-243. We use as the low end of the fatality range, however, the National Weather Service figure of 246 in that we view it as authoritative. When looking at the range of deaths-from-drowning reported at the time, the range in late April tended to be 300-500. While we have not been able to replicate such findings, they are used by knowledgeable sources. The multiple sources of about 1,000 deaths purportedly factor in deaths from disease and other causes. We have not been able to determine where this larger number originated or how. In going through newspaper reports (through August for AR, LA and MS) in Newspaperarchive.com, we have not found a single case of death by disease reported as related to the flooding. There were fears of epidemics and large scale public health efforts including inoculating tens of thousands of people against various maladies. One can scan through the chronological entries of use word searches for such diseases as small-pox, typhoid, malaria, measles, mumps and pneumonia to get a sense of cases and concerns. Some reports were to the effect that overall health, sanitation and disease fatality were better than normal given the large amount of health, medical and sanitation resources made available in the flood-stricken areas. Thus we do not use these unsupported numbers as how high-end estimate of fatalities.
[9] Daily Democrat-Times, Greenville, MS. “Received by Pat Scully Over Radio From Memphis.” 4-27-1927, p. 1. Writes that two additional bodies had been found in the Delta, bringing known dead total to 110. Then writes “It is now estimated that the death list from the floods in the Delta will reach 500.”
[10] More than 100 known dead and “varying estimates of from 200 to 500 dead in the whole stricken area…” Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “New Territory Being Covered by Water.” 4-26-1927, p. 8.
[11] “Compilations by the United Press placed the number of dead at approximately 350.” Warren Tribune, PA (Gerald P. Overton, United Press staff correspondent). “Red Cross Fund for Flood Relief doubled. Homes of 200,000 in Louisiana Inundated by Latest Breaks. Minimum of Ten Million Asked of Chapters Following Meeting Between Hoover and President.” 5-2-1927, p. 1.
[12] This is for Miss. and Ark., with “a little more than 100” representing “the known dead,” and “an estimated death toll of approximately 300.” The sub-title of the article is “Death Toll In Mississippi Delta Placed at 200 Now.”
[13] This is a wire service report out of Washington, DC, concerning the Spring flooding along the Mississippi River and its tributaries and the New England flooding of November (where the death toll was noted as 212).
[14] The sub-title of the article is “Death Toll In Mississippi Delta Placed at 200 Now.” Second paragraph, though, writes that “the known dead” added to “a little more than 100, with an estimated death toll of approximately 300,” the later figure apparently including earlier deaths.
[15] “The report, made by Henry M. Baker, director of disaster relief [American Red Cross] to James L. Fieser, vice-chairman of the organization in charge of operations, and to Secretary of Commerce Hoover, included no reports or rumors of deaths, but only those verified by the organization.”
[16] “The report, made by Henry M. Baker, director of disaster relief [American Red Cross] to James L. Fieser, vice-chairman of the organization in charge of operations, and to Secretary of Commerce Hoover, included no reports or rumors of deaths, but only those verified by the organization.”
[17] “The death list was swelled to 21 yesterday [Apr 20] when three more death reports were verified. Other reports of deaths were received, but could not be substantiated.”
[18] Helena Daily Independent, MO. “Planes go on Patrol of Floods,” 4-17-1927, p. 5.
[19] Little Rock, April 22….The death list in the floods was increased greatly yesterday when 18 were reported drowned when the government boat Pelican was swept thru a break in the Knowlton Landing levee….Six were drowned in the Clarendon flood…” (The Times, Harrison, AR. “Flood’s Death Toll is Over 40.” 4-29-1927, p. 2.)
[20] Helena Daily Independent, MO. “Planes go on Patrol of Floods,” 4-17-1927, p. 5.
[21] The girls were between ages of 6 and 10; were crossing Smackover Creek, fifteen miles north of Eldorado. “Those drowned were Mary, Hallie and Ruth Rosser and H. H. Rosser, father, oil worker.” (Joplin Globe, MO. “4 Swept to Death in Arkansas Flood.” 4-10-1927, p. 1.)
[22] Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Continue to Blast Levee” (cont. from p.1). 4-30-1927, p. 12.
