Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-04-08
CRITICAL WEEK OF FLOOD
A Proclamation Issued TO the People Of
Louisiana by GOV. Foster.
ILEVEE SYSTEM BULWARK OFSTATE
Public Safety Dependent Upon
the Citizens.

week OF the flood situation GOV, Foster,
last night, issued proclamation to the
people. lie calls attention to the fact
that the levee system, although not yet
entirely perfected. ia the bulwarls of
the State. Behind the lcvees lies one
of the most fertile SECTIONS OF America.
Government ana State aid has been ex-
tended, and the future depends upon
tho people. Trusted leaders are 10
charge OF the work. and IL the people
help thnm properly, despite the fact
that thu food apparently is the greatest
ever known, all or most OF the leveos
caD be held.
Al along tho Mississippi valley road
between this city and Baton Rouge
massmeetings have been held and vol
unteor forces organized to keep strict
watch on the banks and TO labor day
and night to strengthen them, even
whore tho danger iH not apparent ak
cept in tho rivers steady climb 10 the
top OF the protecting earthworss.
The warning of the Weather Bureau,
TO abandon homes and seek asfety in
flight, has besn disregardcd, and in
stead, men, women and children, white
and black, are piling on dirt aud build
ing revetments, seemingly fascinated
With the struggle against the advancing
food MI
So far there 10 not break 10 the en-
tire Louisiana levees. not counting the
tributary Bayou La Fourche, where the
levees were known TO be weak before
the flood came. Lumber and sacks are
being distributed everywhere. Even
nails are shipped by The carload. and
there will be no lack of new work dur
ing thu week. The only question is
aboat the new work holding. In this
tho weather will continue 10 be an i'm
portant factor So far the levees have
been drenched and softened almost
daily, aud high winds have made the
blows OF the stream more powerful.
Austin. Miss, April 5.-Tom Nc
Kenzie, "A prominent merchant and
planter OF Lula. Miss, who was present
when the Flower Lake broke. gives the
following account of the calamity;
bad been on the leyee all night,
and about d. m. was riding along,
examining it closely. when noticrd a
small eddy Just outside and close up to
the layer Of sacks which topped the
embankmeut. Dismounting, made
an examination and, down towards the
base Of the levee on the side, coul,l
sec that the bermuda grass sod was
agitated. grabbed few bags of dirt.
which were conveniently. near. and
dropped thBm over the front OF the
levee. with the hope OF stopping the
hole which was evidently there. 1t was
too late, however, the eddy having
gotten in its work, which was an upper
cut OF dreadful proportions. Three
hundred men were at work on bad
piece OF leyee hundred yards distant
while this section, which was con-
sidered impregnable, was giving way
before hidden current, which did its
work silently and remorsolessly.
yelled for help, but before anything
could be done a 20-foot crevasse inter-
posed between Young Dabney and my
self on one side and his 800 men on the
other"
1t is estimated that fully 100 towns
in the Yazoo- Mississippi Delta Valley
are now under water.
Washington. D. c., April a. -Presi-
dent Mckinley sent the following mes
sage to Congress to-day:
Information which has recently
come to me from the Governors of Ar
kansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, and
from prominent citizens of these States
and Tennesses. warrants the conclusion
that widespread distress, involving the
destruction OF large amount of prop
erty and loss of human life. has re-
suited from the floods which have sub
merged 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 tho highest stage IL
bas reached before. From Marion,
Ark, north of Memphis, to Greenville,
Miss, a distance OF moro than $50
miles by river. 1t is reported there are
now ut least, 90 towns and villages under
water, und a territory extending from
100 miles north OF Memphis to 200 miles
south and from five to 40 miles wide is
submerged. Hundreds Of thousand Of
acres OF cultivated soil. with growing
crops. are included in the submerged
territory. In this section alone there
are from SO, 600 to GO, 600 people, whose
property has been destroyed and whose
business has buen suspended. Growing
crops have been ruined, thousands OF
cattle have been drowned and the in
babltants OF certain areas are threat
ened with starvation. AS q great ma
jority of the sufferers are small farmers
they have thus been left entirely desti.
tute and will no unprepared for work
even after tho foods have subsidized.
"The entire Mississippi valley in
Arkansas is flooded. and communica-
ton With many points is cut off. In
Mississippi like condition exists.
The levees in Louisiana, with single
exception, have hold, hut the water is
rising and the situation there 10 re,
ported as being extremely critical.
"Under such circumstances the citi-
gems CT these. States look for the CO,
operation and support of the national
government In relieving the pressing
cases of destitution for food, clothing
and shelter which ars 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, tho 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 ag-
greRating at least $3.50, 600, and posi-.
bly, 5000, 900, will be required for i'm
mediate 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 satia-
factory restllts. In 1874 $3.50. 600 was