Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-07
NATIONS HELP IS NEEDED.
Memphis No Longer Able to Care For
All Flood Sufferers.
The Relief Committee Issues an Ap-
peal to the Country Representa-
tives of the City Also Visit w ash
ington and Submit a Statement Of
the Situation to the President.

ington and Submit a Statement Of
the Situation to the President
Washington, April 6.-Messrs. r. c.
Graves and j. S. Menken, representing
the citizens relief committee OF Mem
phis, Tenn. organized for the purpose
CT relieving the people OF the flooded
country tributary to that city, have ar
rived in the city. They have prepared
the following statement. which they
will submit to the President:
From Marion, Ark, north Of Mem
phis to Greenville, Miss, there are now
at least 80 towns and villages under
water. and territory extending from
100 miles north of Memphis to 200 miles
south ana . 10 4v miles vice, Is sub
merged and devastated by the food
Hundreds OF thousands of acres Of cultl-
waited soil with growing crops are in
cluded in this submerged territory
and there are from $4,000 to $4,000 peo-
pie whose property has been destroyed,
and whose business has been suspended
thereby. The amount OF damages 10
property is incalculable In adultloH
to the growing crops wniCh have 0een
destroyed. thousands Of head OF work
inn stock and of cattle nave peeh
drowned and starved.
The great majority OF the sufferers
are small farmers, mostly negroes, VINO
with the present crop destroyed, ana
their working stock and farming TOOLS
sweDt away are left utterly destitute
and unprepared to begin work even
after the foods have subsided. The eX-
tent of the suffering has grown beyond
the capacity of the local authorities
and Of the private local charities 10
relieve. The citizens relief conulllCSe
of Nemnhis is now caring for from b,OVO
to 1000 refugees from the flooded DIS
trict and they are still arriving Dy
boat loads every day. In addition 10
tbis large supplies of provisions are
being SEM 10 various points in Arkah-
sas and Mississippi, where 1t Is pos
eibIe for the refugees to be cared for on
l.ieher ground and in relief barges. ne
utmost that can be done by these ei1or'S
&c IN measurably and temporarily re-
Iieva the present suffering. ne con- con-
mittee has found it very dlilcuit anu
yerv costly to reach great poiUlon VI
the sufferers living in the interior Wno
car only be reached by skins, operatlhs
With licht-draft steamers tnat eau
1oave the main river Memphis beng
t,e only point on high ground Tor ABOUT
9oo miles north and south. II necessarily
has become the place of refuge Ior al
seel,ino to escape the food in that ter
ritOry. .,, ,,,ost
doetructive that has ever devastated Inee
N1iesissippi valley, the water rising ~
Feet higher than the highest stage II
has ever reached before.
".Tbe Relief Committee is thoroughly |
orqanizod for the purpose OF dlstrlDut-
inc supplies to the people OF the 'ri-
butarv territory, and is willing TO 90
avervthing in its power to that ehd,
hut il has now almost reached the enc |
~ ite resources and reluctantly con
fesses its inability to cope with the
situation without obtaining relief from
the government. r,
Representative Carmack, who repre-
eorts the Memphis district in the |
House. also signs the statement ana
eavs his information by wire and letter |
from the overfowed district IS IN ac- /
cord with that made by the commit
Fargo, ". D.. April G.-The situation
is appalling. While the Red river rose
onIv +bree inches last night, the Big !
Conlee west of the city, took a second
snurt and went up fourteen inches
flooding the entire west side OF town
and driving hundreds of people from
tbeir homes The water reaches down
IN Eighth street. from Sixteenth street |
and as far south on the Northern Pacl-
fc tracks as the eye can reach. 1t Is
q nopulous resident district and the ef-
feet Of the food is most forcibly felt. |
All that part Of the city south Of South !
street is inundated Six blocks OF |
Eighth street have gone out TINS morn
ing and the flood on the west slde OF |
town is so high that paving on west |
Front street is going out rapidly. SIDE |
walks are all afloat and are being used
as RATS upon which families are NOV
Jag to dry land.
All along Front street the water Is
within a few inches OF the Ioors oI
nrjpcipal business houses. and rise
of another foot would practically put |
tho entire city adOat The Northern |
pacific people were afraid 10 use the
bridgo this morning and passenger .
trains were brought across from Moore
head over the Great Northern bridge.
Passengers were transferred and a
snecial went west this afternoon. All
bridges are condemned, except the
Grest Northern. which is steel bridge
nut In last spring. The water works
at Reserve Station were compelled 10
shut down and pumps were started M
and are doing all in their power TO
sunnlv the city. There is much suffer
inc among poor families who have been
destitute all winter and this
last blow is most serious. Relief COM
mittees. operated jointly by the city /
council and county commissioners, es-
tabIisbed headquarters this morning
and will take care Of the poor. II
showed this morning for two hours.
Sections of the city that no one ever
dreamed could be reached by Hood, are
now under water. and Broadway, with
q short distance on either side. is the
only drv spot in town. Old timers
have stopped talking Of floods and gone
10 praying for a cessation OF hostili- !
Greenville Miss. April G.-The back
water is rising slowly I'm town. The
vater in the Bogue Phalia and Deer
creek sections is higher than in 1890.
A slight caving of the river banks
above Greenville is reported.
Natchez. Miss. April 6.-Wor,i on all