Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-15
MISSISSIPPI FLOOD.
WAR DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
GENERALLY MORE FAVORABLE.
LOUISIANA LEYEE-cRISIS ACUTE
Less Danger Mt Omaha of the Mis-
souri's Making New Channel for
Itself Danger-Line Reached at
Kansas City.

nation as reached the War Department
to-day respecting the floods in the Mis-
sissippi Valley was generally favorable.
There was some correspondence by tele-
graph between the government inspect
ing officers and Commissary- General Sui
livan, here, as to the chartering Of steam
boats for the transportation of sup
plies, and for the conveyance Of the
inspecting officers on their investiga-
tions, but little news as to the stua-
tion on the river, save that contained
in one dispatch from General Gillespie.
the president Of the NississIpp-River
Commission, to General Wilson. Chief Of
Engineers. General Gillespie trans
mitted the following telegram from Lieu
tenant Newcomer. one Of the engineer
officers now at Greenville, Miss, under
date OF last night:
Have just passed along the Louisiana
levees in my district. Found the situa-
tion favorable on the whole. though
some uncertainty as TO the amount of
rise coming i'm the Yazoo causes consi-
derable anxiety on several long reaches
OF low levees. which are now being
| topped up. There are favorable reports
from the rest of the district"
Secretary Alger this afternoon re-
ceived the following telegram from one
of the army inspectors at Memphis: Il
have completed an inspection of the dis
| trict and provided for the regular issue
| Of supplies at eleven relief stations, each
| having a defined area of relief. and being
located so as to be accessible to the food
| sufferers. The stations have been placed
! i'm charge Of the local relief committees,
approved by the general relief committees
| in Memphis and Forest City, Ark. These
stations will enable those whose homes
| have not been swept away to remain until
! the flood subsidies which Is most desra-
| Bile. Station agents have been requested
| to obtain information OF flood damages.
to keep record Of relief given, and 10
| take receipts for supplies, TO guard
against double issues, when every case
| Of actual destitution should be relieved.
| Supplies should not be issued TO employees
or tenants of wealthy planters. This sug-
| gestion is made because the number OF
! flood-sufferers has Increased many-fold
| since the government supplies became
| available. l recommend that this plan OF
relief be communicated to other officers
on relief duty. Leave for Washington
this evening"
The suggestion as to restriction upon
| the issue of ratOns made by the officer
was approved by Secretary Alger, and
proper instructions were sent at once TO
other inspecting officers to act accord
ingly
| LOUISIANA CRISIS ACUTE.
MEMPHIS. TENN, April 1.-THE river
continues to rise slowly at Vicksburg
and all points south, and the situation
along the Louisiana system of levees is
acute. The waters are being hurled
| Outward with tremendous force, and
several thousand men are working and
watching night and day to hold the en-
bankments intact.
Reports from the overaowed Missis-
sippi delta tonight are not encouraging
The expected fall in the waters that ex-
tend for miles and miles over the fertile
valley has not occurred. Much suffer-
| ing still exists i'm the Sunhower and
| Bogue Phalia country, where hundreds
| Of negroes have deserted their cabins,
| and are huddled on high ground and the
| railroad tracks. Many cabins are sub
| merged TO their very roofs, while seve-
raj have been carried away by the swift
| current. On a plantation ten miles west
of Helena, Sylvester Santors colored
tenant, his wife, and five children We're
overwhelmed by the current. and all
| perished Near Greenville to-day two
negroes were drowned in an attempt to
reach dry land.
At Rosedale the work of relief con-
tinues. Rations Will be sent 10 the Sun
flower District tomorrow. At Green
Vile the river stands stationary to-
night.
RAIN IN TORRENTS.
| IL,
fell in torrents last night, and part OF
to-day. At Helena the downpour was OF
such violence that great pumps were put
TO work in the lower part Of the city. The
water gained so rapidly that the pumps
| had TO be discontinued. The whole of the
southern part of Helena is under water
| from l 20 feet deep. The pumps were
started up again tonight, and 1t Is eX-
pected that the water will be thrown out
Of the streets in three or four days.
| Owing TO the great storm. the river did
not fall at Helena to-day, but stands
| stationary.
At Memphis the river Is stationary to-
| night. AS the river is falling al Cairo
and as the rainfall throughout the terri
tory draining into the Mississippi at Men,
! ph.s and above has been heavy. the local
observer predicts that during the ensuing
| twenty-four hours there will probably be
a slight rise at this point
RELIEF STATIONS ESTABLISHED.
The work of relieving the flood sufferers
with the government funds appropriated
by Congress for that purpose. is pro-
crossing smoothly. In the Second Dis
trict extending from Memphis to Cairo
| and from Memphis TO Helena. local reliei
| stations have been established and placed
i'm charge Of responsible men. Nothing re-
mains TO be done in the districts now eX-
cept 10 ship supplies every week TO the
relief stations SO far, no relief stations
have been definitely established in any
of the districts below Helena.
RELIEF FOR DAVIS ISLAND.
| VICKSBURG, MISS. April 1.-THE
steamer John r. Meigs left for Davis
Island at 6 o'clock this evening, as soor
as she could possibly get up steam. the
government steamer Florence, CHANGING
TO arrive from Greenville in time. wa:
also sent 10 the island. A small steamer
was already there, and the Natchez mail
boat, ST. Joseph. passed there this morn
ing. and was, no doubt. hailed by tn'
neonle. These boats should suffice TO re
lieve those in distress. and it is believeC
they will be i'm time. except In the small
est number of cases, at the worst
The steamer Ruth came from Australia
plantation to-day with load OF stoci
and negroes The latter are very hume
rous now, but most Of them are hvin'
! somehow on their own resources.
Captain Martin. charged by the wa
Department with the duty of inspecting
the situation. with view to future re
lief. returned from Greenville by river 10
day. His report was sent to-nlght u
washington. He would only say tn'
situation was deplorable In many iocail
ties 1t Is understood that ne mas per
focted arrangements towards the distri
button of si,pplies at all points where the.