[23] “The Arkansas dead list today [Apr 30] stood at 119, having been increased overnight by…the finding of the floating bodies of two white men in back water near Forest City.” Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Continue to Blast Levee” (cont. from p.1). 4-30-1927, p. 12.
[24] Harrison Times, AR. “Flood Crest is Moving South Into Louisiana.” 4-29-1927, p. 1.
[25] “The number dead included 19 persons who perished when the government launch Pelican was swamped by a break in the Mississippi river levee at Knowlton’s Point, Ark., last night.” (Morning Republican, Findlay, OH. “38 Death Toll in Flood; Homeless Now Total 75,000.” 4-23-1927, p. 1.)
[26] Burt and Stroud. Extreme Weather, 2004, p. 127.
[27] “The American Red Cross already has started sending sick children from the flood area to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital…[Little Rock]. One child from Lee County has arrived already. Its father is dead from exposure and the mother also is very sick. All the family belongings were swept away by the flood and the child, which is a cripple, was found lying in one of the refugee camps without a relative to care for it….Gov. Martineau had received a wire from a Red Cross nurse asking to send a child to the Children’s Hospital. It had been found alone in a serious condition. Its father and mother had both been drowned in the flood.” (Fayetteville Daily Democrat, AR.
Child Flood Victims Already Received at Free State Hospital.” 5-16-1927, p. 1.)
[28] Helena Daily Independent, MO. “Planes go on Patrol of Floods,” 4-17-1927, p. 5.
[29] “…a white man named Jones lost his life when the Pendleton levee went out.” The Times, Harrison, AR. “Flood’s Death Toll is Over 40.” 4-29-1927, p. 2.
[30] Harrison Times, AR. “Flood Crest is Moving South Into Louisiana.” 4-29-1927, p. 1.
[31] Portsmouth Daily Times, OH. “Thousands Engaged in Greatest Battle Man Has Ever Made With Mississippi River. Flood From Southern Illinois to New Orleans,” 4-16-1927, p. 1.
[32] Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Continue to Blast Levee” (cont. from p.1). 4-30-1927, p. 12.
[33] “With three more deaths from drowning reported in Arkansas yesterday [May 1], the death list for this flood in that state alone was raised above the hundred mark.” Laurel Daily Leader, MS. “Arkansas and Yazoo Rivers Spread Wider.” 5-2-1927, p. 8.
[34] “The report, made by Henry M. Baker, director of disaster relief [American Red Cross] to James L. Fieser, vice-chairman of the organization in charge of operations, and to Secretary of Commerce Hoover, included no reports or rumors of deaths, but only those verified by the organization.”
[35] Helena Daily Independent, MO. “Planes go on Patrol of Floods,” 4-17-1927, p. 5.
[36] “Three persons lost their lives early today when Missouri, Kansas and Texas passenger train number 22, struck a washout at St. Paul, Kansas, the engine and 10 cars going into a flood ditch. A.L. Phillips, engineer; Dave Ball, fireman; and an unidentified man, were drowned. Fifteen were injured, some severely.” (Morning Republican, Findlay, OH. “11 Flood Dead in Western States…” 4-9-1927, p. 1.)
[37] Helena Daily Independent, MO. “Planes go on Patrol of Floods,” 4-17-1927, p. 5.
[38] “The report, made by Henry M. Baker, director of disaster relief [American Red Cross] to James L. Fieser, vice-chairman of the organization in charge of operations, and to Secretary of Commerce Hoover, included no reports or rumors of deaths, but only those verified by the organization.”
[39] “New Orleans, May 17. – (Associated Press)…Relief workers in various parts of the inundated area reported a total of approximately 20 already dead from the flood waters.
[40] “The report, made by Henry M. Baker, director of disaster relief [American Red Cross] to James L. Fieser, vice-chairman of the organization in charge of operations, and to Secretary of Commerce Hoover, included no reports or rumors of deaths, but only those verified by the organization.”
[41] Monroe News-Star, LA. “Rescue Workers Spurred in Efforts with Reports of South La. Life Loss.” 5-17-1927, 2.
[42] Monroe News-Star, LA. “Rescue Workers Spurred in Efforts with Reports of South La. Life Loss.” 5-17-1927, 2.
