The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-04-10
FLOOD TOWNS.
fifty or More Under Water In the
Mississippi valley.

Mississippi valley.
Washington, April 7.--R. c. Graves
and j. $. Menken. representing the citi-
zens' relief committee of Memphis,
Tenn. organized for the purpose of re-
lieving the people of the flooded coun-
try tributary 10 that city, have arrived
in the city. They have prepared the fol-
lowing statement. which they will sub
init TO the president:
Prom Marion. Ark. north OF Memphis.
TO Greenville. Miss. there are now al least
80 towns and villages under water and a
territory extending from 100 miles north az
Memphis to 900 miles south. and Ave 10
forty miles wide, Is submerged and dcvns-
tated by the food. Hundreds OF thousands
OF acres OF cultivated soil. with growing
crops. are included In this submerged ter
ritory. and there are from $4,000 TO coco
people whose property has been destroyed
and whose business has been suspended
thereby. The amount OF damage 20 prop
erty IL incalculable. In addition 10 the
growing crops which have been destroyed.
thousands OF head OF working stock and
OF cattle have been drowned and starved
The great majority OF the sufferers are
small farmers. mostly negroes. who. with
the present crop destroyed and their work
Ing stock and farm tools swept away. are
left utterly destitute and unprepared 10 be-
subsidized.
TIE extent OF tho suffering has grown
beyond the capacity OF the local author
tiles and OF private local charities 10 re-
lieve. The citizens relief committee OF
Memphis Is now caring for from 5000 to
1000 refugees from the flooded district. and
they are still arriving by boatloads every
day. In addition to this, large supplies OF
provisions are being sent TO various points
in Arkansas and Mississippi, where 4 Is pos
To- To-.
higher ground and in relief barges The
utmost that can be done by these efforts
Ii TO measurably and temporarily relieve
the present suffering. The committee have
ound II very difficult and very costly TO
reach a great portion OF the sufferers liv-
ing In the interior. who can only be reached
by skiffs operating with lght-draft steam
ers that can leave the main river Mem
phis being the only point on high ground
for about 200 miles north and south. IL
necessarily has become the place Of refuge
for all seeking to escape the flood in that
locality.
This flood is the greatest and most de-
structive that has ever devastated the
Mississippi valley. the water being 2is
feet higher than the highest stage IL has
ever reached before The relief committee
10 thoroughly organized for the purpose OF
distributing supplies 10 the people of the
tributary territory. and is willing TO do
everything In It's power TO that end. but
IL has now almost reached the end or It's
resources and reluctantly confesses It's In
ability to cope with the situation without
obtaining RELIEF from the government"
Memphis, Tenn. April THE fea-
ture of the flood in the Mississippi
delta is the gradual spread of water
over an area that hitherto was never
oyerflowed. The upper crevasse in
Tunica county is 1000 feet wide, and so
great is the outpour that water from
below the break is being drawn up to
aud hurled out over the fertile valley
through the crevasse. All Of the coun-
try east of the main line Of the Yazoo 81
Mississippi Valley road is flooded. and in
many places the water has gone over
the tracks, filling the Yazoo river.
The supreme question is the duration
OF the food. II the lower levees along
Louisiana and southeastern Arkansas
should hold. which IL is believed they
will not do, the emptying of the delta
and ST. Francis basin will be slow. II
they break and the river continues 10
fall at Cairo, the upper st. Francis
basin and the delta will be clear Of
water by May 5. IL this should prove
true there will be no difficulty in grow
ing cotton. But breaks i'm Louisiana
and southeast Arkansas will hold wnter
in that territory until the middle of
MAY, far after the usual time for plant
ing cotton in that territory.