New Britain Herald Newspaper, May 17, 1927, Page 21

Except For War, America Knows No Destruction Equal to That of Flood, Writes Noted Author Will Irwin, After Trip With Coast Guard Rescue Boat Through Desolated Louisiana and Districts, Is Aghast at Misery and Destruction. (Will Irwin, noted author, saw from a coast guard cutter the crumbling of the last barrier Be- tween the swollen Bayou Des es and the rich Louiglana arm lands below Big Bend. In the tollowing story, written @or the I'nted Press, he vividly describes the tragedy that followed among the home-loving f.,mers of the dis- trict. Irwin went to the flood dis- trict to write the gtory of the flood for the United Press. It was Irwin who wrote a newspaper classic in 1906 when his story of the San Francisco fire and earthquake ‘“the city that was” dramatized that dis- aster.) BY WILL IRWIN Written for The United Press. Copyright, 1927, by the United Press. Alexandria, La., May 17 (UP)— The last of the Big Bend levees, protecting a good half of the rich Louislana cane sugar belt from the angry drunken Mississippi, yester- day as well as what Big Bend levee proper, correspond- ing to any army’s front line trench, have fallen, The levee of Bayou Des Glalses, the second line, went first. It-was my tragic fortune to be passing in a coast guard launch .when the last of them burst and crumbled. And what I saw in the course of that crowded afternoon was one little, typical segment of the greatest disasters, except war alone, which has ever descended on the United States. Came From New Jersey. Our coast guard crew—rushed hoat and all, from New Jersey by special train—put, oft at Mansura, from what seemed to be a steep river bank until two weeks ago. As a matter of fact, this was a railroad cut at a temporary wharf, some 10 or 15 miles from the Mississippi, made by anchoring a barge. Coast guard cutters were landing refugees taken grom flooded porches. from knolls, from housetops. Half of them were coal black Negro field- hands or cotton farmers. The whites, transported by separate barges, were Acadian farming fami- lies, chattering among themselves in a thick, unfamiliar French dia- cct, One old Negro, a cripple, was ry, very ill. Two men supported him while his family wailed about him. A Red Cross doctor pushed his way through the erowd. The old man's head was hobbing and wob- hling. He scemed nearly gone; too fechle to be moved, the doctor would have sald, but the boatmen had taken him from a house”top, so there was no choice. Two Acadian girls were crying as though their hearts would break— for the reason I suppose, that there home was gone, which was reason enough. An older brother, his hand on their shoulders, tried silently to comfort them. A younger brother, who had been trying to bite back the tears, shuddenly broke down and jolned in the family wailing. Boat For Animals. Against the wharf bumped a clumsy flatboat, its deck surround- oAby a high fence. It was loaded with horses and mules, On the bank above, half of the anfomobiles in Mansura, mobilized for the emergency, were loading refugees and their scant baggage and transporting them to the high land camp where the Red Cross forces were throwing up tents. Before us as we shoved off lay & lake of orange-colored water, which stretched, whenever you could catch tha distance, to the horizon. Into it sank the line of telegraph poles which emerged from the cut; they dipped lower and lower until only {heir tips appeared. These marked the submerged line of the Texas & Pacific Railway. As we gathered speed and shot southward, a submerged country seemed to pass us in procession. At first came pleasant little Cajan farmhouses, the water barely up to their front porches, see that here and there the holly-hocks of their gardens thrust pink spikes above the yellow flood. Further on stood a hamlet of 8 or 10 houses, and one tiny church on a knoll. The church stood bravely out of water; the lower houses lay summerged to their upper windows. Then the