The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-23
MORE DESTITUTE PEOPLE.
The Government Called Upon 30 Heip the
Flood Sufferers I'm New Iocalitics-The
Water Subsiding in the River by Reason
Of the big Ereaks-Morc Plantations In

of d Big Ereaks-More Plantations In
undated.
Washington. April so.-Sccrotnry hlr,r
was today handed the following telegram
by its recipient:
"Pcmhina. y. -, Aprfl ~
Hon. H.. c. Hansbrough. Washington.
The storm OF yesterday. in connection
with the flood has left over 2D pcoqI,
destitute along Red river IN this county.
Aid is needed at once. Can anything h,
done? Local committee Is unable TO
JUDSON LAMOURE
This news came a. "A surprise to the
war department officials. The officer who
had been sent to the Red river country
has returned, reporting that there was no
call for government aid. As the depart
ment has no agent IN that section II Will
communicate directly Will the mayor or
Pembina and probably authorize him 10
extend aid to the destitute.
The following report came today from
the inspecting officer at New Orleans;
Il have had interviews with parties
represented TO me as responsible. who re-
port that 3T2 persons. including men. wo-
men and children. are destitute from the
overflow In the vicinity of Nestor. on the
left bank below the organized lcvee dis
trict. and have practically been in that
condition for several weeks. II ia recon-
mended that %rations be shipped to them
for three weeks
The department has already adopted
this suggestion.
In view OF the representations by IN"
army officer at Nicksburg that he Is
Obliged to pay $3.50 per day for n relief
boat, General Wilson. chief of engineers.
has directed Major Stickney. the engineer
in charge at st. Louis. 10 put in commits
sion at once two of the steamers belong
ing to his department, the Golden Gate
and the Alert, and send then, to Nicks-
burg for the use Of Lieutenant Crowley.
one is wanted for the distribution or re-
lief on the Mississippi between Vickshurr
and Greenville, and the other il at work
along the YaZoo and Sunfiower~rivers and
their tributaries.
Memphis, Tenn. April 2o-The river at
Ficksburg. Helena. Natchez and al
along from St. Joseph. La. to Bayou
Sara, La, is reported either stationary or
falling tonight. This condition 81 the re
suit of the vast amount Of water passing
through the crevasses at Eiggs and Reeds
levecs, above Natchez and Mt Hancocks.
below. The levee in the immediate
vicinity of Natchez continues to hold III.
great strain, but it's holding Is now OF
little interest to the planters in Concordia.
Tensas and Madison parishes. as the
water backed up from the breaks above
and below will soon mood the rich lands
Of these parishes and the result will be
should occur. The Red ana Tensas rivers
are now swelling and almost running over
their banks and by tomorrow they will
begin spreading over a section OF thirty
miles TO the interior. Work continues on
the leveeS, however. without abatement.
and everything possible IL being done to
hold the remainder OF the levee system in
tact. At Memphis the river continues TO
fall. Reports from Greensille. Rose6aIe
and Cairo state that an encouraging de
cline Is noted.
Vicksburg. Miss, April Zn.-Thanks 10
the prompt measures taken 10y Major VII
lard, United States engineer. In dispatch
ing the steamer Eidette. with skifs. 10
the country back OF Coon's landing. IL IL
believed that all persons In danger will
be relieved in time. The Florence, re
turning from there this morning. reported
no cases OF drowning I'm the back country.
Large skins were taken by the Vidette
and those can be put over the levees and
used to ..elp the people In the interior.
No. more breaks are reported. The work
Of relief is proceeding here under dini-
%culties. the applicants being so numerous
that ii is a task to systematic the mat
ter. Advices from Davis island. where "A
great many negroes are remaining. say
that planters will be unable to supply
rations for more IMAM two weeks hence.
The prospects Of making a crop there is
very uncertain. The Queen and Crescent
officials tonight report that Tallulah. La.
the capital Of Madison parish. Is flooded
by Biggs crevasse, though not deeply.
Natchez, Miss. April 20.-A tale OF woe
comes from Bayou Vi.cl. in the lower
portion OF Madison parish. The water
from the Biggs creyasse caught the people
there unprepar.d and unaware OF danger.
Word was sent out from that locality re-
questing hat boats he dispatched at
once. as the people were drowning. How
many were actually dead Is unknown. but
Thomas Blackburn. his wife and infant
are known to have been drowned. II Is
believed others have persisted. Boats
| have been sent TO the locality,