The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1897-04-10
VICTIMS or THE FLOOD
MESSAGE SENT no COMGREaa nv
PREsIUEKr M,kAsLRr.
Need 81 Food, CIofhing ana shelter
Asong the hfssfssippE Beyona
tiie Reach ef K.eeal Afa.

Washington. April &--The president To-
day sent the following message 20 me
senate and house o. Representatives.
Information recently coming 10 me
from the governors OF Arkansas. hIasts-
slppi and Louisiana ana Erom prominent
citizens OF these states and Tennessee.
warrants the conclusion THAT widespread
distress, Involving destruction OF A large
amount Of properly ana loss Of human
life has reEuife1 from hoods which have
Deen suhmerging that section Of country
These are stated on reliable authority 10
be the most a-slsucGave Hoods tfat have
ever deyastatszs tne mississippi valley
the water being much higher than The
highest stage It has reached before.
From Marion. Ark. north OF 1Eemphln.
90 Greenviile Miss a distance of more
than 20 miles, BY river. Il q reporfed
there are now at least 70 towns ana VII
ages under water. and a territory ex-
tending from 100 miles north Of Memphlr
70 ~ miles south. from ave TO 40 miles
vide h submerged. Hundreds or thou-
sands OF acres Of cultivated soil with
growing crops are included 10 the sub
merged territory. In this section alone
here are from $1,000 70 e6y0oa people
whose business has been suspended
Growing crops have been ruined, thou
SANDS OF cattle have been drowned, and
the inhabitants Of certain areas threat
ened with starvation. A great major
ny Of the sufferers are small farmers.
Insy have been thus left entirely desti-
tute and Will be unprepared for work
even after the foods have Rubsided. The
entire mississippi valley in Arkansas r.
hooded and communicated with many
points cut on. In Mississippi a like con-
dillon exists The leyees In Louisiana.
with single exception. have held bur
the water Is rising and the situation
there Is reported - being extremely crit
Under such circumstance. these states
look for the cooperation and support Of
the national government In pressing cases
OF destifutiOn for food. clothing and shell
ter which are beyond the reach Of local
EFFORTS. The authorities who have COM
municated with the executive. recognise
that their first and most energetic duty
provides for means Of caring for their
own citizens. but nearly all Of them agree
In the opinion that after the resources
have been exhausted. a sum agRregattng
A5e.0o9 and possibly t2oa.boe win De re-
are not wanting thai in such emergencies
as this congress has taken prompt gen.
eroGs and Intelligent action involving the
expenditure Of considerable sums OF
money vita satisfactory results In lg7s.
gaso.0oo was appropriated. and In lGs1
6so.ooo was also appropriated for relief
IN the same direction. besides large sums
in other years
The citizens relief Committee OF Mem
pals, which has taken prominent action.
has already cared for from enc to 71oe
refugees from the flooded districts, and
they are still arriving in that city In large
numbers daily Supplies and provisions
have been sent TO various points In Ar
kansas and Mississippi by this commit
tee. but the most that can be done By
these efforts is TO partly relieve the most
acute cases OF suffering.
No action has yet been taken for the
great majority OF inhabitants living ia
the interior. whose condition has already
been described.
Under these conditions and having ex-
erted themselves to the fullest extent.
the local authorities have reluctantly
confessed their inability to cope with this
distressing situation nnaided by relief
from the government
II has therefore seemed to me that the
Representatives OF the people should be
promptly Informed OF the nature and ex-
tent OF the suffering and needs OF these
stricken people and have communicated
these facts In the hope and belief that
the legislative branch OF government will
promptly reinforce the work OF LEGAL au-
thorfties In the states named
WILLIAM M'KINLEY
Executime Mansion
Washington. d. c. April !. 1857