Madison Journal - 1940 Record Ice Blocks Mississippi River
Date submitted: January 16, 2014

Submitted by: Richard P. Sevier

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					Mississippi May Be Blocked For Month
				Ice Gorge In Lower River Claimed Heaviest In History
					From February 2, 1940 Madison Journal

Subfreezing temperatures in northern Mississippi and Louisiana during the past ten days have kept 
intact a tremendous ice floe on the Mississippi river which veteran river pilots said might block 
navigation for a month.

The ice gorge in the lower valley in the vicinity of Friars Point, Miss., was declared to be the most 
extensive known in the history of the lower valley and was showing no signs of breaking up the latter 
part of the week.

Navigation has been completely blocked and several boats have been caught in the jam, unable to move. 
It was feared that they would be crushed or damaged when the ice starts to working. The river was 
blocked from 12 to 15 miles between Friars Point, Miss., and Helena, Ark.

Rising temperatures in the daytime were said to be having little effect on thawing mountains of ice 
in the big stream.

Many people from Tallulah have crossed the river during the past few days to see the ice under the 
bridge. Large areas of ice were said to be formed around the piers of the Vicksburg bridge, besides 
the ice floes in the river. The river, at this time, is nearly at its record now stage, and the melting 
of the ice will have little effect on it. There may be a slight rise.