New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-04
FLOOD STEADILY RlolN"'
A GLOOMY OUTLOOK ALONG THE LOWER
MISSISSIPPI

ia GLOOMY OUTLOOK ALoN"
IA MISSISSIPPI
kvrrrv ,uoYrsANp PEOPLE IN DANGER VT 0iN'
rs WEAKENING UNDER THE
sraAIN - LOOKING no THE
GENERAL GOVERNMENT FOR RELIEF
Anr,I 3-The heavy floods in
A. ,1ts,,.sinpi north Of Cairo and the rise IN
."o .s....s and Cumberland rivers will throw
"e s,,a into the already filed ST. Fran
""0 and all Of this Will hove TO pass
-. ,h. narrow levee bound channel, begin
- ..r miles above Helena, to the first break,
niles below that city. The people Of Helena
,oy. increased the height Of their levees two
foot but the water Is now even with the new
rown The levees opposite Helena were IN
nracar,ous condition, and the heavy rains Of
,o.dsv have added to their weakness.
T., ,ba yazoo Delta the water is fast spreading
over the entire country, and the main line OF the
yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad Is report
"a 70 be IN a bad way If this road goes under,
not a line In the Delta will be intact Many
thousands Of people have been made homeless,
opd appeals for aid have gone forth. In the low
lands of Arkansas a call for food has been made.
,d the people of Little Rock will take immediate
c,ion Starvation confronts 10000 people. To-
,;sbt r c. Graves and ]. S. Menkn, of the Men,
nhis Relief Committee. so to Washington 10 ask
the General Government to lend assistance. Ihe
local relief committee has demands that VIII eX-
baust all present funds. They are from Missis-
snni as far down as Greenvile. and from nearly
all OF Eastern Arkansas. The visitors TO
Washington will ask for $4,000 to be USED In
buyng rations. Ten thousand dollars has aireaoy
been expended by the local committee and PROB
ahlv $4,000 worth Of contributed provisions have
looks a
ahead. No more breaks in the levees are report
cd tonight but 1t is feared no human power can
overcome the force Of water below Nicksburg,
and II Is believed by many to be only question
OF a few days before the same conditions that
now obtain in the Delta Will exist in southeast
ern Arkansas and Northeastern Louisiana
At Memphis the river is stationary tonight
The hopeful view of the flood situation which
prevailed some days ago has been rapidly dissi-
pated by reports from the waters OF the upper
Mississippi and it's tributaries. which are rising
at rapid rate, with every indication that I'M
nense volumes of water, the result of a thaw of
many feet Of snow over a big area in the North
west. may be expected to pour into the upper
Mississippi and eventually increase the already
appalng conditions existing in the middle and
lower Mississippi Valley.
A dispatch from Rosedale, Miss. says: "Reiief-
boets have been busy rescuing the unfortunates.
and many stories of air-breadth escapes from
death by drowning told Viewing the SIT
nation from the courthouse dome this morning.
your correspondent saw deserted negro capln
avav in the distance, with a dog walking 10 ana
fro on the roof. The situation has become 50
grave that an appeal has been made 1or ara
and relief committee has been organized.
The planters are providing for their tenants SO
there is not a great deal OF suhering on 'ne
large plantations yet. but those VINO WORKED
on smaller farms have been left to SHIFT for
themselves. OF the 100 inhabitants mere are are
not more than fifty white people ieiI III .ne
town and they are nearly all men Inc Gre re
vase at Stokes Place tonight is fully 2,wu
ieet vide ana Ssars ,9e rop opas.e several al miles
a dispatch TO THE Commercial-AppeaI 1rom
Lulu. Miss, says: Just at present the situation
here and in adjoining towns Is ex'remelS rr'',en n
The river is higher than known for years anu
there is every prospect Of further rise, ana
with the levees becoming soft ana mus ausnE, ,i SIP =.
ming dreadfully and water running over them, IL
is indeed q time of peril and danger SITUATED
as we are with the Mississippi River witmn SIX
miles to the west, the surface OF whlch Is & n,oie
than fifteen feet above the streets, and with
lake ten miles long, this little city is nteraly
surrounded by angry waters. The wnoie to"i
would be swept from its foundations in case or
a break in the levee at this point All ihe
levees near here becoming weaker each
hour and no one will be surprised to hear or a
disastrous break at any moment. Every avail
able man and bov who Is able to swing a PICK,
handle a shovel or tie a sack Is WORKING hisht
and day and trying to ward off the impenolns ps
slough or sink in the levees
soThe operator at the State levee on the branch
road which ordinarily runs from mere 20 Helena
Ark but which is in such bad shape that the
trains have not been able to get to Helena for
nearly a month, has just teegraphed the ran
read superintendent that the water is running
ever the levee near his improvised boX-car OF
fee, and is anke-deep In his car whch is
on the outside Of the levee He further states
that unless available men, sacks. dirt, etc. are
sent at once there will be break in the levee
fhe superintendent has ordered out a special
train from Memphis loaded with sacks and men,
Natchez. Miss. April 3.-The levee situation is
unchanged, but heavy rain since midnight re-
tards the work Of raising and Strengthening the
embankments
Helena, Ark. April 3.-It is now raining all
along the line from Helena to Arkansas City, with
variable winds
vicksburg. Miss. April 3.--At a. m. the river
shows a decline of one-tenth in twenty-four
hours ending at that hour. heavy rainstorm
prevailed at m, with strong wind from the
northwest. kilograms from Lake Providence
received at 10 a. m report all levees intact as far
MANY of the wholesale merchants who have
warehouses on the river-front are moving their
stock and raising floors, preparing for ffty-two
feet Of water the gauge at this city In the
next few days.
New-Orleans April 3-The river has been sta
tionary fer two days and while occasional winds
and rains have created Ineasiness the section is
in full enjoyment Of the breathing spell prom
ised by the engineers. The time is being put to
good USE Boatloads and tranoads Of sacks
and lumber are being sent out in every direc-
ton. boats and depots Of supplies are being
peoed at regular intervals. and even spots not
row In danger are being reinforced the rail-
roads are concerned. for crevasses wouio mean
damage TO tracks and railroad beds and inter-
rupted traffic so they arc keeping engines anu
trains ready for emergencies. and are running