The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-17
MANY LIVES MAY BE LOST
SEVERAL COLORED PEOPLE KNOWN
TO HAVE BEEN DROWNED.
Rumors Current mt Helena of Disaster
in the Woods Back of that City
at Other Points.

been lost during the day. Two negroes who
lived near Marion. Ark. attempted to cross
Mound lake i'm a dugout, when they were
caught by the mighty current. their boat
capsized and they were swept away.
The change i'm the situation the past TWEEN
ty-four hours has been decidedly for the
worse I'm every respect, so far as the Hood
and the food victims concerned. Lo-
calties that were expected up 10 the last
moment to Withstand the overflow are at
last under water People who thought they
were safe from the angry river find them
selves hemmed in, and their danger Is the
greater because of the confidence that pre-
vented them from providing against it.
From every direction come reports or I'M
expected and unprecedented disaster.
over at Marion and the adjacent country
four hundred are reported to be lined up on
the railroad track, over which occasional
waves sweep that threaten to carry off the
desperate people and live stock that there
find precarious household Along the
other railroads leading out of this city into
Arkansas similar condition of affairs
exist.
Down on Presidents island, where 1t was
supposed that all persons in danger had
been carried off last night, Ii is learned
that from fifty to one hundred people were
this morning standing in the water and
praying for the sight of boat That would
From Island Forty came reports that the
water lis everywhere that human beings
and dumb brutes are huddled together
wherever shallow water oHers stahuihs
places.
There are many other points from which
come appeals for aid. 1t may easily be UNI
derstood, therefore. that the relief commit
tee which has been established in this city
has its hands full of work. This work is
less. All the local river craft have been
requsitioned for this city. and Captain
Fitch. i'm charge of the United States fleet,
has placed every steam yessei ana M oarge ,, IN
tee. The Hardin is taking care of Presi-
dents island the Abbott and Itasca looking
Minnehaha and the Welcome running far
up beyond Marion is, i'm brief, the disposf-
ton of the vessels. Barges are carried
wherever necessary. Nearly one thousand
people have been brought to this city al
ready from the overlooked country. Most
of the refugees are negroes. who saved
nothing but the clothes on their backs. and
maybe some stock, the latter being an in
cumberance rather than assistance in
the matter of finding food and accommo-
dation i'm town. But the citizens relief
refugees and food is furnished them also
from time to time. This morning quar-
tet of ladies arrived on the levee with prov
ender They brought substantial food. The
food put new life into the disconsolate ne
the oudest.
Many rumors of wholesale drownings are
current but cannot De conn WeiI ,Se
five colored people had persisted near Ma
rion. and q colored man and child are
known to have been drowned at West Mem
phis. To-day two negroes were drowned
in Mound lake. The conditions are un-
doubtedly such that there will be innumera-
BILE fatalities before long unless the helpless
ones are relieved.
Intense interest in the flood animates
Sy Ee grea hrong that Gathers o1 e
levee. This afternoon 1t was almost impos-
sible to reach the Bryan wharfboat when
she pulled in from Marion.
At Helena the river rose very slowly to-
day. standing tonight ASS, two inches be-
low high-water mark. In the vicinity. of
night and to-day. The steamer Maud left
there late this afternoon for Modoc with a
crew OF forty laboreLs; where the govern
sacks on the levee. The water at Modoc
was within about eighteen inches of the top
of the levee at last reports.
The people in and around Marion, Ark,
are certain that back In the woods to the
rear of Marion there has been great loss of
several negroes had already been drowned
i'm attempting to get to place of safety,
but the names and other facts could not be
learned.
The Memphis and St Louis packet Mary
Morton arrived in port to-day and reports
extending relief to sufferers below Cairo
children and "A quantity Of live stock were
picked up and carried TO Fulton. From all
accounts there is great suffering i'm the dis
trict mentioned. and aid is being asked of
the citizens of Cairo. No lives so far have
been lost.
Situation at Helena.
HELENA. Ark. March 16.-The river
stands at 45.6 the gauge here tonight
and is rising slowly. and is now within two
feet six inches of high-water mark While
there is no apparent danger of overflow at
this point, the levee boards are making
the necessary arrangements for properly
guarding the levees night and day. Thor
ough organization is being effected to that
end, that wnere weak. pll ces ire discovered
| they will at once be strengthened The
| river rose but little to-day which is proh;,.
bly, due to the break near Osceola mem
| toned in yesterdays dispatches but will
| be rising again more rapidly tomorrow.
Major {. II. Purvis, the engineer in charge.
| OF the levee work of the cotton belt dis
| trict No. 1. south of here. I'm the city
to-day. coming up from Modoc Landing,
and reported the levees that far south in
| good condition. He says tire river is higher
| from Laconia down than ever before. which
| is due TO the new levees built down there
the past year preventing the escane of an,,
/ flood water from the Arkansas river into
! Louisiana, which formerly flowed into
/ Bayou Macon and Tensas river i'm thar
| State. All this water now reaches the Mis-
sissippi at the mouth of the Arkansas river
If these levees hold IL will prove the the.
| DRY heretofore advanced that the stage OF
water Will be materially reduced The bed
| of the river is being lowered by the scour.
| ing process, the current now being very
| swift.
Red River booming.
! SHREVEPORT. La. March ia heavy
| rainfall visited this section of the State.
causing several washouts on the different
| railroads entering this city and sending
Red River on a booming rise. Although the
present gauge OF the river does not indi-
cate that there is any present likelihood
of a serious and damaging overflow yet the
planters are beginning 10 grow apprehen-
| sive TO the rain continuing and the
river both at this station and above is ris-
| ing rapidly. The levee the Caddo and
| Bossier side are in splendid condition and
| are capable OF withstanding any ordinary
high water. ObscrXer Charles Davis - IL.