Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-03-09
THE FRESHET.
The River Stationary at Memphis.
The Levee at Helena Still Intact.
The River Cuts Through the Town
Of Austin,
Twenty Thousand Rations Sent
to Memphis,
For the Relief Of Tennessee Suf
fererS,

l.
Ed. Postal, OF the steamer Hard
Cash, which arrived this morning,
reports that the backwater from
the Mississippi River extends up
the White River to Clarendon, Ark,
distance of 1876 miles from the
mouth of that river. The entire
country intervening is under water,
which is two feet higher than was
ever known before. Great loss of
stock and damage to farming inter
ests has occurred throughout the
White River bottoms. The river
here continues stationary.
MEMHH1s, March 8.-The river
continues stationary, with SO feet on
the guage, the highest point reached
this season. There is no cessation
of the report of great suffering by
the people in the overfowed disS
tricts.
In reply to an inquiry of the Sec
retary of War, as to the number of
persons destitute in his State, Judge
Mangum, commissioner for Arkansas,
replied that he had information of
10000, but that the number was in
creasing daily.
Commissioner Hemingway re-
ported $4,000 persons in needy
condition in Mississippi, and 5000
in Tennessee, making III all $4,000
persons whose condition is such as
to demand prompt attention at the
hands of the government.
A change in the weather here has
increased the suffering, and many
lives must be lost from exposure.
Governor Hawkins has appointed I'll.
M. James commissioner for Tennes-
see, to receive the government sup
plies.
The river remains stationery here,
with 36 feet on the guage.
The passengers who arrived from
below, this morning, report that the
levee at Helena was still intact yes
terday afternoon; force of 800 men
was at work guarding all the weak
points. The river there was rising
steadily.
At Austin, Miss, between Mem
phis and Helena, the river had cut
through the town, destroying the
principal buildings, among the num-
ber, the Masonic Temple Centennial
Block, large brick building, is al
most demolished, the water being
20 feet deep all around it. Several
store houses and dwellings, were
washed away and carried half mile.
The loss of stock continues, and the
situation is hourly growing more
desperate.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 8.-The
Secretary of War has received the
following dispatch from L. Fl. Mans
quin, commissioner for Arkansas, at
Memphis, Tenn:
Il have issued 100000 rations
throughout the overfowed country
in Arkansas, to about $4,000 suffer
ers, which will last seven or eight
days. Affairs are very alarming
The suffering is on the increase and
will continue so from forty to fifty
days, under the most favorable cir
cumstances. There are not less than
10000 destitute sufferers from the
overflow in Arkansas"
Also, the followil G from William
l.. Hemingway, commissioner fol
. Mississippi, at Memphis:
Eighteen thousand persons are
without supplies or the means fol-
procuring them. The number will
increase rapidly during the overflow
The rations issued will be exhausted
by the 18th inst"
Gov. Hawkins, of Tenness ee, ha
telegraphed to the Secretary of Wa
as follows:
II have appointed Fl. W. Jane
commissioner for Tennessee; to re
ceive and receipt for stores at Mem
phis, Tennessee. The other points
! in Tennessee will be supplied iron
that place. The number of Tennes
seeans made destitute by the over
, flow is estimated at from three to fiv
thousand
The Secretary to-day telegraphe'
Gov. Hawkins as follows:
, sYour telegram was received te
day. Twenty thousand rations hav
been ordered to be sent to Commi
sioner James at Memphis.