The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-07-08

Austin, Tex July g. Gov Sayer.
has sent this request to Secret ny
Alger
Please Immediately order by wire
boats at Galveston to ascend rivers, us
ing launches and yawl-. b. rescue peo-
pie from the waters which are wide
spread over the lands Of the llweI
BrsZ9s
Please also order the commanding
officer a. San Antonio to place at my
disposal Cor immediate distribution 10,
600 rations. | will recommend to leg
islature to refund to the United State.
their value when 1t next meets. and do
not doubt that it will be promp' ly
done
Devastation great Immense loss OF
life probable Prompt action very inn
portant. Answer
The food in the Brazos river section
is now worse than at first imagined
Thousands OF residents In the bottoms
have been driven miles 10 high lands
by water The loss of life will be
large, while the value Of cattle. houses.
crops. and to railroads Will probably
exceed $40, 900, 900 The Southern Pa.
cific, Santa Fe, Missouri, Kansas and
Texas, and the Arkansas Pass compan-
les abandoned train service west last
night. The rise at Richmond up to
last night was more than sixty-two
feet At some places the river spreads
fifteen miles.
1t is estimated that about 25, 900
square miles were swept by the BrazOs
food In the section of l25 miles above
the mouth of the Brazos hundreds Of
people are on the high points Of the land
surrounded by water and starving
Many are living on soured corn. As
the matter stands at present the only
roads now open in southern Texas are
the Texas and New Orleans. Southern
Pacific, from Galveston and Houston to
New Orleans; the Internal lonal and
Great Northern - Long View, the
Houston East and West Texas TO Shreve.
port, the Gulf and Interstate in con-
nectiOn with the Kansas Oitv, Pitts
burg and Gulf to Kansas City. The
situation grows hourly worse as the
flood nears the Gulf. Houses furniture,
horses, cattle and everything that can
float are sweeping down the river. The
corn in the bottoms will be "A total loss
The food district, extending approx
imately from Waco on the north 60 the
Gulf of Mexico on the south. is 100
m les wide by 800 mules long. approx
mating closely the inhabited area If
New Engl and. In that vast delta, be-
tween the Trinity, the Braz y. and the
Colorado rivers, nearly, if not quite
800 lives have been lost and $50 900 900
worth of property destroyed within the
last two weeks. Fully 100. 600 people,
mostly negroes, are in distress and on
the verge Of starvation The exposure
Of these poor persons is something lnde-
scribable They have nothing left but
a water soaked ground and a threaten
ing sky.
The people Of the East can have no
idea of the devastation of this Texas
food. There il no perceptible fall in
the water this morning Many bodies
continue to float with the turbulent
current past Sealy, San Felipe .rulsey.
Caldwell, Thompson and other points
available by the long. distance t"le-
phone Reports from Caldwell are to
the effect that the voices of women and
children can be heard echoing from the
drift rushing by in the angry inland
sea- There is no telling how many
lives have been carried away from the
Brazos delta into the Gulf OF Mexico
A movement has been started to have
tugs from Galveston search the coast.
Secretary Alger sent the following
reply to Gov. Sayers' appeal;
Chief of Engineers will order all
boats available at Galveston and COM
man ding officer at San Antonio has
been directed TO place at your immedi-
ate disposal 10. 600 rations, and to con-
Ter with you as to points OF delivery.