Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-04-13
AID IS DECLINED.
Government Eelp Is Not Needed
Along Red River of the North.
SITUATION At GRAND FORKS SERIOUS.
Latest Information from the Sub
\ merged Districts of the South
Many Lives Reported in Peril
In Arkansas.

( Washington, April 10. = The people
of the submerged district of the Red
River Of the North have declined the
government aid voted them by congress
on Wednesday. When the flood came in
the Red river s25o,coo worth of proper
" was destroyed at Fargo. N. d., and
80 miles of fertile territory were mum
dated. An appeal was made to congress
through the mayor of Fargo and $780,
600 for the Red River of the North was
added to the appropriation of $3.50, 900
for the Mississippi flood sufferers.
After the passage OF the resolution Rep
resentative Johnson, of North Dakota,
went to the war department and placed
6ecretary Alger, under whose direction
the fund was to be distributed, in COM
nlunication with the relief committees
Of Fargo. But Thursday the prospects
along the Red River of the North were
brighter and Representative johnson,
Of North Dakota, has received the fol-
lowing telegram from the mayor of
Fargo:
"Hape declined aid from congress
Winter receding fast. Damage not as
great as expected"
The machinery provided by the war
department for the relief of the suf-
ferers from the Mississippi river floods
Is now in working order and Secretary
Alger said that by this morning the de-
partment would be in position to cover
the entire flooded district with it's force
of inspectors. The officers already de-
tailed to this service have started for
the west and before leaving Washing
hon they received orders assigning them
70 different sections of the great river.
No Mail for Two Weeks.
st. Paul, Mimi, April ia Mellette
Is. d. special to the Dispatch says:
The surrounding country is flooded,
railroads are washed out, and there
have been no mails for two weeks. The
James river has risen seven feet higher
lhan ever before, and is mile wide 1t
wished out the three large iron bridges
In the county. Large numbers of live
stock persisted in the flood. All the
farm dwellings, on the river bottom
were swept away.
At Grand Forks.
Grand Forks, N. D., April 1O.-The
situation continues to grow alarmingly
worse, and the probability is that the
surrounding country will be flooded,
Us the river is still rising from one to
ewo inches an hour. Business is almost
hutirely suspended. All the large
blocks have from six to ten feet of water
IN their easements and ground floors.
Residents and business men on Demois
avenue, have all removed to other quar-
ters. The Central and Belmont schools
have closed on account Of high water
In their Easements which put out
eurnace fires. The Auxiliary pump
house is entirely covered with water.
The regular pumphouse, while sur
found by water, continues to run day
Ind night. 1t will require from five to
seven feet more rise to put out their
ares and stop their engines. This great
disaster has already assumed alarming
proportions, causing suffering and dis
tress. The people are just beginning to
realize what a large amount of property
loss there will be.