The herald., 1897-03-25
In the Flood=DevaStated
Regions
THE SITUATION UNCHANGED
WATER FALLS SLIGHTLY AND
THE LEVEES HOLD
In Their Terror the People are
Thankful That the Danger
Does Not Increase
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, March 24.-The riv-
ell bulletin issued by the weather bureau
tonight again announces a slight fall
In the river at Memphis, a tenth of q
foot. This has been the record for the
past three days, including today. The
gauge therefore registers S6S feet. The
bureau predicts that for the next twen-
| ty-four hours the river will remain about
stationary. The fact that the river con-
| tnues to rise at Cairo is sufficient evil
dence that no considerable fall may be
| expected in the near future. The situa-
ton remains practically unchanged
since yesterday. The fact that the levees
below the city on the Mississippi side
still remain intact and the good news
that they will probably withstand any
further rise, is calculated to make the
outlook more and more Cheering. The
dispatches giving the good news concern
ing the condition of the levees below this
city may be relied upon as authentic,
being received from the railrceI officials
from their agents at various points. In
addition to these, there is a C c)nfirmatory
message from Major Dabney. he having
completed personal inspection of the
| system of levees below Memphis on. the
| Mississippi side.
The work of the relief committee con-
| tinues without abatement The cum
mittee is kept busy providing for the
wants of the 5000 destitute people who
are here, dependent upon charity. Nor
has the stream of new comers ceased.
While the relief boats do not make as
many trips as they did during the tirst
few days following the overflow, nor
do they bring as many refugees s.t each
trip. they always bring some additions
to swell, the crowd of refugees. The
continued fair weather Is most fdvci able
and each day OF sunshine is welcomed as
harbinger of good tidings to the extent
that ith no untov ara rainfgals to swell
the mighty volume OF waters the end
may be the sooner expected. News has
beer received by Un,''J States Engineer
Fitch that the levee OH the Arkansas
side las broken in tN-n places EelOw
Memphis-one at Dawson, which is al bout
lbs miles below Memphis. and one not
far telow Modoc. The report concern-
ing rhese breaks seema authentic us I'm
Gineer Fitch has actei upon them with
promptness. He has sent boat with
batge and skiffs 10 he ASSISTANCE CT
the reople in thu country affected !y
thcse breaks. The details conce. ming tina
break at Dawson are meagrs. rhe break
near Modoc was not unexpected, as the
levee seems to be weak in that vicinity.
several breaks having occurred in spite
of every effort TO prsvan. such disasters.
FARTHER NORTH
CHICAGO, March 24.-During the
past twenty-four hours over eight inches
of snow has fallen in the city the heav-
lest fall for the month of March in the
history of the weather bureau. It melt
ed almost as rapidly as it FELL and with
the wind blowing fifty-two miles an
hour, pedestrians found it hard work to
get around. The storm came from
Texas, passed over Kentucky ard then
passed to the Western Ohio valley. Chi
cago was its northerly limit. Here the
flood waters broke with demoralizing
effect The Desplaines river is nine
feet in depth at Riverside. Railroad
tracks parallel to the Illinois and Mich
igan are almost covered with water.
At Bridgeport the Chicago river rose Z
foot, due to the overflow from the Des-
PLANES.
Few parts of Illinois. Eastern Iowa
and Southern Wisconsin escaped the
storm. Twelve inches of snow fell at
Rockford and Freeport. and fourteen
in q rix q q
is threatening great damage to farms
from sudden RISE The Mississippi
rose eight inches at Davenport AT this
place the snow was one of the heaviest
on record for the month of March. Over
six inches of damp snow covers the
ground, and 1t will add greatly to the
volume of water in the Mississippi when
it melts.
Milwaukee reports the storm as one Of
the worst of the winter. Six inches OF
snow fell and seriously interfered with
street car traffic. Many lines had to be
abandoned.
At Elkton. Wis, trains were block
aded by a blizzard of snow and wind.
Dams on the Croix river are being
washed out and lumbermen fear great
damage.
Alton fears a serious flood. the Miss
issippi there being fifteen feet above low
water mark. Riverside. Summit, Lyons
and other sman towns and Villages " est
of Chicago on the banks Of the Des-
PLANES are flooded from the overflow
of the river. Many Of the residents Of
these places are unable to leave their
homes except in rowboats or rafts.
Notwithstand the heavy ovsfdoW Il
is thought that the lossee In the Hicin1ey
will be very heavy. ~ many Of the resi-
dents had prepared Themselves Tor the>
food.