Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-28
FEEDING THE HUNGRY.
RATIONS FOR THE VICTIMS OF
THE FLOODS.
Secretary Lincoln to Governors
Churchill and LOWry-The Rivers
still Rising In Arkansas-A Break
Near GreenvIIle.

WASHINGTON, February 27.-The secre-
tary OF War telegraphed on Friday last to
Governor Churchill at Little Rock, Ark, as
follows: "Please telegraph me information
as to the localities and numbers of persons
in Arkansas made destitute by the foods.
l suggest that you designate and appoint
one or more commissioners to confer with
the army officers, who will be designated,
such commissioners to be fully authorized
to receipt for and to make detailed distribu-
tion of subsistence stores"
similar dispatch was also sent to Gov
erDor Lowry at Jackson, Mississippi The
following reply was telegraphed bY Cover
nor Lowry:
memphis is the most accessible point for
the commissioners. | have appointed W.
G. Hemingway, State Treasurer, to the over
flowed district. He will confer with the
army officers, being fully authorized by me
to make distribution of subsistence stores.
and to give all necessary receipts. l do not
Know the number made destitute by the
HOOD, but there are many thousands.
"Mr. Hemingway will send supplies from
Memphis. Your officers can Communicate
with MIN at that point by telegraph"
He also received the following reply from
Governor Churchill, of Arkansas:
"Ihe principal distress is In Crittenden,
Mississippi, Desha, Lee, Philips, st. Frances,
Arkansas, Chicot and Cross counties. This
country can be reached from Marion, Madi-
son, Helena and Memphis. From the best
sources Of information five thousand need
Ing food and assistance is the lowest esti-
mate"
The Secretary sent the following telegram
this morning to Gov. Churchill:
"Your telegram of Saturday received.
Please give me the names of one or more
commissioners who will be authorized by
you to receipt to the commissary office for
stores and to distribute them to individuals.
and name the points at which the commits
sioners will receive the stores. The Cover
nor of Mississippi has named q commission
er for his State at Memphis. One hundred
thousand rations start from st. Louis to day
for the use of Mississippi and Arkansas"
To Gov. Lowery, of Mississippi, be re-
piled:
Your telegram received. One hundred
thousand rations will leave st. Louis to day
for the use of Arkansas and Mississippi.
The commissary office will be directed to
communicate with Mr.. Hemingway at Mem
phis. Gen. Beckwitb, Assistant Commis-
ssTy General at st. Louis, will superintend
the forwarding OF stores from that point"
LITTLE Rock, February 27.-The river
continues to rise at this point at the rate of
half an inch per hour. The steamer Wood
son, from Pine Bluff, reports the banks
having been Overfowod at Pattey's levee,
forty miles below here. Adamsburg, four
teen miles above Pine Bluff, is inundated,
AID the whole paStatra ofsthe country is un-
der water. 1t is reported that the river is now
running through Flat Bayou. The bank in
many places is caving badly. Mosley's
Lake and the river, fifty miles below, have
Joined forces, and the present appearance is
that Of an inland lake. Much destitution
exists among the inhabitants of the over
flowed territory, and unless assistance in
the shape of provisions is furnished great
suffering must follow.
VICKsBURG, February 27.-A special from
Greenville, Miss, reDorts that the levee on
Deer creek, at Mrs. Urquhart's, was broken
Saturday by the water passing through the
creek from the eastern break in Bolivar
county. The damage from this break will
be local and small.
Catfish Point levee broke at five O'Clock
this morning, leaving gap fifty feet wide.
The Kentucky levee is reported to have
broken at eight o'clock this morning. The
water from these breaks will affect the
southern part of Bolivar county and the
northern part of Washington county and
Deer creek.