[Ted Davisson]

Greetings From New Orleans ,
I have often wondered over these many years that I have navigated on the Mississippi River System , which flood year was not only the highest but for that matter the most destructive in terms of loss of life and property ? I remember the Spring Flood of 73' , when I was on board the Str. Delta Queen and we were laying at the public landing in St. Louis . The river was so high at the time that we could have literally tied our head lines to the legs of the St. Louis , Arch !
I often remember the stories from the old Pilots that served on the Str. Delta Queen of when they " wore a younger man's clothes " and had to deal with the wrath of Mother Nature and the spring time floods and stiff currents well before the current flood control and protection that the Army Corps Of Engineers now provide . I distinctly remember one such story , told by Capt. Howard Tate when he was a Pilot and went on a " Search And Rescue " trip on a steam tow boat . I am not sure which great flood it was , either 1927 or 1937 , and maybe some one can help me with this , but I recall Capt. Tate telling me this story .
At the time he was the Pilot , I think on the steam tow boat Iowa and due to the massive flooding of that particular year and the subsequent breach in the levee , Capt. Tate piloted his tow boat through the breach and into a corn field , in search of stranded and flooded out farmers and other unfortunate survivors of this great flood . As I recall , he found many on the roofs of farm houses and personally witnessed the carnage that this great flood reeked on the local population ! I can only imagine what it much have been like to have witnessed and dealt with this calamity !
In Vicksburg , Miss. there is a flood wall with gates and on one such set of gates there are posted the respected Flood Years with the recorded height of each years flood level . Also , if these years and their respective flood levels are accurate , 1927 , was by far the the highest flood level and even higher , " If The Levees Had Held " ! It is truly a sight to see and to only imagine how high the river rose and to also imagine how the locals in that day and time dealt with such a disaster !
It also amazes me that with ALL the men , money , technology , equipment and science , that we still have major floods and consequent loss of life and property ! Food for thought !
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson