The Flagstaff sun-democrat., 1897-04-15
FLOOD VICTIMS AIDED.
The Presidents Message for Finan.
 cial Aid Promptly Acted Upon.
A Joint Resolution Passed by Both Houses Appropriating Two Hundred Thou sand Dollars, Which wnl Be
 Immediately Available.

sand Dollars, Which wm Be
 Immediately Available.
 WASHINGTON, April s.-When the senate assembled yesterday a special message from the president on the flood sufferers was laid before it and read. The message was as follows:
 To the Senate and House of Representatives:
 Information which has recently come to me from the governors of Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana and from prominent citizens of these states and Tennessee, warrants the con. clusion that widespread disasters, involving the destruction of Q large amount of property and loss of human life has resulted from the floods which have been submerging that sec. tion of the country.
 These are stated on reliable authority to be the most destructive floods that have ever de- vastated the Mississippi valley the water reaching the highest stage 1t has reached be. fore. From Marion, Ark. north of Memphis. to Greenvillc, Miss, distance of more than 250 miles by river. 1t is reported there are now at least 50 towns and villages under water and Q territory extending from 100 miles north of Memphis to 200 miles south and from five to 70 miles wide is submerged. Hundreds of thousands of acres of cultivated soil, with growing crops are in. cluded in the submerged territory. In this sec- tion alone there are from 5O 900 to 60,OO0 people whose property has been destroyed and whose business has been suspended Growing crops have been ruined, thousands of cattle have been drowned and the inhabitants of certain areas are threatened with starvation.
 As great majority of the sufferers are small farmers, they have thus been left entirely destitute and will be unprepared for work, even after the floods have subsded. The entire Mississippi valley in Arkansas is flooded and communication with many points cut on. In Mississippi like condition exists. The levees in Louisiana, with single exception. have held: but the water Is rising and the situation there is reported as being extremely critical '-
 Under such circumstances the citizens of these states look for the cooperation and sup port of the national government in relieving the pressing cases of Restitution for food, clothing and shelter which are beyond the reach of local efforts. The authorities who have communicated with the executive recog- nize that their first and most energetic duty is to provide. as far as possible, the means of car. ing for their own citizens, but nearly all of them agree in the opinion that after the re- sources have been exhausted sum aggrcgat- ing at least sl5ooOO. and possibly tsOO.00o will be required for immediate use.
 Precedents are not wanting that In such emergencies as this congress has taken prompt, generous and intelligent action. involving the expenditure of considerable sums of Moncy with satisfactory results In 1874 s590, 900 was appropriated and in 1882 sS5O 900 was also ap. propriated for relief in the same direction be- side large sums in other years
 The citizens relief committee of Memphis which has taken prompt action. has already cared for from 6,000 to 1000 refugees from tho flooded district, and they are still arriv- ing in that city in large numbers daily. Supplies and provisions have been sent Co the various points in Arkansas and Mississippi by thls committee, but the most that can be done by these efforts is to partly relieve the nos acute cases of suffer ing. No action has yet been taken for the great majority ot the inhabitants living in the interior whose condition has already been de- scrtbed Under these conditions and having exerted themselves Co the fullest extent the local authorities have reluctantly coaiGsSca their inability to further cope with this dis- dressing situation unaided by relief from the government
 It has therefore seemed to me that the repre- sentatives of the people should be promptly informed of the nature and extent of the suffer. ing and needs of these stricken people, and I have communicated these facts in the hope and belief that the legislative branch of the govern mont will promptly reinforce the work of the focal authorities in the states named.
 WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
 Executive Mansion. April :. 1897.
 After the reading of the message Mir. Jones, of Arkansas, offered a joint reso- lution appropriating Sl5o,0OO for sup plies for the southern flood sufferers. It was at once taken up, explained briefly and passed. After this action by the senate the house resolution increasing the appropriation for the flood suffer- CTS to s2OO, 900 and including in the appropriation the overfiowed districts in North Dakota and Minnesota, in the valley of the Red river of the north, was received and adopted and the senate's own resolution was recon sidercd and indefinitely postponed.