The record-union., 1897-03-24
Though the End Of the Flood Is Not Dis
cernable, the Outlook Is Brighter.
Conditions More Cheerful Than at Any
Time Heretofore.
River Rising Slowly Above and Below
Memphis, But the Indications OF
Continuation of Fair Weather
Leads to the Hope That the Worst
is Over on the Tennessee Side of
the River.

the KlVfT.
MEMPHIS (Tenn), March 23.-An-
other fall of one-tenth of a foot in the
river at Memphis is announced to-
night. This very slight drop in the
high water here is not considered by
the Weather Bureau officials as being
indicative of a permanent or material
change, but is caused, it is thought, by
the giving way of the levee above
Memphis.
The end of the flood is not yet dis
cernible. The gauge this morning reg
istered 1863 feet, or one-fifth of foot
below the highest point reached. This
drop has not made and change for the
better in the situation. Indeed, it is
drop has not made any change for the
worse in the Arkansas districts, which
have been inundated by the water rush.
ing through the broken levees above
Memphis.
At Cairo ILL.,, the river is still rising,
the gauge indicating 51.3 feet, rise
of three-tenths of a foot in the twenty
four hours ended this morning.
At Marked Tree, on the St Francis
River, the rise is even greater, the
gauge registering 40 feet, a rise of
SlSNl-ltHlIlS VI d lOOI III Nv city -1Oul
hours. With the rise continuing at
Marked Tree and at Cairo, there is no
hope of immediate relief at Memphis.
The rise continues at every point be-
low Memphis except at Arkansas City.
AT Helena the gauge this morning reg
istered 49.4 feet rise of three-tenth
of a foot. The river at Helena is now
124 feet above the danger line AT
A,Iya boc fa Of
four -tenths of a foot. At Greenville,
on the other hand, there has been
considerable rise, the gauge register
ing 43.4 feet, a. rise of siX-tenths Of
foot. This brings the river at Green
Vile to a hight which is "a feet above
the danger line At Vicksburg the rise
has been even greater, the gauge indi-
eating 46.S feet, rise of seven tenths
of a foot since yesterday.
At points below Vicksburg the gauge
Indicates that the river is rising slowly.
Both the Cumberland and the Tennes-
See River are falling
Altogether, the feeling prevailing in
regard to conditions may be said to be
more cheerful than it has been at any
time heretofore. The report of a break
in the levee at Australia, which was so
extensively circulated this morning has
been authoritatively corrected. All the
leveeS below Memphis are as yet intact
and are being guarded with the great
est care, and strengthened wherever
any weak spots are suspected. The
hope grows more and more confident
that these leveeS will be able to with
stand all pressure in the future, as they
have done in the past, the more So as
the pressure has been somewhat re-
lieved by the break above Memphis
Since the Charlottesville break no
Others have occurred at any point up to
this writing.
The continuation Of the fair weather
and sunshine tends to raise the spirits
OF all, and there is much less gloom to
be felt in the atmosphere than at any
former time. The slightly cooler
weather, too, points to probable con-
tinuation of fair weather
No further loss of life has been re-
ported. The relief boats are no longer
kept busy, as the overflowed terri
tory has been gone over, and eI in
danger or distress have been brought
to this city.
The work of the relief committee has
assumed enormous proportions, and
there Is not a moment when the head
quarters on Second street are not be-
sieged by a mob of negro applicants for
every kind of assistance. II is almost
impossible for the committee to attend
no the needs of all who apply, but they
are doing great work. 1t is especially
difficult to distinguish between the i'm
postors and the really needy, as the
former are known to be much in evil
dence in the crowds which daily seek
supplies from the committee. The ut
most pains are taken to distribute the
raiions where they are mostly needed.
and the colored preachers are render
dng assistance to the committee
SITUATION IN MISSISSIPPI.
R0SEDALE (Miss.) March 23-The
river has risen slowly along the ex-
hreme end of the lower levee district at
Australia, Miss, twenty miles north of
here, and the situation is critical in the
extreme. A large stream of water is
coming in under the levee. and has in
creased to such an alarming extent that
Major Sterling. the Chief Engineer. was
sent for by wire.
Later another call was made for 90
600 sacks and 700 shovels, all the hands
that could WELD a shovel to come quick.
or the line would give way A special
train left Greenville with the material.
and is picking up all the hands between
Beulah, Miss, and Round Lake. the
latter point being opposite the threat
cred point. Should The Ievee give way
at would flood many of the finest plan
tatons in the State, and a stubborn
fehi is being made to hold it.
CHICAGO SUBURBS FLOODED.
CHICAGO, March 23.-Chicago sub
urbs are having a flood experience of
their own. For the second time in thir-
fy years the Des PLANES River has
tossed aside the restraints of banks
and OF levees. The flood had stretched
Ats RUE over all the lowlands along its
course. One-third OF the residence
Iart Of Riverside is under water, and
Since sunday boats have been the only
means of conveyance possible to inhab-
dtants of the flooded locality
The Illinois and Michigan canal has
been unable to hold in check the combi-
Eatiou OF its own and the added volume
Of surface water, and has overfiowed