roof of a substantial tarmhouse with out buildings, only the eaves and parts of the upper windows showing; then, finally only roofs; even at last, only shadows under the water. Below us lay some of the richest farms, acre for acre, in the United States, where thrifty Acadian fami- lies make comfortable livings and pile up competences on from forty to eighty acres. PHILLIPS Milk of Magnesia 1s called the | Tops of Trees. Always in the distance rose groups of what seemed to be green islands, but which resolved them- selves as we approached into the tops of cypress trees. To east and north this lake stretched 10 or 15 miles to the Mis- | sissippl. To the west, and close to our course, ran what seemed like | a low board wall. We had run two or three miles when we advantaged ourselves of a dip in the telegraph lines, ran our propeller clear of its wires and drew | alongside. We had the odd experi- ence of looking down from the wa- ter ‘on to a valley. This board fence was in fact the extension of a ten- foot levee and formed a second line of defense against the overflow of the great river to the east. Down that valley raged and bub- bled a yellow current. A mile to north two low sand pits, with an open gap of a thousand yards be- | tween, marked the ruin of the Bay- | ou Des Glaises levee, which had gone down only that morning. In its path lay Moranville; a ploasant little town clustered round a cotton gin. The frail®ittle Negro huts of its outskirts seemed knocked out of line. One was already floating. The waters swerved and eddied against the corners of a row of five sub- stantial houses. The railway station, fringed wllh' a line of stranded freight cars, | stood on slightly higher ground. | The waves were lapping on its plat- form. A Stray Jersey Cow. A stray Jersey cow, missed that morning in the rush toget the stock | to the levees, was splashing and | raised her muzzle in a faint omen | of an agonized moo. Suddenly she plunged in, swam away behind the station. I did not see her emerge. We ran alonf the levee for an- other two miles. Here and there a roof appeared, and always at these spots men were working like mad. For though the flood was rushing down the valley from the north, these houses stood on higher ground, at its edge. If our levee held, they might be safe, Suddenly from a section where the roofs peeped thicker than usual, | came frantic waving of arms and sheets. We slowed down to turn. | A lifeboat of the coast guard service | tagging us, suddenly shot out of line and put alongside the levee. When we had turned, frantic arms warned us away from a point two hundred yards beyond. We looked, and the line of boards was gone. As the engine stopped, we heard a roar like Niagara. We leaped atop the dike and ran. The levee had broken under our eyes. Across a gap, perhaps a hundred feet wide, poured the whole mil- lion-ton force of the mighty Missia- | sippl. It bubbled in rapids as wild and turbulent as the royal gorge of the Arkansas, and with infinitely more terrible force. House Is Ruined. A fine substantial house with tur- | rets and bay windows had stood | just opposite the break. It lay turn- | ed half around, erumped up as you would crumple a match box in your hand. | Under the Isvee above it lay halt a dozen little houses with barns : and corrals. In one of thess some- | one had stupldly or neglectfully | shut a cow and her calf. The cow was bellowing madly; the calf seem- | ed to atand in a stupor. The wa- ter was at its belly, then halfway | up to its back and now it was swim | ming, and all the time the mother | bellowed frantically for help, which conld not come. For between her | and the levee raged a hundred feet of water so mad that no man akve | could swim it | Behind us, as we watched the | torrent from the edge of the break, | the coast guardsmen were loadin, men. The women, had been taken | off long ago into the lifehoat: and cows, horses, a newhorn calf, a protesting sow onto a flathoat. Sud- denly voices roared at us in English and Cajan—*"Get back.” There wi an ominous creaking of boards. The | cinema men gathered up their cameras and we ran toward our boat as twenty feet of lavee gave. broke and spilled a new accession into the torrent. Then' a Cajan farmer pointed and said something in French, which would have meant nothing to a Frenchman, Out of the levee hank at our feet | was oozing and bubbling a little spring. That is the first sign of a break. The levee was going at least a thousand vyards, the skipper of our boat estimated, before mor:.