The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-04-04
IS HOURLY GROWING WORSE.
The River al ST. Louis is Nearly to the
Thirty Foot Gauge.
LEYEES PATROLED BY ARMED GUARDS
Secretary Alger Offers the Aid ofthe Goss
ernment to the sunerers-The Stu.
alton at New Orleans Is Crit
ical-Gloomy outlook.

| bureau to-day sent out sweeping warn
ing TO all points on the Mississippi river
as far North as heokuk, Ia. II was
! stated that the river at St. Louis was
| likely 10 rise until the 50-ioot gauge would
be reached. This point was expected TO
be attained by sunday night. Al : q ocA
! this afternoon the river marked 2.' leet.
Heavy rain began falling shortly before
| noon. and continued for several hours,
accompanied by a high wind. sV'eral
| rain and thunder storms prevailed
throughout Missouri and Southern Iowa,
! and these will swell the streams. which
are now running bank full.
HOURLY GROWING WORSE
Teegrams 10 the Scripps-McRae Press
Association from various points in the
West and Southwest, are TO the ehec'
that the situation IS hourly growing
worse.
AT Helena. Ark, rain has fallen heavily
for nearly four hours. and AT noon tnerf
was no indication of cessation.
! A slight break occurred in the levee
| this morning, but was quickly repaired
At Little Rock, Ark, RAIN began Iallhs
| al $3.50 o'clock this morning, and at noon
| was still coming down In torrents. kall-
road traffic from the North is badly ee-
! layed. ....
city and north. ...,...
| THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SPENT.
| MEMPHIS, TENN, April st was
murky and dark this morning, ano me
rain was falling and stih breeze blowing
| from the West against the levee' ne
! greatest apprehension IS now felt Ior the
| people behind the levee at Austin, Mss
few miles below this city. The force
| Of men on tho levee at Austin, Mss ana
| lIcCloud has been increased, and thou-
sands OF dollars have been spent ior
| sacks into which 20 place dirt and graVel,
| The baes and their contents are placed
| on the top OF the levce few miles be-
low McCloud The water has forty miles
of country to flow over and at Rosedale,
| Miss. has ninety miles to flow over ana
! between the two the lcVees are only two
| miles distant from each other. Inc
| strain on these lcyees one OF when ls
in Arkansas and one I'm Mississippi Is
| tremendous. III there Is break IN the
Arkansas side the Mississippi levee VIII
| be- relieved OF its strain, and the same
! would be true OF the Arkansas levees
should the Mississippi levees give way
LEVEES PATROLED BY GUARDS.
/ Guards armed 70 teeth. patrol the le-
/ wees night and day and shoot down any
nersons who attempt TO land on the dikes.
Last night two men were killed at dif-
| fernt points on the Mississippi leVees'
| They crossed the river with tho intention
Of blowing up the Mississippi leVee hach
| man had a can Of dynamite. An accom-
piico of the men leaped from the boat
whom the lcveo guard arrived and started
l TO swim 10 the Arkansas shore. lie was
I drowned. for no man could swim in the
| Mississippi river currents AT the point
where the shooting occurred.
NEW ORLEANS THREATENED.
] ST. LOUIS. April 3.-At New Orleans.
d rain fell heavily On that city, ana north
OF there last night and this morning,
/ swelling the levees I'm tho course
| of an hour this morning five reports came
/ that the city was threatened with breaks
| along the Gretna Algiers and upper le-
vecs Two steamers were loaded with
/ material 10 repair the threatened breaks.
| Despite the heavy rain large crowd as
| scmbied along the levee watching the
| onslaught OF water Every business
house is preparing for the worst. An
| army az about two thousand men are at
work STRENGTHENING the levocs In front
/ OF and above the city.
WORST VET TO COME.
! JACKSON MISS. April The clll-
/ zons NJ that portion Of the delta already
| overnowod Get more comfort from the
/ warnings Of the weather bureau sent out
/ to-day than do those below Nicksburg.
where no breaks In the levees have yet
occurred. inasmuch as Chief Moore In
| forms them the worst is yet 10 come.
| This city is In constant communication
| with tho delta country because OF social
/ and business relations. and because Of
I the great interests involved. The state
has eleven big convict farms I'm that sec
| ton. an Of which are now more or less
| under water
A private letter from a merchant at
| Rolling Fork. Sharky county. which IS
| forty miles south Of Greenville and fifteen
| miles from the Mississippi river, but d.
| rectIy on Deer Creek. says:
eft rs water water everywhere and
more coming. I have been forced 10
move my entire stock mp stairs and am
all right provided the building does not
| float away"
The ladies'. what few remain, and ne
| gro women and othe- shoppers. are trav-
elling in shifs dueouts and all sorts OF
crafts The situation is critical and
! overflow as "a serious matter for this coun-
try. but If the water goes or by MAY we
can make a good crop. if not until June
we can make a half crop. which IS better
| than a whole crop in the hills
FEDERAL AID
Governor McLaurin received the fol-
lowing telegram this morning:
Executive Mansion,
washington. April 3, 1897.
! Governor Of Mississippi. Jackson.
"Please report Immediately number or
people suffering for food and shelter IN
tho flooded districts OF your State and
sum required. in your opinion. for reliev-
ing their distress. Keep Department tully
informed Of particulars by mail and tele-
| graph. .,
"(Signed) r. A. ALoEN.
Secretary Of War.
Upon receipt OF this telegram the Gov
ernor telegraphed 10 every county IN the
overfowed districts asking for data upon
which TO base his reply
There IS no doubt hat there viii be con-
siderable suffering among tho poorer
classes. the rich and well-to-do planters
having moved out with their families and
effects. and have In many cases made ar
rangemcnts 20 feed their hands until
the waters subside. But thousands are
unable TO do this, and the outside world
win soon be called upon 10 assist the des-
titute. At S o'clock tonight the Governor
had only received replies from two coun-
ties. but he wired the following
General L. a. Alger, Secretary or war
Washington, ID. C.:
Communication with the flooded dis
tricts so interrupted by overflow that II
IS impossible to give anything Ike ac-
curate estimate of number OF suffering
But I think $1,000 would relieve present
distress Many thanks for your eenerous
interest I'm our stricken people VIII keer
YOU promptly informed as requested.
"(slened) 4. ]. MLAURIN.