The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1897-04-16
M'K|NLEYS RELIEF MESSAGE
He Reviews the Situation in the
Flooded Districts.
THE GREATEST ON RECORD
Confessing Their Inability to Further
Cope With the Situation Congress
Appropriates 100000.

Ihe following message In reilel oA
the flooded districts of the States OF
Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas
was sent to Congress Wednesday by
President Mckinley. The House and
Senate agreed to s2C6, 900;
To the Senate and House of RepTesen-
tatives.
Information which has recently como
to me from the Governors of Arkansas,
Mississippi and Louisiana, and from
prominent citizens of these States an9
Tennessee warrants the conclusion that
widespread distress, involving the dq-
struction of large amount of proper
ty nnd the loss of human life, has re-
suited from tho floods which have sub
merged that section of the country.
These are stated. on reliable authority,
to be the most destructive floods that
have ever devasted the Mississippi
Valley, the water being much higher
than the highest stage it has reached
before From Marion, Ark, north OF
Memphis, to Greenville, Miss, more
than $50 miles of river, it is reported
that there nre now at least so towns and
villages under water, and territory
extending from 100 miles north of Mem
phis to 2UO miles south, and from five to
forty miles wide. is submerged. Hun
! III eds of thousands OF acres of cult
vatod soil with growing crops are in
| cluded in the submerged territory. In
this section alone there are from so, 600
to 60, 900 people, whose property has
been destroyed and whose business has
| been suspended. Growing crops have
beon ruined, thousands Of cattle have
been drowned and the inhabitants OF
certain Arrears threatened with starva-
lion, as q great majority Of the suf-
terers are small farmers who have been
left entirely destitute and who will be
nnprepared for work even after the
aoods have subsided.
| The entire Mississippi Valley in Ar
kansas is flooded and communication
with many points cut off, In Mississippi
like condition exists. The levees IL
Louisiana, with single exception, have
held, but the water is rising. and tho
situation there is reported as being e1-
tremely critical. Under such circum-
stances the citizens of these States look
FOR the cooperation and support of the
national government in relieving the
pressing cases of destitution for food.
clothing and shelter, which are beyond
reach of local efforts. The authorities
who have communicated with the execu-
tive recognize that their first and most
energetic duty is to provide, us far rs
possible, the means of caring for their
own citizens, but nearly all of tn, m
agree in the opinion that after their re-
sources have beeN exhausted, n sum az
gSSr1aRating greg ati at least Sl1?. ooo, ana possibl y
s2OO, ,OoU, VIII De required for immediate
use.
Precedents are not wanting that in
such emergencies as this Congress may
take prompt, generous and intelligent
action, involving the expenditure of
considerable sums of money, with salts
factory results. In 1874 $500, 900 was
appropriated, and in lSS2 $3.50, 900 was
also appropriated for relief in the same
direction besides large sums in other
| years.
The citizens relief committee, of
Memphis, which has taken PROMPT ac-
tion has already cared for q. 900 or !, 900
refugees from the flooded districts and
| they are still arriving in that city in
large numbers daily Supplies and pro-
visions have been sent to the various
| points IN Arkansas and Mississippi by
this committees; but tho utmost that
can be done by these efforts is to partly
relieve the most acute cases of suffer
| ing. No action has yet been taken for
the great majority of the inhabitants
living III the interior. whose condition
has already been described
Under these conditions, and having
exerted themselves to the fullest extent,
the local authorities have reluctantly
confessed their inability to further cope
With this distressing situation, unaided
~ AohA 'hS s""o-----+. I*h~-
therefore, seemed to me that the rep.
resentatives of the people should be
promptly informed of the nature and
extent OF the suffering and needs az
these stricken people, and have COM
munlcated these facts in the hope and
belief that the Legislative branch of the
government will promptly reinforce the
work OF tho local authorities in the
States named.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, April 7, 1897.
REMOVING GEN. GRANTS RnDy