Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-03-24
FLOOD SITUATION IN THE SOUTH
NOT MUCH IMPROVED.
VERY SLIGHT FALL AT MEMPHIS
AT MANY OTHER POINTS THE WAT
Err IS STILL RISING.
Levees ut Caruthersvflle, NO., Are
Weakening-Crevas South of
Town Now 200 Feet Wide
No Breaks in Levee
Below Memphis.

Memphis, Tenn, March 23.-Another fall
of sone-tenth of d foot in the river at Men,
phis is announced by to-nights official
bulletin from the weather bureau. This
very slight drop in the high water here is
not considered by the weather bureau Of
ficials as being indicative of d permanent
or material change, but is caused. it is
thought, by the giving way of the levee
above Memphis.
The end of the flood is not yet discernible.
The gauge, this morning, registered 36.9
feet, or one-tifth of a foot below the high
est point reached. This drop has not made
any change for the better in the situation.
Indeed it is caused by a decided change
for the worse in the Arkansas districts,
which have been inundated by the water
rushing through the broken levees above
Memphis.
At Cairo, ILL.,, the river is still rising, the
gauge indicating 5l.3 feet, rise of three
ttenths of a foot in the twenty-four hours
ending this morning. q
AT Marked Tree, on the St. Francis river,
the rise is even greater, the gauge regis
tering 49 feet, a rise of e!Sht-tenths of a
foot in twenty-four hours. With the rise
continuing at Marked Tree and at Cairo,
there is no hope of Immediate relief at
Memphis.
The rise continues at every point below
Memphis except at Arkansas City. AT
Helena, the gauge, this morning registered
"a, feet. a rise of three-tenths of a foot.
-
danger line. AZ Arkansas City there has
been a fall of four-tenths of a foot. At
Greenville, on the other hand, there has
been considerable rise. the gauge regis
tering 43.4 feet. a rise of six-tenths of a
foot. This brings the river at Greenville
to height which is 3.4 feet above danger
line.
At Vicksburg, the rise has been even
greater, the gauge indicating 46.S feet, u
rise of seven-tenths of a foot since yes
terday. At points below vicksburg, the
iS
Slowly. '''''' 'A ~ "
Both the Cumberland and Tennessee riv-
ers are falling. Altogether the feeling pre-
vailing in regard to the conditions may be
said to be more cheerful than it has been
at any time heretofore. The report of a
break in the levee at Australia: which was
has been authoritatively corrected. No
such break has occurred. All the levees
below Memphis are as yet intact and are
being guarded with the greatest care and
strengthened wherever any weak sports are
suspected. The hope grows more and more
confident that these levees will be able to
they have done in the past, the more so
as the pressure has been somewhat re-
lieved by the break above Memphis. Since
the Charlottesville break, no others have
occurred at any point up to this writing.
The continuation of the fair weather and
sunshine tends to raise the spirits of all,
in the atmosphere than at any former
time. The slightly cooler weather, too,
points to probable continuation of the
fair weather.
All the trains are again running on
schedule time, with the exception of the
through train on the Louisville & Nash
Vile road. Thus the wheels of commerce
are no longer retarded to any material
extent by the overflow.
No further loss of life has been report
ed. The relief boats are no longer kept
busy, as the overfiowed territory has been
gone over and all in danger or distress
have been brought to this city, where all
work of feeding and lodging them.
The work of the relief committee has as
sumed enormous proportions. and there is
not a moment when the Headquarters on
Second street are not besieged with mob
of negro applicants for every kind of as
sistance. 1t is almost impossible for the
committee to attend to the needs of all who
apply. but they are doing. great work. 1t is
especially difficult to distinguished between
the imposters and the really needy. as the
former are known to be much in evidence
in the crowds which daily seek supplies
from the committee. The utmost pains are
taken to distribute the rations where they
are really needed. and the colored preach
erS of the city are rendering assistance to
the committee in this difficult part of the
work.