The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-21
DAKOTA CRIES FOR AID.

DAKOTA CRIES FOR AID.
The Appeal Came as Surprise to the
Department.-The Mississippi Relief
Goes On.
Washington, D. c., April 20.-Secre-
| tary Alger was to-day handed the follow
! ing telegram by its recipient:
"Pembina. North Dakota, April 10.
"Hon. II. c. Hansbrough, Washington:
'The storm of yesterday in connection
| with the food has left over two hundred
people destitute along Red River, in this
county. Aid is needed at once. Can
| anything be done? Local committee is
unable to render sufficient aid.
(Signed) "JUDSON LAMOURE."
This news came as surprise to the
War Department officials. The officer
who had been sent to the Red River
country has returned, reporting that there
was no call for government aid. AS the
department has no agent in that section,
it will communicate directly with the
mayor of Pembina, and probably au-
thorize him to extend aid to the desti-
tute.
The following report came to-day from.
the inspecting officer at New Orleans:
Il have had interview with parties rep
resented to me as responsible, who report
that 372 persons, including men, wo
men and children, are destitute from the
overflow in the vicinity Of Nastor, on the
left bank below the organized levee dis
trict, and have practically been in that
condition for several weeks. 1t is re-
commended that rations be shipped to
them for three weeks"
The department has already adopted
this suggestion.
In view of representations by the army
officer at Vicksburg that he is obliged to
pay $3.50 per day for n relief boat, Cen
eral Wilson. chief of engineer, has di-
rected Major Stickney, the engineer in
charge at st. Louis, to put in commission
at orce two of the steamers belonging To
his department, the Golden Gate and the
Alert, and send them to Vicksburg for
the use of Lieutenant Cowley. One is
wanted for the distribution of relief OH
the Mississippi between Vicksburg and
Greenville and the other is at work along
the Yazoo and Sunfower rivers and
their tributaries.
RICH LANDS FLOODED.
Memphis, Tenn, April 2O-The river
at Vicksburg, Helena, Natchez and all
along from st. Joseph, Louisiana, to
Bayou Sara, Louisiana, is reported
either stationary or falling tonight. This
condition is the result of the vast amount
Of water passing through the crevasses
at Biggs' and Reeds levees, above
Natchez, and at Hancock's, below. The
leyee in the immediate vicinity of Nat
chez. continues to hold under the great
strain, but its holding is now of little
interest to the planters in Concordia,
Tensas and Madison parishes, as the
water backed up from the breaks above
and below will soon flood the rich lands
Of these parishes, and the result will be
almost as disastrous as If other breaks
should occur. The Red and Tensas riv
ers are now swelling, and almost running
over their banks, and by tomorrow they
will begin spreading OVER section OF
thirty miles to the interior. Work contin-
ues on the levees, however, without
abatement, and everything possible is
being done to hold the remainder Of the
levee system intact. AT Memphis the
river continues to fall. Reports from
Greenyile Rosedale and Cairo state that
an encouraging decline is noticed.
VIDEL'S TALE OF WOE.
Natchez, Mss, April 20.-A tale of
woe comes from Bayou Videl, in the
lower portion of Madison parish. The
water from the Biggs crevasse caught
the people there unprepared and I'M
aware Of danger. Word was sent out
from that locality requesting that boats
be despatched at once, as the people
were drowning. How many were actually