- ing. The three boats loaded up and jpushed oft in nervous haste; had it {broken on us at that instant, we | might as well have been in the grip | of Niagara. PROTECT Your Doctor and Yourself SAY “PHILLIPS” to your druggist, or you may not get genuine Phillips Milk of Magnesia prescribed by physmans for 50 years. | Refuse imitations of genuine “Phillips” 25-cent and S0-cent bottles contain full directions and uses, | “Milk of Napnesia" has been the U, 8 Regirtered Trade Mark of The Charles &. Phillips Chemical Company and its predecessor Charles H. Phillips since 1876. | ning ! ning of this week an entertainment | NEW BRITAIN DAILY HERALD. Tl}ESDAY, MAY 17, 19217, There weres too many passengerp, human and four-footed, for the transport at hand. As we shot away | gational church on Friday afternoon the wall before us was beginning and evening of this week: Mrs. Ar- to bulge, and the men were run- their livesiock southward along the top of the bank. They were safe enough down there for the present and all night long the coast guard craft would be, plying back and forth with search- lights, taking them off. As for the poor brindle cow, whose bellowing still reached us faintly, when the next section went, she and her calf stood not one chance in ten thou- sand. This is only one little piece, but a typleal plece, of the great disaster. It bears the same relation to the whole that one trench on one day bore to the great war. For aix weeks in steady, sinister progress from Calro to the mouth of the Missis- sippi, the scene has re-enacted it- selt a thousand times, Already five hundred thousand refugees from such episodes as T saw crowd the camps of the Missis- sippl highlands. That torrent loos- ed at Big Bend will course on through the rich Acadian country to the gulf, adding perhaps forty thousand more. The giant dike of Morganza is overflowing and cracking. If it goes, the rest of the Acadlan coun- try goes, and there may be seven hundred thousand in all. Excepting war alone, the history | of the United States shows no| parallel to this for destruction, disturbance and misery. TURKISH WOMEN ACT FOR DRESS REFORMS More Modest Attire and Less Ex- pensive Gowns Favored at National Conclave. Constantinople. May 17 UP—"De- moralizing European evening gowns” are to be shunned by Turk- | ish women at the next big ball ’“I Constantinople. Six hundred members of the| Turkish women's union, holding ll natlonal styles conclave yesterday, solemnly pledged themselves to ap- pear at the ball wearing a sort of skirted tuxedo, instead of “de-| moralizing European evening | gowns.” | A manifesto drawn up at the conclave urges the men to “boy- cott non-conformists,” and begs the government to back the union's proposal that all women should be required to adopt a model dress valued at about five dollars so as to save the finances of the nation. “\WWomen’s morals and the coun- try’s finances,” the manifesto de- clares, “are threatened by the orgy of extravagance following the in- troduction of European styles.” STANLEY CHURCH SOCIAL Following the supper at Stanley Memorial church on Thursday eve- | will be given under the auspices of the Men's club. The program will| consist of music by Madam Secord’s Melodonians. tenor solo by Edward Hedwall, soprano solo by Mrs, Carl ‘Warren, readings by M Charles Gladden and selections the “Four‘ H” male quartet, consisting of| Messrs. Harry Holland, Chester | Hamilton, Edward Hedwall and| Carroll