The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-17
SITUATION ALONG THE MISSTSSIP-
Pr IS NOW MORE SERIOUS
THAN EVER.
LOSS OF LIFE EXPECTED.
THERE is A SPEEDY CHANGE
IN CONDITIONS.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HOMELESS
No Effort Spared to Rescue the Flood
Victims and Relieve Their
Necessities.

MEMfh 1O, 1euH, MdfCa ID lie
Mississippi river at Memphis tonight
gauges a fraction over SS.5 feet, rise
of over one-tenth since morning. The
river continues to rise slowly. Two
lives are known to have been lost
during the day. Two negroes, who
live near Newark, attempted to cross
Mound lake in a dugout when they
were caught in the mighty current,
their boat capsized and they were
swept away.
The change in the situation in the
past twenty-four hours has beer de-
cidedly for the worse in every respect,
SO far as the flood and the flood Vic
Tins are concerned. Localities that
were expected up to the last moment
to withstand the overflow are at last
under water. People who thought they
were safe from the angry river find
themselves hemmed in, and their CAN
ger is the greater because of the con-
fidence that prevented them from Irc-
viding against it. From every direc-
ton come reports of unexpected and
unprecedented disaster.
Over at Marion and the adjacent
country 400 people are reported TO be
lined up on the railroad track, over
which occasional waves sweep that
threaten to carry off the GeSL crate
people and live stock that there fiId a
precariOus foothOld. Along the other
railroads leading out of this city H. to
Arkansas a similar condition CT affairs
exists. Down on President island,
where it was supposed that all pers ms
in danger had been carried If last
night, it is learned that from so to
100 people were this morning standing
in the water and praying for the sight
of a boat that would take them off.
From Island Forty come reports that
the water is everywhere, that human
beings and dumb brutes are hud0led
together wherever shallow water Of
fers standing places.
There are many other points from
which come appeals for aid. 1t may
| be easily understood, therefore, that
the relief committee which has been
established in this city has its hands
full of work. This work is being looked
after without delay, nevertheless. All
the local river craft have been requis-
itioned for this duty. and Capt. Fitch,
has placed every steam vessel and
barge in his command at the disposal
Of the committee The Hardin is TAX
ing care of Presidents island; the Alb
bolt and Itaska looking after Island
Forty; the G. B. Bryan, the Minnehaha
and the Welcome running far up be-
yond Marion, is in brief the disposition
of the vessels. Barges are carried
wherever necessary. Nearly 1000 peO-
pie have been brought to this city al
ready from the overlooked country.
Only few of these are white, and all
such have been able to take care of
themselves upon arrival, as well as to
extend a hand to the negroes who
come in their train. But most of the
refugees are negroes who saved moth
ing but the clothes on their backs and
some stock, the latter being an incum-
brance rather than an assistance in the
matter of finding food and accommo-
dations in town.
The citizens relief committee has
| found places to house the refugees and
| food is furnished them also from time
to time. This morning a quartette of
| ladies arrived on the levee with prov
ender They brought substantial food.
The food put new life into the discon-
ISOLATE negroes and caused the happy
ones to shout the loudest.
Many rumors of wholesale drowning
are current. but these cannot be veri-
fed. A we'll defined report reached
here last night that five cOlOred people
had persisted near Marion, and col
Ored man and child are known to have
been drowned at West Memphis.
Today two negroes were drowned on
| the Mound lake, and conditions are I'M
| doubtedly such that there will be in
| Vulnerable fatalities before long unless
| the helpless ones are relieved. Intense
interest in the floods animates every
| body in the city. This is evidenced by
! the great throngs that gather on the
| levee This afternoon it was almost
| impossible to reach the Bryan wharf
| boat when she pulled in from Marion.
At Helena the river rose very slowly
today, standing tonight ASS feet two
| inches below high-water mark. In the
| vicinity of Helena rain came down III
torrents last night and today. The
| steamer Maud left late this afternoon
! for Modoc with a crew of forty labor
! ers, where the government boat Titan
with crew Is sacklng the Ievee.
! The water at ModOc was within about
eighteen inches of the top of the levee
| at last reports.
The people in and around Marion,
Ark. are certain that back in the
woods, to the rear of Marion, there has
| been great loss of life. There was a
| rumor to the effect that several ne
groes had already been drowned in at
tempting to get to place of safety,
| but the names and other facts could
| not be learned.
! The Memphis and st. Louis packet
Mary Morton arrived in port today
and reports extending relief TO food
sufferers below Cairo. Something over
| q hundred men, women and children
and a quantity Of live stock were
! picked up and carried to Fulton. From
all accounts there is great suffering in
| the district mentioned and aid is being
asked for from the citizens of Cairo.
| No lives SO far have been lost.
HELENA, Ark, March 1.-THE river
| stands at 45.6 on the gauge here to-
night, and it is rising slowly and Is
| now within two feet six inches of high
| water mark. While there is no appar-
| ent danger of overflow at this point,
the levee boards are making the neces-
sary arrangements for properly guard
ing the levees night and day. Thor
ough organization Is being effected to
that end, that where weak places are
discovered they will at once be
strengthened.
Shreveport, La, March 16.-A heavy
rainfall visited this section of the
state causing several washouts on the
different railroads entering this city
and sending Red river on a BOOMING
rise. Although the present guage of
the river does not indicate that there
is any present likelihood of serious
and damaging overflow, the planters
are beginning to grow apprehensive as
to the rain continuing and the river.
both at this station and above, Is rising
rapidly.
NH;o1