Morning journal and courier., 1886-04-03
FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON. April 2.

| 1 HoUsE.-After routine business the House
 on motion of MT. O'Neill, dispensed with
 private business and went into Committee of
 the Whole on the labor arbitration bill, all debate on the first section being limited to 1 thirty minutes.
 Amendments were offered by MT. Foran, ] of Ohio, providing that if on the written proposition of either party to the controversy 1 to submit the differences to arbitration the other party shall refuse, the party submit ting the proposition may request judge of 8 United States court to appoint arbiter. By MT. Dibble, of South Carolina, provid- ing that the commissioner of labor on the
 request of either party to controversy shall
 order an investigation to be made. The amendments were all voted down, but
 the first section of the bill was modified in
 several particulars.
 The committee then passed on to a consid-
 eration of the second section MT. Rrecken- ridge moved to strike out so much of the section as gives the board power to adminia-
 ter oaths, subpoena witnesses, etc. The mo-
 tion was defeated. The second section of the bill was agreed to with several amend ments and the third and fourth sections were agreed to without change. While consider ing the fifth section the House at 4:55 took recess until 7:30. MT. O'Neill gave notice that tomorrow he would ask the House to set apart 8 special day for the consideration of the silver question and proceed to conclu- sion on the arbitration bill.
 At the night session thirty five pension bills were passed and the House at o'clock adjourned.
 GREAT FLOODS IN THE SOUTH. The Swollen Rivers Scattering De-
 struction and Death on Every Hand.
 NASHVILLE, Tenn, April 2.-Specials to the Union to night indicate the most terri ble distress and loss of life in southern Ala bama. Railroad traffic is completely block aded and no trains are running on the Louis vile and Nashville south of Birmingham. The Crescent route is washed out 50 as to stop travel between Meridian, Miss, and Chattanooga. The Georgia Pacific is also badly washed. It will probably be ten days before trains are running. The Alabama river has overfowed and covers the country with 8 waste of waters. Numbers of people climbed to save their lives and many from rafts which are floating down the numerous streams Thousands of carcasses of cattle are seen. The Tennessee has overfowed and the bottoms are covered with water. The destruction in the Cumberland low lands will possibly amount to $500,000, necessitating a second blowing of the ground and the planting of corn, or some other pro duct. The flood is the greatest for years. If the rains continue the loss of property will be terrible.
 CINCINNATI, April 2.-The river reached forty nine feet six inches at noon and is ris- ing two inches an hour. It is approaching the danger line. The coal men are among the anxious ones, since nearly all are now 80 inconyenienced by the high water that near ly twice the ordinary labor is required to handle their commodity for delivery. There has been no great damage done as yet, but many cellars are flooded and merchants are moving their goods to safe places.
 CATTLETTsBURG, Ky, April 2.-The Big Sandy river is falling rapidly at points above. Nothing is doing and no damage is reported. The Ohio is rising at the rate ot half an inch per hour with ffty-one feet of water in the channel. A number of families in the lowlands have vacated their houses. It is thought the worst is about over and the water will not reach the business part of the town. The weather is warm, cloudy and threatening.
 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, April 2.-The riv- CT is fifty feet and rising two inches per hour. Seven hundred families have been driven from their homes in the low places of the city. No trains can move before next week.