Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-20
MISSISSIPPI FLOODS.
GREAT DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
ALL ALONG THE RIVER.
CONSIDERABLE LOSS O.. LIFE.
The Work OF Rescue Proceeding
EnergeticaIiy-Enor to Prevent
StiII Rising.

means the devastation Of property and
probably a loss OF life uneaualled in the
food history Of this section. The rise
is threatened because rain is still falling
Seventeen persons are reported drowned
fifty miles below Caruthersvile Mo.
A stretch OF country over one hundred
miles long. from a point seventy miles
north OF Memphis to a point fifty miles
south of the Tennessee metropolis, is
submerged in places TO the depth of ten
feet The fertik valleys Of the Ten
nessee and Arkansas are completely IN
undated. and many lives have been lost
much stock drowned, fencing and dwell
ings swept away the inhabitants made
destitute and homeless. and left 10 starVe
or be drowned by the remorseless rising
tide Reports from tributary streams
show rains and rapidly-rising rivers
the floods from which will soon be
emptied into the Mississippi. adding to
the danger. when hurled against the al
ready weakened levees The levees are
patrolled hourly by armed and desperate
men. provided with sandbags to
strengthen weak places or 10 close
threatened crevasses, and rifles to shoot
down any miscreant who would venture
10 cut the embankment and allow the
waters on his plantation to find vent
into the lowlands Of his neighbOr. The
floods now partake Of the nature OF
deuee. AS far as the eye can see no.
thing but water meets the gaze.
Six hundred people were rescued yes
terdav on the Arkansas side Of the river
and taken TO Memphis. but there are
flood districts so situated that relet-
boats cannot reach the stricken ones
On Island 80. one hundred sufferers ana
considerable live stock were rescued by
the steamer Itasca. Neither man nor
beast had tasted food for over twenty
four hours. Human being and helpless
brutes are hudded together, awaiting
assistance all along the Iron Mountain
and Kansas City and the Fort Scott ana
Gulf tracks. Five hundred people were
forced to flee from the floods in Dyer and
Obion counties. Tenn.
LIST OF FATALITIES LONG.
GAVIN, ARK, March 19.-For many
miles the country is flooded, ana the
water is up to the Iron Mountain tracks
Hundreds of section hands are striving 10
keep IL back with dirt-bags. Al every
station the negroes are gathering, anu
waiting 10 be taken away. Many podru
the trains, and are carried without pay
The list Of fatalities Is said 10 De IONS
and probably never will be known WI
liam Cartwright and William Cox, work
inc an Judge Hodges farm, at Rosebud
Island. lost their lives Thursday by the
unsetting of a "dug-out." Jake carly
was drowned at Gavin Thursday hlshl
from, the same cause. Amanda Chlphdh
CcoloredD lust arrived from below, reports
the death of six persons she couid not
name Charles Burkley was also
drowned near Gavin. He could not
manage a dug-out.
a mountain of household goods Is plieu
IN at every railroad station. Nhiles
opd negroes beg for help from every
train-crew Houses along the road are
submerged TO the roofs, and cattle are
standing i'm the fields with only their
heads above water. Many corpses oil
hos and COWS are washed up by the
water.
CONDITIONS MORE HOPEFUL.
HELENA. ARK. March 1.-the river
OF noon was within two inches of the
highest water on record here. The sun
sbone to-day. after one Of the most pro-
foneed and heavy downpours of rain Tor
many wears. and the conditions are more
hopeful. The Observer urges people III
the lowlands TO move at once 10 hlgheI
ground. The levees in front and north OF
the city are having the attention OF the
| officers of the city leyee boards ana are
| being raised and strengthened. Heavy
rains Yesterday and last night nave part
lv inundated a portion OF the northern
| suburbs of the city, but the water Is no"
fast receding. The levees at Modoc are
staI holding. and, with the recent re-
! cruits TO the already large army OF leVee
workers. there is a bright chance ol
maintaining the status quo. The leVees
ON the Mississippi side appear TO De III
good shape.
SITUATION AT CAIRO.
CAIRO ILL. March 19-The river here
rose four-tenths of a foot In twehty-iou.
hours. and the prospect Is that II MI'
/ on IN high-water mark, Whlch y w.
! The citizens have organized. TO De pre-
nared TO meet any emergency anu WH'0,'
/ the leyees around the city thoIouehiS
/ large area of wheat-iand mas Deeh "OoH
"a IN the neighborhood of Commerclai
| Point, in this county. Uhul the lloe % 49,
| heavy rains are over. predictions ol tne
/ a>teot of the rise are Impossible. blIu
/ point is entirely under water ana VI,
! rotton Relt and the Iron Mountain trains
I aVx
! oou,,ot enter Cairo. The steamer MAJ
/ Nforton arrived from the lower river 'hi'
morning. reporting the levees intact lior W
! Osceola up. but with the people iiloi''
toriIv fearing break. The Morton res
cnad q large number Of people ana mucH
! livestock
GREATEST FLOOD on RECORD.
NASHVILLE. TENN, March ls.-Tht
Cumberland river Is rising. Ram lelI al
| dav Yesterday and last night anu SoiI
| times to come down incessanIy to-udS
There is prospect of the greatest hooO
on record. The highest recorded "a'ei
in the Cumberland river was in 1875 "he.
- reeistered s. feet. feet higher than al
nresent. The outlook is that TINS mar
vim be eclipsed. Much damage mas az
ready resulted from the oVernoweu ioM
lands. and more will follow "heh th'
| flood increases. Large sections OF ha9
TaebviIle have been under water Ioi
several days. The river is already clinio
sng to the business houses on Front
street. Boats are anchoreo 10 the Siue
walks. and the prospects are that tn'
first floors Of buildings will be SUB
merged. ....t..
of Tennessee and from Northern Alabama
roport thirty-six hours of rainfall ah'
terrible foods in that region. Great dam
ace has been done TO bridges ana FENCES
trains have stopped running on th'
Nashville. Florence and Sheffield ran
road. ..
DAMAGE IN KENTUCKY.
LOUISVILLE, KY. March ia ais
match from Wickliffe. KY says that par
of the approach TO the bridge over in'
Ohio at East Cairo. KY, has been WASH
ed away. Traffic on the Illinois Centra
: is badly delayed More damage is eH
pected.
The river is rising here, with Is feet OF
the falls. One and thirty-eight hundreth'
inches of rain has fallen In the pas
twenty-four hours.
SITUATION IN MINNESOTA.
MINNEAPOLIS. MINI, March 10
| =, l. -, falling aenin last night. nnl