New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-21
MISSISSIPPI STILL RISING.
THE FLOOD SITU1TION WORSE.
AN ENORMOUS SECTION or COUNTRY
ALREADY INUNDATED.
,ryrs LOST STOCK DROWNED AND IMMENSE
DAMAGE DoNE-REsCuE WORK GOES ON
FROM MEMPHls-THE RAINS HAVE
CEASED, But EVERY STREAM
A RAGING TORRENT.

FROM MEMPHIS-THE RAINS HAVE
CEASED. But EVERY STREAM
RAGING TORRENT.
81. Louis. March 20.-The warning sent out by
the Government Signal Service yesterday that
the Mississippi River and all its tributaries
would continue to rise has been fulfilled to
the letter The communication with the flooded
section has become difficult. but dispatches re-
ceived from widely separated points show that
all have suffered alike. 1t IL estimated that a
section OF country with an area equal to that
OF the State Of Missouri is now under water
and that the worst is not over: Advices from
Cairo. Paducah. Memphis and Helena show that
the region beginning north of New-Madrid. Mo.
west to and including the valleys Of the ST.
Francis. the White and the Arkansas rivers in
Arkansas. east in Kentucky and Tennessee or
the valleys Of the Tennessee the Cache, the
Obion and the Yazoo rivers. and south TO the
Red River, are under water. The intervening
ranges of hills and high ground the only
places Of refuge.
The dispatches received here tell but one story
lives lost, stock drowned and a country desc
lated. At Cairo. H.. to-day, the river reached
b09 feet and rising slowly. which IS but one foot
short OF the high record OF 1888. All the country
south Of there TO Memphis is submerged. 4 re-
lief steamer from the flats below Birds Point
brought in four families. 1t is reported that
fatboat containing number Of people was sunk
at Island No. 10
All the cotton fields In the valley OF Forked
Deer River in Tennessee are under water. The
Memphis Relief Association has five boats at
work These boats go to points that are some
twenty miles from streams naVigable in ordinary
stages Of water The unanimous opinion OF st.
Y ID &c ba. become
worse before there can be permanent relief
They say that numerous breaks in the lower
leveec are really blessings. as they are natural
outlets for the deluge that is certain to come
from the melting SHOWS of the North.
Memphis Tenn March 20.-The flood situa-
ton to-day Is improved. The rain has ceased
and the sun is shining. Rescuing parties are
still coming in with people taken from danger
Gus positions. The river gauge is stationary ana
no breaks IN the levees have occurred to-day.
The sorrow. the desolaton, the dsmalness Of
the food cannot be realized described. Only
those who have experienced the horror of es-
Gaming with their lives can understand the situa-
ton Some have lost their lives. The wealthy
have been heavily damaged, and the poor nave
lost their all, and to-day they shiver for want OF
sufficient clothing and shelter. and feel strongly
,he pangs of hunger They are huddled together
temporary
with little. IL any food The lowands opposite
Memphis are inundated for forty miles out The
little towns Of Ashport and Gold Dust, Tenn are
I'D 10 the windows in water, and the houses IN
the low places are UP 10 the caves. on the op-
posite side Of the river the towns are in equally
as bad condition. except Osceola The low ISL
ands are also hoded and many Of the inhabitants
have lost everything they possessed From
above Ashport. 10 below Plum Point, which is
over 100 miles Is a low levee which always mas
been ample protection; now 1t is mostly uhdeI
water 1t is impossible 10 estimate the loss OF
propertv SO far the loss Of life reported IS
placed al nifty
Marion. q small town on the Kansas City Fort
Scott and Cuff Railroad. is iLur dated from
Marion Bayou. and the relief steamers go from
here daily 10 gather up the suffering ones. some
are found on RATS floating, with nothing puI
corn to eat. and some are on their house'ops
ahsolutelv starving. Relief skifls from Mem
phis are going all through the woods across the
riv7r rescuing people and stock. They tow nat
bo,ts on which the live stock and household
eff.cts are loaded When they reach Memphis
th,re is a company Of women who meet the boats
mi serve the refugees soup and sandwiches and
direct them 10 shelter. Rations were issued to
75o people besides meals served to o3S.
Every boat brings an additional number Five
lines or railway going out Of Memphis are
stopped on account Of washouts. here is in
formation to the effect that at points below
Helena the water has gone over the levee, ana
(he levees being in such a mushy condition from
Che rains it is not thought possible to protect
them much longer from the food.
The people are already fleeing for their lives.
The hundreds Of men who had been at work
watching the levees have about all been taken
,,.iil - ,sti1 N
the lives Of other people. The Government steam
er Abbott has carried large number of sacks
Of sand 10 the Modoc locality and TO points be-
low
Helena. Ark, March 20.-The river situation
here to-day is no better; in fact 1t looks more
serious and work is going on night and day rails
tg the levees from ore end Of the city 10 the
other. The water is coming in the northern
suburbs where Il has been expected for several
DAYS hut as il only affects a portion Of the town
oocupied by small cabins principally. no
danger m the city proper IS apprehended The
Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad people
ore al work with 100 men on their tracks Whch
run on The top Of the levee almost the entire
river front
The Kate Adams brought mp dozen families
this morning from the overiiowed olstlct oe-
low. among them G. W. ARRAY VINO mas pee'i
living AT Modoc until within rev day ago
when ne moved over TO Rescue, only 10 get mt
Fl worse than ever, the levee breaking AT he"'
cue last night lie left this morning al d o cloON
and al that time the break was -V' lee' "'u7
and growing all the time. Major DapheS i
there with ouarter-boats and the Ralpn mas
also gone down and will look after the reScu'hs
OF the people and stock. This break VIII u'',
doubtedly relieve the people here some 'u' a.
the present time there has been 10 Pei'VP''"''
change the river rising very slowly. Inc "a'e'
has gone over the levee below ModoC' ""u "
flooding the White River bottoms. Inc PN'P,
down there have all got out of the way ""'