Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-26
L0UISIANA'S DISTRESS.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN NEED
OF SUCCOR.

The Pitiless Waters Stnl Rising, Al
though Last Years Marks Have Been
Passed-HardlY a Levee Left stand
ing-Urgent Appeals for Government
Aid.
NEW ORLEANS, March pa dispatch
from Bayou Sara says: ''Last night this
section was visited by terrible wind and
rain storm. The village of Waterloo, six
miles below here in Pointe Coupee parish,
has the main levee running Immediately
in the rear and the protection of levee
in front. The citizens worked hard dur
ing the storm, but their efforts were un-
availing,as the protection of the levee gave
way this morning and precipitated the
water with great force on the main levee.
A large dyke that commands the
upper mouth of Valse river also
gave way. This dyke was built
in 1850 and was 20 feet high with a large
base. The break was caused by an i'm
perfect fiume. Two young men were
drowned. Their names are G. DemOville
and Edgar d. POrceau. This crevasse is
very apt to cause a break in Protection
river at GrOssetete and overflow all that
valuable country. This water will affect
the river front and all places on the
Chevalle, including those of the New
York Warehouse Company. Many peO-
pie here during the storm yesterday
moved out on the hills. There Is water in
the principal streets, and the rear of the
town is OvertlOwed, caused by the heavy
rain and the breakage of the drainage
machine. A fiat boat in tow was swamp
ed during the storm yesterday and thirty
head of cattle were drowned"
THE NEWS IN WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, March 25.-Dispatches
received here to-day from Louisiana state
that the Mississippi river has broken over
most of the leVees, and that government
aid is necessary to prevent the people
from starving. Representative King, of
Louisiana, received to-day, among others,
the following telegram:
RODNEY, MISS, March %.
Tensas Parish is entirely inundated Ra-
tions will be required for 10000 destitute peo-
pie, and feed for stock is necessary. The
emergency is very great. Immediate relief
is necessary.
lSigned] JAMES MOORE,
WILLIAM DAVIDSON.
ROBERT MUSGREYE.
ID. Ii. CHAMBERLIN
THOMAS =. CLINTON,
OF St. Joseph, La.
This dispatch was sent from Rodney be-
cause the overflow had destroyed the tele-
graph wires in Louisiana.
THE RECORD ECLIPsED AT ST. JOSEPH.
VICKsBURG, MISS, March 25.-The river at
st. Joseph is six inches above the high water
mark of 1882. The levees are all gone with
the tsI river rising from Cairo down.
lSlgnedl &. G. CORDELL,
President of the Police Jury of Tensas Parish.
GOV. MENERY's APPEAL.
Gov. McEnery telegraphs Gen. King as
follows:
"Great distress. Morgan Sea, Scott and
Waterloo levees are gone. 1 have wired the
Secretary OF War for ratiOns. The same
amount is needed as in 1882. The labOring
classes are in great dislress.
SIgned.] 5. ID. McENERY."
SECRETARY LINCOLN's ACTION.
The Secretary of War to-day sent to the
Speaker of the House a communication
stating that from official reports received
by him it appears that the floods in the
Mississippi valley, from the neighbOrhood
of Vlcksburg down to New Orleans, are
now higher than the highest point reached
in 1882, and that large numbers of people
have by the overlooking of the agricultural
districts been unable to help themselves.
He accordingly suggests that if it be the
pleasure OF Congress to authorize the dis
tribution of subsistence supplies to
those rendered destitute by the floods.
1t may be proper in the first instance to
authorize to be expended for the purpose
an amount not exceeding $125,00 out of
the uneXpended balance of the sums ap-
prOpriated for those rendered destitute by
the floods OF the Ohio and its tributaries