The herald., 1897-04-09
MANY HUNGRY NEGROES
ANXIOUS TO ACCEPT GOVERN
MENT RATIONS
The Flood Situation Is Changed But
Little, But the Weather Threat
ems Further Rise

M 1tUHs Aplll c.-iC
grams received tonight from the flooded
areas of the Mississippi delta report the
situation unchanged. A heavy rain, ac-
companied by strong northwest wind.
has prevailed all the afternoon. Infor-
nation from Flower lake crevasse says:
Break is 100 feet wide. Every effort is
being made to tie the ends of the levee.
The town of Lulu is entirely shut out,
except by telegraph. Today was ration
day for the destitute refugees and s
more poverty stricken band of negroes
than those gathered at the place of dis
tributior would be hard to picture. Only
those who were known to be actually in
need were supplied. The news had be-
came current among the negroes that
the government had sent rations and
many who were yet able to take care of
themselves were grievously disappoint-
ed at not finding their names on the re-
lief role.
At Helena the river has fallen two feet
and eleven inches since the levee gave
way on Sunday. The backwater in the
southern part Of the city is at stand
still. Many flood refugees are being
taken to Helena. and the number in
that city will now probably reach 5000.
The relief committee is doing good work
and no complaints have been made. The
river is falling at all points between
Cairo and Helena.
FEARS OF RAIN.
NEW ORLEANS. La, April S.-The
flood wave has not yet given the Louis
lana points it's fullest force and the
levees still average several feet above
water. A few more storms like that OF
Tuesday night will leave little damage
for the food to do and the weather
holds more dread for the levee boards
than the rising river. Along Bayou Ia
Fourche, the vegetable crop is ruined
and many substantial structures In
iured, but strange to say the levees re-
garded as probably the weakest part or
the Louisiana system came through un-
scathed. This has given the waterside
dwellers hope and they will make a
gallant effort to hold the banks.
DANGER THREATENS.
GRAND FORKS, n. D., April S.-This
has been day of excitement. The ice
has been gorging near the city. and only
by the most daring and persistent effort
has ii been kept from destroying prop
erty. At one time the situation near the
Great Northern and Northern Pacific
bridges looked go threatening that the
structures were turned so as to allow
an open way for the ice and the ap-
proaches were weighted down by steel
rails and old iron. Until after dark a
crew was busy making the structures
strong. About noon the ice began to go
out near the Minnesota point bridge. 1t
came down the Red river in sections
many yards square and piled itself upon
the south side of the structure. Dyna-
miters were at once put to work on It.
but before they were able to do any
thing ii started. 1t wrecked the ap-
proach on the North Dakota side and
demolished the under piers of the bridge
proper.
Finally effective work wac done with
dynamite, and the huge cakes were sent
on down to the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific bridges, quarter of a
mile below, where occurred a battle
royal. A buffer consisting of stone and
timber had been erected in the morning
and on X were stationed eight men with
long pixies to do battle with the ice. At
times it looked as If the buffer would be
completely demolished, but the men
stood their ground, and guided the cakes
pact the bridges. At one time the stone
foundations of the Great Northern bridge
gave way at one side under the pressure
of giant cake, placing the lives of the
courageous men in peril, but by hard
| work they succeeded in preventing a
gorge. BY 2 o'clock the bridges were out
| Of danger.