The times., 1897-04-13
DAMAGE DONE BY FLOODS
Detailed Reports Received by
the Secretary of War.
THE SUFFERING INCREASING
Nineteen-twentieths of the Desti-
tute Are Colored-In One County
of Tennessee 40 Per Cent of the
People Are in Dire Need of AS
sistance.

The following additional information re-
gardns the flood disasters was received at
the War Department yesterday.
Major Sanger, inspector general, tele-
graphed from Memphis 10 the War De-
parJment thus:
'ArrivedtnIs morning & with Lieuts Rowan
and Whitney. Lieuts. Carnahan and Crow
ley, Fifth Infantry, arrived later. No GOV
ernment steamer Of any kind available
Relief committee has boat. Principal
inun dated area Of my section, st. Francis
Basin, proposes to charter steamer at ST 90
per day, lowest obtainable rate Leave to-
morrow morning, take Lieut., Rowan to
Helena, and with relief supplies go up St
Francis River to Madison. Lieut.. Whitney
leaves for Cairo on regular packet at noon
today. Do you approve hiriag steancr?'
Lieut. Whitney reported to the War De-
partment from Memphis TO this effect:
Il start at once (12 m) by boat up
river, Memphis to Cairo, to procure re
liable data. Have consulted with local
engineer officers and responsible mem
bers of relief committees. A minimum rsti-
mate of inundated area in my district is
1000 square miles, extending up river to
Gayeso, average width twenty miles. Back
from river nearly all of Crittenden ana
Mississippi counties, Arkansas, and Preme-
scott county, Missouri, covered with water.
Destitution here very great. Local com
munities are relieving immediate distress.
many OF the refugees are being taken care
of by leSsees OF plantations in order 10
have their labor in planting time. Nine
teen-tweutieths OF destitute are Colored.
One family just brought in had nothing TO
eat since Sunday (week ago. but three
ears of corn"
Lieut.. Rowan teiegraphed from Memphis
to the Secretary of War:
Suggestion is made by leading citizens
in my district Helena and Greenyillel now
in Memphis relief service, and concurrad
in by the local engineer officers, that
notice be given out from the War Depart
ment that refugees and destitute should
be supplied only in the districts where
they are known, otherwise estimates as
to numbers Will be difficult 10 make and
laboring will be demoralized. Some can
now be employed in their own localities.
All that is required of the Government
is to furnish rations till flood subsidies,
saving the expense OF their support from
end of flood to the time they are trans
ported back to their districts. More
over, the labor would thus be kept on the
ground where needed for repairs to levees
and afterward for planting Of crops in
stead of flocking to cities where employ
ment cannot be obtained.
Many laborers Will decline to work as
long as food is supplied gratis, The ex-
pense of transporting laborers back 10
their localities is considerable and could
\, Iull nFn
ton. L leave for Helena tomorrow and
will go over my district in engineer boat
Meter
The Secretary of War replied TO this as
follows: ''wnl adopt your suggestions
Confer with other officers and act to-
gether. Will issue orders accordingly
here"
Today the Secretary direct ed Adjt. Gen.
Ruggles to send the following:
''The Secretary OF War directs you to
use every possible effort to prevent peo-
pie who are recei wing aid from the Gov
ernment from gathering in the cities for
as soon as the water subsidies their ser
vices will doubtless be required to work
upon levees and till the fields, and, be-
sides, il would be a great expense to
transport them back TO their former
homes when needed, even if they should
desire to GO"
Major Craig telegraphed: from New Or
leans According to latest reports levees
at Red River Landing still intact below
Organized levee districts on left bank
above Fort st. Philip have several breaks
in small levees which are maintained by
private parties Some assistance there
may become necessary"
The lighthouse board has detailed the
City of st. Louis and the Golden Rod, of
Cincinnati, to assist the Government in
the distribution of food.