Holland. A talk will be giv- en by Rev. Vernon I.. Phillips, pas- | tor of the Kensington Congregation- | al ehurch. The following members in addi-| tion to the pastor will represent Stanley Memorial church at the spring meeting of the Central As- thur Knapp, Mr, and Mrs. LeRoy Strong, Willlam Hoffman, Smytk, Mrs. Louis Cadwell and Mrs. Frank Seibert. KELLY BLUSHES AT n vain was given at the close | yesterday’s sussTOm ot the trial when prosecution that today’s witnesses would include were those of *‘gin mixer” for apartment guests. a half dozen rounds of drinks were served on the eve of Easter Sunday when Kelly deserted the party for a short time to go to the Raymonds’ 'Hollywood home and engage in what the state contonds was a one-sided battle with the musiaal comedy star. rounds of scriped the “love language” used by his employer and the actres uty District Attorney E. J. Dennison had asked the houseboy if the couple | ever conversed in “pig | plaining it “as any strange sounding language. mer ‘was appearing. in which the film actor spoke | Mrs, Arthur Spencer, Mrs. Mrs. Alexander EVIDENGE RECITAL Accused Actor Hears Story of Night Parties Retold Los Angelesy May 17 P—Their appetite for sensation whetted by & Japanese houscboy's recital of night visits of Dorothy Mackaye, ac- tress, to the Kelly, daily storm the court room where the husky film man is on trial for the murder of Ray Raymond, actor husband of Miss awaited more details of the love af- fair today. all Paul which apartment of film actor, crowds Mackaye, avidly Promise that they would not wait of announced attorneys iss Helen Wilkinson, a friend of Miss Mackaye's who often accom- panied her on visits to Kelly's apart- ment and Max Wagner, who shared the apartment with the film actor. The houseboy, “Jungle.”” a small alert Japanese, told in broken but i plain blunt English of the meetings of Kelly and &he actress. He disclosed that among his duties the He declared that The prosecution holds that it was ‘rhe beating administered by Kelly which caused the death of Raymond in a hospital “Jungle” declared that when Kelly returned to the party blood was | spattered on his coat sleeve. three days later, “Jungle” sent the court room into laughter, when he de- Dep- Latin” ex- “Yes,” answered Jungle, “some- times they call Hollywood language.” Kelly's face reddened as his for- houseboy- 1let told of the riting in a letter to Miss Mackase while she was on the road with “The Dove,” the play in which she One of these let, ters, of the actresy in their code lan- guage as “My brat face, my wife,” “Jungle” said he himself mafled. While the houseboy was testifying | of Forest Mrs. A. R. Cederbloom Hi! Y., Raymond’'s mother, fainted and was carried from the court room, YOUNG TO iPEAK Wallingford, May 17 (P—Owen D. Young. chairman of the General company board of directors will be the commencement speaker at the | Choate school spring festivities here on May 28, Is was announced today. WEDNESDAY SPECIALS AT THE NEW BRITAIN MARKET CO. 318 MAIN ST. PHONE 2485 Morning Specials 7 to 12:30 LUX soap flakes 3Pk8<.25¢ Lean Smoked HOULDERS m » 16¢ Lean Fresh SHOULDERS HAMBURG Fresh Cut 2 " 25¢ All Day Specials — ROASTPORK ........................ Ib 23¢ ROAST VEAL ........ SUGAR CURED BACON BEST FRANKFORTS FRICASSEE FOWL ....... . LEAN CORNED BEEF ....""" v b 256 eeern b 29¢ b 18¢ . b 29¢ .1 12¢ Evaporated Milk Fancy Tomatoes 3 cans 29¢ | Campbell’s Beans | and Tomato Soup 3 cans 25¢ Domino Granulated Sugar ..... 10—Ib sack G5¢ Confectionery Sugar (m packages) Challenge Milk ......... 3 hs.25¢ cieen. 2 cans 27é Fanq Maine Corn 2 cans 23c Early June Pcas 2 cans 25¢ Fancy Beets .. 2 cans 25¢ Royal Lunch Crackers 2-1b box 20c | N, B. Graham Crackers [ 2-1b h()( 3tc | Pure Cocoa . 2:1b can Tuna Fish ....... 2 cans Palmolive Soap .. 4 cakes 29¢ Premier Salad Dressing. bot. 33¢ Fahcy Peaches. large can Red Kidney Beans .. 2 cans Maxwell Coffee 2 Ihx 95¢ WEDGWOOD CREAMERY BUTTER Fresh Made 2 Ibs. 95c STRICTLY FRESH EGGS .. 