The Indianapolis journal., 1897-04-13

Saturday night. telegraphed that II seemed
absolutely necessary 10 purchase forage
for the stock in addition to food, and
the permission to do so was later given
him Another decision that may do
somsethng something to relieve the g0yernmhenr 1Dan 1har
resources was also made by Sec
retary Alger the recommendation OF
Captain Davis. This was TO reduce the ra-
| tions supplied TO the simplest proportions.
while still making sure that they should be
sufficient for actual needs The army ra-
tion will be discarded and in its place the
hungry will get nothing but corn meal and
molaSses
The first of the detailed reports from the
ger this afternoon from from Lieutenant whit
ney. at Memphis. II follows:
.'As result of personal inspection of part
Ashport. Tenn, ninety miles by river.
found eighteen crevasses in the levees
varying in width from fifty to l.So feet
and widening some. The increased dam
age to levees will be considerable unless
the ends of breaks are heavily capped n o
fresh crevasses are anticipated now. The
flood is completely over. Water at the
maximum was three to four feet higher on
the gauge than ever before known. 1t has
been falling ten to twelve inches every
twenty-four hours. and is now about on
stand, but still higher than any previous
| flood: The maximum approximate length
and breadth and area of the inundated dis
trict are as reported in my previous tele-
gram. In addition there is about forty-ilve
square miles in Tennessee, nine miles long
about 5000 refugees 09-20ths colored.)
Fifteen hundred more have been brought
to Memphis. Most all have some sort OF
shelter. but are suffering for want OF
necessities. Judging from reliable reports
this number represents barely one-quarter
of those needing immediate assistance in
| this portion of the district. Stock is suf-
| fering terribly: one-third to one-half OF the
cattle is drowned and the remainder Will
| die unless forage is supplied from the out
| side. The ready resources of the district
| are exhausted.
The condition in Mississippi county
| (Arkansas) is representative; nine-tenths
| of its 500 square miles are covered with
water three to seven feet deep. About 10
per cent. of this under cultivation.
| Those standing are filed with people and
| rescued stock on raised floors and on RATS.
| Out of 10000 population 5000 are dependent
| and needing. Four lives are reported lost
| by drowning. The conditions in Crittenden
| county even worse, and the suffering
| high water Most of the refugees are col
| lected on high ground and at points on
| leyees. have noted their location and ap-
| proximate number. They can be reached
| from Memphis by relief boat which
| should leave supplies for five days at a
time at certain relief stations. each in
| charge of one responsible resident. Would
| recommend that an officer distribute ra-
| tions and take receipt from person in
| charge of station. Those back from the
| these stations. Sufferers in my section can
| and should be relieved where they are
| This will prevent serious decentralization OF
| labor later. Would recommend furnishing
| simplest food supplies. corn meal and side
| meat, and that every ration be accom-
1 start soon as possible for the northern
| section