Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-08

iiSl SOo duu OuSSSSlo NdIlOudl
Aid in the Work OF Relief
WASHINGTON, April THE President
to-day sent the following message TO the
Senate and House of Representatives,:
To the Congress Of the United States:
Information which has recently come 10
me from the Governors of Arkansas. Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana anffrom prominent
citizens of these States and Tennessee,
warrants the conclusion that widespread
distress, involving the destruction OF a
large amount of property and loss OF hu-
man life, has resulted from the floods
which have submerged that section OF the
country. These are stated. on reliable
authority, to be the most destructive floods
that have ever devastated the Mississippi!
valley, the water being much higher than
the highest stage IL has reached before.
From Marion. Ark, north of Memphis, to
Greenville. Miss, a distance of more than
25O miles by river, il is reported there are
now at least fifty towns and villages under
water and a territory extending from 100
miles north Of Memphis TO 20O miles south,
and from to 40 miles wide, is submerged.
Hundreds of thousands Of acres Of cult.
waited soil, with growing crops are in.
cluded in the submerged territory. In
this section alone there are from $1,000 &c
$1,000 people whose property has been de.
stroyed and whose business has been sus.
pended. Growing crops have been ruined,
thousands of cattle have been drowned,
and the inhabitants Of certain areas
threatened with starvation, as a great
majority of the sufferers are small farm
ers. they have thus been left entirely des-
titute, and will be unprepared for work
even after the floods have subsided.
The entire Mississippi valley in Arkan-
sas is flooded and communication with
many points cut off. In Mississippi a like
condition exists. The levees in Louisiana,
with a 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 support of the national government in
relieving the pressing cases of destitution
for food, clothing and shelter, which are
beyond the reach of local efforts. The
authorities who have communicated with
the executive recognize that their first and
most energetic duty is to provide as far as
possible the means Of caring for their own
citizens; but nearly all Of them agree in
the opinion that, after their resources have
been exhausted. a sum aggregatng at
least s15O,0OO, and possibly $4,000 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 money with satisfactory results.
In 1874. $59O,OOO was appropriated, and in
1852. 900 was also appropriated for re-
lief in the same direction. besides large
sums in other years.
The citizens relief committee Of Mem
phis which has taken prompt action. has
already cared for from 5000 to 1000 refu-
gees from the flooded districts. and they
are still arriving in that city in large num-
bers daily. Supplies and provisions have
been sent to the various points in Arkan-
sas and Mississippi by this committee; but
the utmost that can be done by these ef-
forts is to partly relieve the most acute
cases Of suffering. No action has yet been
taken for the great majority Of the inhab-
itants living in the interior. whose condI-
tion has already been described.
Under these conditions, and having ex-
erted themselves TO the fullest extent. the
local authorities have reluctantly con-
fessed their inability to further cope with
this distressing situation unaided by relief
from the government.
1t has. therefore, seemed TO me that the
representatives of the people should be
promptly informed of the nature and ex-
tent of the suffering and needs of these
stricken people. and have communicated
these facts in the hope and belief that the
legislative branch Of the government will
promptly re-enforce the work of the Local
authorities in the States named.
WILLIAM MKINLEY.
Executive Mansion. Apri Z lSg7.