3 doz. 83¢ Bl LARB -2 Ibsz ¢ Gold Coin Oleo, colored, 1b 38¢ First Prize Oleo ...... Ib 30(‘ © Good i Ih 2¢ on Nut Oleo ....... b 30¢ Calif. Sunkist Oranges .. Extra Heavy Gmpefrmt Native Spinach 1% peck Bunch Beets or Carrots, ea. 10¢ Teeberg Lettuce head 15¢ Fancy Baldwin Apples 4 qts, 25¢, New Onions 3 Ihs Large Ripe Bananas Calif. 25¢ dozen dozen | 29¢ 3 for 25¢ nkN Lemons 20!‘ dozen Kiln Dricd Sweets Native Rhubarb . Red Ripe Tomatoes Native Asparagus 4 1bs 25¢ .. b Be . 1h 18¢ bunch 25¢ soclation of Congregational churches| Miss Mackaye was not in eourt' to be held at the Westfield Congre- when the Japanese testified. Her | testimony was completed in the first part of the afternoon session. It | added little to her previous story | except for a description of a “sep- | aration and divorce party.” She said | it was given while both her husband | and hersclf were with their shows | in San Francisco, to sonfe 200 ac- tors, newspapermen and others. Asked, under cross-examination | whethef’ Raymond mentioned - her name in announcing that it was a| divorce party, Miss Mackaye an- swered sharply: “He was married to only one woman, and that was me." Pressed for more detalls of the | labelling of the party, she said: “He | didn’t rap on a table and stand up and shout it. Tt was hard enough | for him to stand as it was.” Miss Leitch Still Has Lame Arm, She Explains | Newcastle, County Down, Ire- land, May 17 (®—Miss Cecil Leltch, four times British woman golf champion who was shocked by, lightning yesterday while watching | the champlonship tournament here, | had recovered sufficiently this| morning to leave her room. She in- tended to consult a specialist later in the day. | Part of yesterday's matches were played in a storm. Miss Leitch was carrying an umbrella in her left hand when a particularly vivid flash of lightning came. The hand and the entire arm stiffened and became | intensely painful. She was [ian' emergency treatment by a doctor who was among the spectators. Miss Leitch later appeared on the | golf course with her anpun in a sling, saying she felt fairly bright but | that the hand was swollen and the | arm numbed. “Two specialists examined me to. day,” she added, “and certified that T am suffering from the effects of ' being struck by lightning. They say I may be able to resume light golf in about a week or ten days. 18,000 Candidates for | 2,500 Enforcement Jobs | Washington, May 17 (P—The civil | service commission has received more than 18,000 applications or | the 2,500 po«mous in the bureau of | prohibition which were brought | Within the classified service at the last session of congress. Examina-| tions will be held in June, | | On Sale Wednesday Another Fortunate Purchase of 350 Hats Smart Spring Sty Iea—All Just Unpacked Most Made to Sell from *3- to $7:2 About 12 Colors Included are tan, oak, Copen green, orchid rose, red, gray, whites, black, Large Head Sizes Medium Head Sizes Small Head Sizes .00 About 50 Styles —ribbon trimmed —embroidered —flower trimmed —some untrimmed -also Children’s hats Hats Just Out of Their Tissues Spring Hats for Dress, Street and Sports Wear —plenty for women —plenty for misses ~—plenty for girls —plenty for children . Probably the Most Famous Hat Sale in the Entire Country Felt Hats Visca Hats Azure Hats Fabric Hats Fabric and Straw. Doors Open at 9 A. M. Sharp! Come Early! COR. MAIN AND COURT STS. ‘Goldenblum Millinery Co. “Special for Wednesday RESSES 'Sizes from 14 to 46 in Youthful, Misses’, and Women’s Styles ~ Every new style, every new shade direct from New York. These gar- 351 MAIN STREET ments are special friendmakers for our great store, and were supposed to sell for much more. For Wednesday—as long as they, last. 2488 % — Pay Weekly These dresses, as well as anything in our stock, may be bought on our famous Weekly Payment plan, at positively no extra cost. The price is $10, whether you pay cash or charge it. Same Price — Cash or Credit _No Extra Cost for This Convenience