[43] Monroe News-Star, LA. “Rescue Workers Spurred in Efforts with Reports of South La. Life Loss.” 5-17-1927, 2.
[44] “Earl Kilpatrick, chief of the rehabilitation work of the American Red Cross, was killed when the seaplane…in which he was a passenger en route from Memphis to New Orleans, crashed in a field at Hohen, 40 miles sound of here…” (The Times, Harrison, AR. “Red Cross Chief Killed in Plane. Earl Kilpatrick, Director of Flood Relief, Dies When Seaplane Crashes to Earth.” 6-3-1927, p. 6.)
[45] “During the night, the first fatality of the present flood occurred at the west side camp. This was when Martha Randolph, daughter of George Randolph, 5 months old, colored, of Crew Lake, died. The youngster was one of twins, her sister having died some weeks ago. Exposure in the flight to safety to the west side camp is believed to have caused the child’s death.” Monroe News-Star, LA. “Refugee Camp in Increase” (cont. from p.1) 5-5-1927, p. 7.
[46] “Henry Miles Hafers, 5-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Hafers, Golden Meadow, La., died late Saturday…as a result of being struck by an automobile. The parents, who are flood refugees, had stopped their automobile near Moss Bluff…When the child attempted to cross the road, he was struck and run over by a passing car…” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Small Son of Flood Refugees is Dead From Auto Crash.” 6-28-1927, p. 14.) We include in that we feel that it is probable the boy would not have been killed if not for the flood and his evacuation.
[47] “New Orleans, May 16. – (AP) — Nine more flood deaths…were recorded today as pent up waters spewed by the Mississippi into the lowlands continued their gradual sweep across south central Louisiana into the Gulf of Mexico. A widow and her eight children, driven by the invading waters to the attic of the little home she had refused to abandon, were the first victims as the flood widened its path and inundated Plaucheville, below the Bayou Des Glaises breaks along the Big Bend.” (Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Family Drowns as Water Reaches Attic.” 5-16-1927, p. 1.) Another report writes that “three women and six children were reported drowned.” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Rescue Workers Spurred in Efforts with Reports of South La. Life Loss.” 5-17-1927, p. 2.)
[48] “New Orleans, July 8. – (AP) – Eleven negro flood refugees were drowned at Port Barre today when the flat boat upon which they were being returned to their homes at Woodside and Melville overturned…” (Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Boat Overturns Drowning Eleven Negro Refugees.” 7-8-1927, p. 5.)
[49] “Joe Reppond, section had in the employ of the Missouri Pacific railroad at Sterlington, died yesterday at a local hospital where he was removed two days prior suffering from exposure. The man had been working in deep water, fighting flood conditions and became ill as a result….” Monroe News-Star, LA. “Section Hand is Dead as Result of Exposure.” 5-14-1927, p. 5.
[50] “An official report, confirmed by Red Cross headquarters said that a man, his wife and child were drowned when their home was overturned by flood waters and they were pinned underneath.” (Monroe News-Star, LA. “Rescue Workers Spurred in Efforts with Reports of South La. Life Loss.” 5-17-1927, p. 2.)
[51] “The report, made by Henry M. Baker, director of disaster relief [American Red Cross] to James L. Fieser, vice-chairman of the organization in charge of operations, and to Secretary of Commerce Hoover, included no reports or rumors of deaths, but only those verified by the organization.”
[52] We note 20 named drowning deaths from Greenville/Stringtown/Winterville area, There was reporting of 26 deaths in the Greenville/Stringtown/Winterville areas, though there could be duplication. We also note two deaths from Indianola and five from Lamont areas, for a total of 33. We consider this figure conservative in that as of June 14, fifty-five named individuals from the greater Greenville/Stringtown/Winterville area were reported as missing.
[53] “Vicksburg, Miss., May 13….Carr said they frequently heard people crying for help, and would see houses topple over and drift away in the current. In his opinion, when the waters go down, bodies of humans, livestock, wild animals and fowl will be found lodged in trees and against wire fences. He actually saw only two bodies of dead people, both negroes.” (Account of J. M. Carr, a planter and lumberman of Greenville and Durant, who with Dewey Hawkins of Jackson, took a 26-foot motor launch with medicine to Greenville. Laurel Daily Leader, MS. “Two Men with Vaccine Reach Greenville After Hard Fight with Terrific Flood Waters.” 5-13-1927, p. 6.
