The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-04-15
WAR DEPARTMENT REPORT.
Secretary AIger Kept Informed q
Conditions Along Mississippi.

Washington. April 12.-Secretary Alger
thinks the worst of the food dangers have
passed in the Mississippi valley. and that
with the force the war department now
has in the field cooperating as it is with
the local relief committees, there is small
danger that great suffering will be per-
mitted to 90 unchecked and unrelieved.
One danger to be avoided from now on.
in Secretary Ayers opinion. is the pos
sibc concentration of the destitute labor
crs in the cities and towns in order to Sc
cure relief which the government hands
out. 1t is highly important in the estima-
ton of the secretary that this concentra-
tion be averted as far as possible. in or
der to make sure that the farm lab0rers
will not permanently desert their old
homes and perhaps become charges on
the towns. Also it is felt that the labor
of this class of refugees will be neces-
sary to restore the plantations and farms
to workable condition and insure the max
ing of the crops this year., Some OF these
dangers were strongly set out in tele-
gram sent to the secretary last night from
Lieut.. Rowan, one of the inspecting Off
GERS in the field. based on representations
of leading citizens of Helena and Green
vile. Accordingly Secretary Alger this
morning sent the following telegraphlc or
der to Adjt Gen. Ruggles and Capt Da-
"
with instructions to forward the same or
der to all officers now distributing ra-
tions:
The secretary of war directs you to use
every possible effort to prevent people
who are receiving aid from the govern
ment from gathering in the cities, for as
soon as the water subsidies. their services
will doubtless be required to work on the
levees and till the fields. and besides. it
will be Il great expense to transport them
back to their former homes when needed,
even if they should desire to GO
The question of feeding the live stock
owned by the people vino were driven by
the water from their homes has been
solved. When il was first proposed to
authorize the officers to buy forage Tor
the animals it was held that the act OF
congress would not permit that to be-
done, and the officials were about to ask
congress TO amend the original resolution,
when the treasury authorities decided
that the resolution itself contained the
necessary authority. This was fortunate,
for Capt. Davis at Memphis, telograpiled
Saturday night that it seemed absolutely
necessary to purchase forage for the
stock, in addition to the food, and the
permission 20 do so was at once gwen
him. Another decision that may do
something to relieve the government au-
thorities of undue pressure upon their
resources was also made by Secretary
Algcr, upon the recommendation of Capt.
Davis. This was TO reduce the rations
supplied to the simplest proportions. while
making sure that they should be sufficient
for actual needs. The army ration will
be displaced, and in its place the hungry
will get nothing but pork, cornmeal and
| molasscs.
The first of the detailed reports from
| the inspecting officers came to Secretary
Alger this afternoon from Lieut.. Whit
| ney. as follows:
"Memphis, Tenn. April 12.-As n re-
suit of personal inspection on the part Of
| the Memphis Cairo district north of Ash
| port. Tenn. ten miles by river. | found
| eighteen crevasses in the levee. varying
| in width from 80 to 1000 feet, and widen
| ing some. The Increased damage of
lcvees will be considerab BILE if the ends arc
not heavily capped. No fresh crevasses