The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-04-15
THE WORK OF RELIEF.
Secretary AIger In Pushing the Mat
ter-FIOOd Reports.

ter-FIOOu hepOFts'
Washington, April S.-Secretary, Alger
il pushing forward the work of relief for
the food sufferers. and within few days
the disbursement OF the rations PROVIDED
for by congress will begin. The secre-
tnry was in consultation with Col. Giles
pic. president of the Mississippi river
commission, who was summoned here by
the secretary for that purpose. Col. I'LL
lespie has Just returned from visit OF
INSPECTION along the lower districts of the
Mississippi river, and, by his experience
in the river movements. he was able to
give the secretary fair idea OF the
situation.
1t is felt by the engineering officers
that with the appropriation of S25,OoO al
ready placed at their disposal by congress
for the Improvement of the works thny
will be able to restore the levee banks
and get them into normal shape wherever
the leyees are constructed by the national
government apd are not state works.
1t il stated that Capt. Fitch, at Mem
phis, has been authorized to draw upon
the appropriation for the repairing of
leyees in his district, which reaches up
the river from Memphis.
With view to learning all that was
possible at this time Gen. Wilson has
telegrapbed to officers of his corps along
These reports came along this morning.
They have reference solely to the lcvees,
and are as follows:
"New Orleans, April Seen. Wilson,
Chief of Engineers, Washington Tele-
gram received There are no breaks in
my levees. Strain very severe, but the
crest has not yet reached my district.
We are making every effort to protect
them.
(Signed) "DERB1.
Memphis, April Sleeves on west of
river in my district practically intact.
One crevasse of little importance ut Amos
Bayou, two miles from upper end of levee
system, and the water has inundated
small area, including Arkansas City.
But little damage or restitution appre-
hendcd from this. -Four crevasses in
my district in Mississippi, one opposite
Island No. 20, on southern side of Con-
cordia Bayou, about eight miles above
Rosedale, one at Stop Landing, Choctaw
Bend, one northern side Lake Lee, about
eight miles below Greenville. Width of
breaks, about 800 to 1000 feet. Land
now overnowcd or that soon will be from
these breaks roughly estimated at twenty
five by fifteen miles. No reliable infor-
nation yet as to amount of loss or desti-
tuition caused by flood. Will depend
largely on time flood continues. Interior
points hitherto accessible by railway, will
probably soon exhaust supplies on hand
and can be only reached by skiff. We
think vague press reports of damage and
suffering very much eXaggerate present
conditions.
(SigneO "NEWCOMBE.'
Memphis, April S,--Two breaks in the
a.. Ma. |, 10
Mo-, and just above Missouri and Ar
kansas state line, aggregating 1900 feet
wide; between Osceola and Nodena, Ark,
there are seventeen breaks, aggregating
Il mile in width. This basin practically
overtlowed from Gayoso, Mo-, to mouth
of st. Francis river for twenty to twenty
five miles back. Overlooked area csti-
mated at $500 square miles. Breaks in
river three miles below Helena, Ark,
500 feet wide; five miles below, 1000 feet
wide: twelve miles below, 800 feet wide
Below Modoc, Ark. and near Island No.
go, are six breaks, one being n mile wide;
the Others will aggregate 1000 feet. Be
tween Knowlton, Ark, and two miles
above there are three breaks aggregating
1000 feet. Laconia levee is broken, in
undating Laconia Circle. The overlooked
area of White river basin estimated at
800 square miles. In upper Yazoo dis
trict there is one break opposite mouth of
st. Francis river about 500 feet wide.
No information on which to base estimate
of overlooked area of upper Yazoo dis
trict. No data for approximate estimate
of loss or restitution, which, however, is
great
(SignedD FITCH"
Touching the manner of relieving the
people in the flooded districts, the secre-
tary of war has made several changes in
the list of officers named for the work
yesterday The services of the engineers
are so badly needed elsewhere that they
were relieved and two infantry officers
were substituted, and the appointments
now stand as follows:
Maj. Sanger, inspector general Mai.
Craig, signal corps: Capt. Clarke, ord
nance department; Capt. Martin, quar-
termaster department: Lieut.. Richman,
Ninth infantry, and Lieut.. Rowan, Nine
teenth infantry. The two last named
| officers are now on duty in the informa-
ton bureau here.
After further consultation il has been
decided to make the purchases not only
at Memphis, but also at New Orleans
and st. Louis At the last two named
cities there are already stationed officers
of the commissary department, and this
morning Commissary General Sullivan
| ordered Maj. Jones, one of the best
| known officers in his department, from
New Orleans to Memphis to superintend
the work there