The Forrest City times., 1897-03-26
The Raging Waters.

our last issue may be IN harmony with
the grave situation now confronting
our friends in the flooded portion of
the county, aud appreciated by our
readers.
Last Friday morning the river gauge
at Memphis registered 81 feet with n
rise of 0.3 the previous "A hours; at
Cairo the gauge stood 80 feet, "a rise
of GA in "A hours.
Heavy rains had fallen throughout
the entire region of the Ohio valley
and in the territory. the drainage of
which swells the Mississippi river
Heavy rains also fell in Tennessee
and Arkansas during the previous "a
hours referred TO, the smallest, "a
inches ut Nashville and the largest.
800, at Helena. The river at Helena
rose foot in "a hours and stood AZ. =,
or 1917 above danger line.
From this preface can be traced the
wild wanderings of the flood since our
last issue.
The river at Memphis is 81 feet
above danger line and is IL feet above
that of March Is, 1890, which was the
highest point reached in the history of
the gauge.
During the week the greatest suffer-
ing in the history of this portion of the
Mississippi valley has been upon the
people living along the river front of
Mississippi, Crttenden and Lee coun-
ties. A great work has also gone on in
the way of relieving the distress of
these people at the hands of citizens of
Memphis.
During the latter part of the week
the Memphis people have been sup
ported by outside contributions and
the and fund has run way up into the
thousands.
There is estimated to be 5000 home
less and destitute people now IN Men,
phls, objects of charity and being sup
ported by this fund.
AT Helena more secure feeling ex-
lists as TO holding of the levee. A large
number of refugees fromthe Mississippi
side, and from below the city on the
Arkansas side, are congregated there.
The vlcinities of Old Town and La.
conia are the principal sufferers in that
locality. Relief committees are formed
aud doing good work. Steamboats, are
active in succoring the needy. Eighty
tents were shipped to that point from
Little Rock, Wednesday. Owing to
the danger of a break in the levee a
large lot OF the citY's population has
deserted to town.
AS to our own county's affairs, it is
safe to say that about one-third of the
county is under wateralong the valleys
of the st. Francis and L'Anguille rivers,
though very little privation is reported.
Only few head of cattle and hogs
have been reported drowned, which
was caused by them secreting them
selves in inaccessible places.
Anu iiNCA az NduISOI otdHuS %. -
with rise of 90, which is about 81
feet below the 1882 flood line.
A small relief fund for the county's
sufferers is being circulated in the city
and county and donations will be re-
ceived by o. Il. Rolwage and THE
TINES.
The water at Madison, village OF
some 800 Inhabitants, has encroached
upon the town so that little ground is
left in the main part Of the town; skiffs
and dug outs are the principal means
of circulation among its inhabitants.
However, that village will suffer but
little outside of stopping the two saw
mills and stave factory. Madison is
four miles east of this city, on the st.
Francis river at the crossing Of the l..
IL. " NJ. r. Il. and at the foot OF the
eastern slope of Crowley's Ridge, con-
sequently no suffering will be felt by
the Inhabitants, beyond a vexing in
convenience.
AT Widener, II miles east of Madi.
son, the water is reaching uncomfort-
able proportions, but the main portion
of the village is still holding its head
above the water line.
Reports from below Madison are TO
the effect that some assistance is needed
in that vicinity, which will probably
require steamboats, and barges. This
will be investigated this afternoon.
The knowing ones, including the
weather bureau at Washington, claim
that water in this section will reach it's
highest about the FIRST of April, so only
few more days of agony remain be-
tween now and that period. LOCALLY
it is thought the water in this section
will increase another twelve inches.