The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-03-25
TH[ RIVER STILL RISING
HOURLY THE MISSISSIPPI Val
LEY SITUATION GROWS
MORE SERIOUS.
INHABITANTS FLEEING FOR SAFETY
THE WATER IN THE ARKANSAS
LowLANDs SPREADING
DISASTER.
AN0AAA AND -FOUR CHILDREN WERE DROWNED
Swept Away While Seeking a pIoc,, of
Safety-Ran Continues TO Pour
N Down in the Adjacent Country.
II Refugees Taken to Mem
" phis in Boats.
A WOMAN AND -FOUR CHILDREN WERE DROWNED


the great flood claims FIVE more victims.
Near Marion, Ark; Eta Turner and
four children We're trying to make their
way to Maroon for shelter and while at
tempting to cross a railroad trestle the
strong current overwhelmed the little
party and all persisted. The oldest child
was girl II years of age, and the
youngest an infant of 3 months.
Tonight the Yazoo Valley road aban-
doned its trains on account of the en-
croachment of the river over its tracks
a few miles south of Memphis. The sit
uation on the Arkansas side remains un-
changed, all trains running over the Iron
Mountain tracks, which remain a few
inches above water. The river is still
rising at Memphis ana the indications
are that it will continue to do so for
some time to come. The river tonight
stands at 3GD feet, n rise since morning
of one inch. Such is tine pronunciamento
of the weather bureau at Memphis The
conclusion as to a continuance of the
rise is based on the fact that the rise
is continuing at Cairo and the further
fact of what is behind it, namely, heavy
rains in all districts which feed the big
river, both in the upper and middle val
ley. The drainage from the snow in the
northwest will continue for some time
to come. The same condition prevails in
the territory to the west.
On the eastern side of the river, ,contin
uous rains are the rule. At Memphis
and throughout this district the rainfall
in the last twentyf0ur hours amounted
to 2.64 inches, while across the river at
Helena it was 2.42 inches. So LONG as
the heavy rains continue there lis small
chance of q cessation of the rise of the
river.
This morning an official bulbetin was
sent out from the weather bureau of
Memphis reporting a fall of two+tenths of
Il foot in the river since yesterday morn
ing This bulletin was published as
piece of cheering news in the local press
and was telegraphed over the country.
Subsequently Mr. Emery of the weather
bureau discovered that the statement
contained in the bulletin was absolutely
erroneous, that no fall whatever had
taken place, but the employee &c the bu-
reau who had read the gauge at y o'clock
had made mistake in the reading. AS
a matter of fact, the river was stationary
from yesterday morning at Z O'Clock un-
til Yesterday evening at q O'Clock, when
the rise continued. Mr.. Emery deplores
the mistake.
At Carrolton the rise continues, two
.tenths of foot being recorded within
the past twenty-fOlh' hours. The rain
fall at Helena was also heavy and the
rise was eight-tenths of an inch during
the day. At Vicksburg the rise was
.eight-tenths of foot, the river being now
five feet above the danger line.
At Natchg. and New Orleans tine river
continues to rise.
The work of rescue and relief goes for
ward with undated zeal. -Four or five
rescue steamers arrived here, bringing
several hundred refugees, nearly all of
whom are destitute. to be cared for by
the charitable people of Memphis. The
committee has its hands full. AS long as
the overflow continues funds will be
needed to reliere the pressing wants of
The flood suffereres. Inasmuch as all the
sufferers are practically residents of Ar
kansas, the relief committee telegraphed
to Governor Jones of that state asking
his cooperation in relieving the dire dis
tress in which thousands of people of
his his state were plunged. The governor
replied that there were no funds at his
disposal.
The local relief committee has sent out
an appeal to the individual citizens Of
Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi.
Today Hugh McVey. secretary of the
st. Francis levee board of Arkansas. re-
received telegram from T. D. Williams
of Caruthsvile, Mo-, president OF the st.
Francis levee board of Missouri. SIMPLY
giving tne lllIOTuld tioH thal !i'T I'm " W
had been cut Wednesday night below the
city. Capt. Pharr of this city is the en-
gneer for both boards, and the telegram
WAS addressed to him, but the captain
was out of the city, being low on the
upper works.
j. j. Mcclellan received Il telegram
from friend in Carruthsyille, No. say
ing there was hole in the levee mile
below the city. but neither kilograms
gave information us TO how ~ why the
lob was done or the amount of damage
il would do.