[54] Harrison Times, AR. “Flood Crest is Moving South Into Louisiana.” 4-29-1927, p. 1.
[55] Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Two Drown in Flood.” 4-30-1927. p. 12.
[56] “Two white children and three negro adults were drowned near Lamont late last night [June 2] when the motor boat they were attempting to dock at Williams bayou was swept into the current of the overflow water of the Mississippi river and overturned. The children were Lena Love Hilliard, 10 years old, and Edwin Hilliard, Fr., 6 years old, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. E.J. Hilliard, and a small brother were on the boat….The Hilliards were returning from a visit to Shelby to their home, which was flooded by the break in the Mississippi river near Stop’s Landing….Two negro women and one negro man were the tenants drowned.” (Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Five Drown as Motorboat Overturns in Mississippi.” 6-3-1927, p. 11.)
[57] Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “New Orleans Threatened by Raging Torrent.” 4-26-1927, p. 3, col. 4.
[58] Winterville is near Greenville, so there may be some double counting here.
[59] Associated Press. “New Towns Inundated; Fate of Hundreds in Doubt.” The Bee, Danville, VA.
[60] “Fifteen negro women were drowned at Winterville when the house in which they were marooned gave way before the flood.” Associated Press. “New Towns Inundated; Fate of Hundreds in Doubt.” The Bee, Danville, VA. 4-25-1927, p. 3 (continued from p. 1.)
[61] Daily Democrat-Times, Greenville, MS. “Many Missing Found Through The Red Cross.” 6-14-1927, p. 3.
[62] Stringtown is a few miles north of Greenville.
[63] There were also three lightning deaths.
[64] “…Anthony Webb, 38…was drowned while leading his stock to higher ground. Webb, riding a blind horse, tried to make the animal swim when they reached deep water, but it refused and threw him off. A neighbor recovered the body.” (Joplin Globe, MO. “Flood Threatens Lower Valley of the Mississippi.” 4-15-1927, p. 1.)
[65] “The report, made by Henry M. Baker, director of disaster relief [American Red Cross] to James L. Fieser, vice-chairman of the organization in charge of operations, and to Secretary of Commerce Hoover, included no reports or rumors of deaths, but only those verified by the organization.”
[66] “Kansas City, Mo., April 9. – (AP)….The surging flood waters that claimed the lives of seventeen persons in southwestern Oklahoma the last three days, appeared to be abating late today.” (Joplin Globe, MO. “4 Swept to Death in Arkansas Flood.” 4-10-1927, p. 1.)
[67] “…in the West, outside Oklahoma City, 14 Mexican workers had drowned [prior to April 21].” (Barry 1997, 16)
[68] “Two negro men and two negro women, attempting to rescue a marooned family near Okay, Okla., were drowned when their boat overturned.” (Morning Republican, Findlay, OH. “16 Added to Toll in Southwest by Raging Elements.” 4-20-1927, p. 1.)
[69] Six known drowned and six others missing and presumed drowned when two families were trapped by floodwater. (Morning Republican, Findlay, OH. “11 Flood Dead in Western States…” 4-9-1927, p. 1.)
[70] “Two persons were drowned in Oklahoma yesterday.” (Morning Republican, Findlay, OH. “11 Flood Dead in Western States…” 4-9-1927, p. 1.)
[71] Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald, MS. “3 Children Are Drowned.” 4-8-1927, p. 1.
[72] “The report, made by Henry M. Baker, director of disaster relief [American Red Cross] to James L. Fieser, vice-chairman of the organization in charge of operations, and to Secretary of Commerce Hoover, included no reports or rumors of deaths, but only those verified by the organization.”
[73] “…nineteen people were drowned when the launch Pelican was caught in a huge eddy and went through a crevasse near Helena, Arkansas. There were often unsubstantiated rumors of drownings, but the Pelican disaster was confirmed by the Corps of Engineers.” (Burt/Stroud. Extreme Weather, 2004, 129-130)
[74] Secretary of War Dwight F. Davis, who served from 10-14-1925 until 3-4-1929.
[75] A map of the flooded region, next to the article, also shows widespread flooding in Louisiana.