The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-06

Rapidly Covered With Water Great
Destruction of Property in Minnesota
and South NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Per-
sons Found Starved to Death-Thoussnds
Rendered Homeless.
jackson, Miss, April 2.-The only
change in the situation in the delta
is for the worse. The water is still
pouring through the breaks and en-
croaching upon places heretofore
thought above the danger line. Planta-
tions never before under water are
now submerged. The streets of Green
vile are now navigable only by boat.
The food from above having met and
joined forces with that from below.
Nearly 1000 families in Greenville are
surrounded by water although some
portions of the little city are still dry.
The levees there still hold, however.
Citizens Of Huntington telegraphed the
governor this morning to send fifty
tents at once. They were forward
ed on the first train, but will have
to make several miles of the journey
by skiff. The state is doing all in it's
power to assist it's delta people, but
from the depleted condition of her
treasury she can offer little else than
the labor of her able bodied convicts.
Thousands of delta negroes are now
homeless and will remain so until the
floods SubSide, but planters are feed
ing and caring for their hands 50 far
as possible.
Mr.. j. F. Price, of this city, returned
this morning from Lefort, which is
in p-1a oil
that water from the Mississippi has
not yet reached there, but the small
streams are all OVerf1OWed ON their
own account. The bottom lands are
under water, but plOwing and planting
are going right along on all the high
er places and even down to the wa
ters edge.
Weather Bureau, Washington, April
Especial River Bulletin.-The follow
ing reports have been received from
the department of agriculture weather
bureau officials in charge Of river dis
tricts:
st. Louis-The Mississippi is rising
slowly and stages close to danger line
are indicated from Keokuk to Alton by
Saturday night or Sunday morning
All bottom lands are now covered.
Twenty eight feet is indicated at ST.
Louis Saturday morning and about
20 feet Monday morning. With the wa
danger line within five or six days.
General warnings have been sent above
and local warnings to those affected
by stages under 30 feet.
Cairo, Ills, April 2.-The river is fall
ing very slightly this morning. 1T will
remain nearly stationary or rise slight
ly tonight and Saturday. Seep water
at Cairo has risen about two inches
since yesterday morning. LeveeS at
Cairo and Mound City Ills, continue
in good condition.
Memphis, Tenn, April 2-No breaks
have occurred and none are probable
north of Vicksburg. The delta is fast
filling up and RoSedale is reported
under water. Upon the whole, the sit
uatiOn is no worse. There is no change
in the condition of the flood at this
place.
Helena, Ark, April 2.-The river did
not rise from II o'clock noon to 8
O'Clock p. m yesterday. 1t rose one
tenth of foot last night. No more
breaks have occurred on this side since
yesterday.
Vicksburg, Miss, April 2.-No new
crevasses in levees are reported. The
principal work is transferred to the
levees below Vicksburg, crevasses
above having relieved the pressure in
that section, while the river at New
port, Ark, rose over one foot since
yesterday morning. The river at
Vicksburg is about stationary, but will
probably rise about two feet from wa
ter from the YazoO later. Stock is be-
ing received here from threatened dis
tricts.
New Orleans, April "A slight rise
continues from Natchez south. Levees
continue intact and a strong fight is
being made all along the line to hold
them A plucky fight is being made
to hold the Bayou la Fourche levees.
,hlv.1 .1o>I Ar1yo
sas and Red rivers have risen, and the
Ohio fallen. The Mississippi has risen
throughout it's entire length, except a
slight fail at Memphis and in the vi
cinity of the crevasses in Mississippi.
About siX-tenths of an inch of rain
fell yesterday in the basins of the
Tennessee and Cumberland rivers
and about two-tenths in the basin OF
the upper Mississippi.
WILLIS l.. MOORE,
Chief of Weather Bureau.
ST. Louis, April IA special from
Cairo, Ills, to The Scripps McRae
Press Association states that informa a.
tion was brought to Cairo by a COM
mercial traveller that a relief boat yes
,terday found the bodies of young
girl an aged woman and child in
flooded house, on the Missouri side
OF the river, at a point about thirty
miles south of New Madrid. The people
fright. The water was at the caves OF
the house ard the victims were in the
attic. A negro and a white man are
also reported as having been found
starved to death on the platform of a
temporary refuge in the same locality
ST. Paul. Mimi, April "A flood in
Ahis region and other Mississippi river
points in the state and in South Da-
kota, remains serious. The water rose
here today, showing 16.4 feet, or "a
feet above the danger line.
Mr. Huddlesin, of Prescott, was
drowned this morning, while trying t0
cross the South st. Paul Belt Line
bridge although he had been warned
of the danger. No teams have been
allowed to cross the bridge, but he in
sisted on crossing on horse Back.
Horse and rider were swept off into
deep water but the horse swan ashore
when Huddlesfn went down. Between
Minneapolis and ST. Paul 1000 families
have been made homeless. They lived
on the flats along the riverside and in
the 2oWlands of West ST. Paul. The