San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-04-05
AND THEY HAVE WILLINGLY
ACCEDED TO THE RE-
QUEST ALL ALONG.
Weather Bureau Warning To Flee
Is DiSregaried And Everybody
Is AT Work On The Weak
ening LeyeeS. And The
Country Will Be Saved

New Orleans, La, April 5.-This
week tells the tale. Recognizing this
fact. Governor Foster last night issued
a proclamation to the people. He
calls attention, to the fact that the
levee system, although not yet entire
" perfected, is the bulwark of the
states salvation. He says:
Behind that lies one of the most
fertile sections of America. The gov
eminent and the state aid has been
extended further aid depends upon the
people. Trusted leaders are in charge
of the work and if the people help
them properly, despite the fact that
the flood is apparently the greatest
ever known, all or most of the levees
can be held and the future will be
bright because the system will be
strengthened and completed.
The sentiment expressed took root
before it was uttered almost for all
along the Mississippi valley road be-
tween this city and Baton Rouge,
mass meetings were held and volun-
teer forces organized to keep a strict
watch on the banks and labor day and
night to strengthen them,even where
danger is not apparent except in the
rivers steady climb to the top of
the protecting earth works.
Warming of the weather bureau to
abandon homes and seek safety in
flight has been disregarded and in
stead men, women and children, black
and white, are piling on dirt and
building revetments, seemingly fascin-
ated with the struggle against the
attacking monster.
So far there is no break in the en-
tire Louisiana leveee, not counting
the tributary bayou of La FOurche,
where the levees were known to be
weak before the food came. Lumber
and sacks are being distributed every
where, even nails being shipped by
the carload and there will be no lack
of new work during this week.
The $4,000 appropriation a few days
ago and placed at the disposal of the
Mississippi commission can be used
only in repairing breaks in the leveeS,
strengthening them in weak places,
etc. Not penny can be used for re-
lief of the destitute. There are sew
eral precedents for the application of
money for such purpose. In 1890 on
the occasion of the last flood $150,000
were appropriated.
The president has received the fol-
lowing replies from governors to
whom inquiries were addressed as to
the flood situation and the need of re-
lief:
Baton Rouge, La, April 2.-Up to
date we have been able to hold the
levees in this state with the exception
Df in hn ho pf n
FOurche. There is yet not a flooded
district except small territory af-
fected by this crevasse. The situa-
ton, however, is extremely critical
and the cooperation of your depart
ment, through assistant engineers in
strengthening and maintaining the
levees, is most earnestly solicited. Ac-
cept my thanks for your interest in
our people and my high appreciation
Of the same"
"ISigne0 MURPHY ], FOSTER,
Governor"
Little Rock, Ark, April 5-"Am
gathering information by wire and
otherwise and will promptly report
to you as soon as reliable data can be
obtained, by Monday probably. The
entire Mississippi valley in Arkansas
is OVERLOADED. There is great destruc-
ton of property and communication
to many points is cut off, rendering
the information you require difficult
to obtain. The extent of the suffering
for food and shelter can only be va
guely Appropriated, but it is safe to
say $4,000 added by the government
to our local resources will not be too
much to meet eXigencies. (SigneO
Daniel w. Jones, Governor"
Jackson. Miss, April photographic
communication with the flooded dis
tricts is so interrupted by the over
flow it is impossible to give anything
like an accurate estimate of the num-
Der suffering, but l think $4,000
would relieve the present distress.
Many thanks for your generous inter.
est in our stricken people. Will keep
you promptly informed as requested.
(SignedO A. ]. MLAURIN,
Governor.