The times., 1897-03-23
WORK OF RESCUE GOES ON
Help for the Thousands Rendered
Homeless by the Floods.
REQUESTS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
A Few Riffs Have Appeared in
the Black Cloud of Dependency
That Has Rested Over the Flooded
Districts, Caused by Slight
Fall in the Water.

st. Louis, Mo-, March 22.-There wereoc
| despondency that has rested over the flo od-
cd valleys of the Southern rivers. Several
points report the water at a stand and i'll
| two cases slight falls.
| AT Memphis the Government gauge show
| cd 81 feet, a fall of an inch In tw enty-four
| hours. AT Nashville the river receded two
| feet, and all danger thereis past. At Cairo,
| H., and Charlottesville, Mo-, the water is
| about stationary.
The city of Memphis relief committee is
sued the following today:
The sufferers by floods in eastern
Arkansas, lower Missouri, and the islands
in the Mississippi River are coming to
this city in large numbers. Many of them
are actually in need of aid Some are
able to take care of themselves. The
exact needs cannot as yet be determined.
Memphis SO far has, through its liber-
ality, sufficiently rendered the necessary
aid and has funds to continue the good
work for a while.
we are receiving contributions from
many generous people from other points,
The uncertainty as to the length of
time the present condition Of affairs will
exist, makes the committee hesitate as
to what course it should pursue in seeking
aid We recognize the fact that an
authentic call from US Tor aid viii re-
ceive prompt and generous donations. But
we cannot afford TO ask for more than is
needed.
find hat nh ittrf tn ia
for the distressed is not equal TO the emer-
gency, we will so notify the public.
"F. b. HUNTER, Chairman.
ORCHARD r. ABERNATHY,
Secretary"
The rescue fleet Of five steamers is sup
plemented 10y skiffs, flatboats. dugouts,
and any SOFT of craft that VIII float,
Today the steamer Bryan made an eX-
tended trip to Marion, Ark, and vicinity
and rescued twelve families of forty pee
pie. There are no landmarks for forty
miles to guide pilots, and navigators are
dependent upon the compass andlog.
There are 200 refugees cared for in
Helena, Ark, and about 4, 500 in Memphis.
The thickiy populated cotton lands about
Riceville. Ark, have not been visited.
The Bryan passed there today, and the
people fired guns, rang bells, and shouted
for help from the house tops, but the
steamer could not go within mile of the
town The loss in live stock will be almost
total
Those desiring to contribute to the relief
OF the sufferers are urged to unite In
sending relief boats to the scene. There
is already food and clothing on hand for ]
the present needs OF the sufferers at Helena
and Memphis, but hundreds of men, women,
and children are still grouped around the
trees and housetops, and unless aid comes
soon, the exhausted people must drop to
death in the angry flood.
Cairo, H., March %. The Mississippi
River was swollen by the heavy rain of
last night, and this morning he gauge reads |
81 feet The weather today is bright and
pleasant and the situationis encouraging.
Reports received at the weather bureau |
this morning show that the upper Ohio, |
Wabash and Cumberland Rivers are falling. |
The Tennessee River, however, continues |
to rise at the rate OF an inch per hour. A |
relief boat left here this morning and will |
proceed to Memphis, picking up refugees |
en- route.
Memphis, Tenn, March 22.-So far as |
can be aseertained there were no addi- |
tional breaks in the leyee system along |
the Mississippi today, but by far the |
greatest sire tches of them, especially TO |
the north, are unconnected with the outer /
world by wire, SO that news from them |
must come through steamers ,and none have
arrived today. The river here has been
about stationary today at thirty-seven |
feet, though it is rising above. Broken
levees there will perhaps serve to divert
the water SO that no higher stage may
appear on the local gauge.
Il was reported today at noon that three
men, J. j. Nochols, his nephew, Nat Nc
Clure, ana Joseph Fleming were drowned
yesterday at Island 35, which is about
twenty miles above this city. 4 family
Of negroes was also reported drowned,
but confirmation has not been had.
Heavy rains last night and today caused
the Tombigbee, at Columbus, Miss, to go
up with a rush until it is now close to
the stage attained five years ago, when
loss of life and property en-
sued. Heavy rain is still falling there
The Memphis relief committee and the
mayor today telegraphed the Secretary of
War for 1000 tents In which to shelter
the thousands of refugees now being pro-
vided for here.