The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-22

the great flood are reported to be in a
1 critical condition at many points and
news of disasters from that country will
not be surprising At points the water
! is seeping through the embankments
/ flooding villages and plantations and al
other places the embankment is over
/ topped by the flood and enormous quen-
titles of water are being discharged into
/ the country behind the earthWorks. The
most encouraging feature tonight is that
the river here has remained stationary
all day and that a falling stage is re-
ported from St Louis, Cairo and other
points on the Mississippi and its tribu.
taries The stage this morning was 401
rise of / in twelve hours. The stage
mas not changed during the day. This is
the greatest ever recorded and sets a new
maximum. 1t is hoped that the fall will
| begin tonight or tomorrow The two new
| breaks on the Arkansas shore are
thought to be having a considerable in
fiuence on the stage and the water being
discharged through them and the first
creVasse could easily hold the river in
check here and for this reason the stand
ing gauge is not received with the sat
w
Refugees continue to arrive in great
numbers and the facilities are too limited
to care for them. Tn response to tcla-
gram asking for aid from Mayor Will
lams, of this city. Secretary of War
Root has answered that he will supply
all needed tents as well as provisions for
the flood sufferers.
This offer will be accepted, and It viii
be of great assistance to the authorities
in caring for the needy. These tents
will be pitched on vacant lots and COM
missaries will be established so that
the destitute may be cared for Secrc-
tary Root was authorized to-day by the
Cabinet to give the aid sought, and the
prompt action of the Secretary and the
Cabinet has given the greatest satisfac-
ton to the people of the city as well as
TO those of the surrounding country. who
have been attempting to cope with the
grave situation that confronts them.
Out of the refugee situation there is
growing a great hardship on the city
and the planters of the regions that are
not as yet flooded. From the protected
section able bodied negro men and Their
entire families are coming to the city in
large numbers, ostensibly as good refugees
but 1t is claimed their real purpose is
to escape work and be cared for by the
city and charitable organizations
This is not only increasing the city's
burden, but is working great hardship
upon the planters as they cannot secure
laborers, which are so badly needed just
at present. There is practically no way
to get apart the imposters from the gen
uine and destitute refugees, and there
seems no way of relief from the imposi-
sion.
The railroad situation west of Men,
phis shows no Improvement, and al
though the various systems that have
had their tracks washed away by the
Hood arc making strenuous efforts and
are sparing no money to open their
tracks. 1t is reported tonight that
traffic is still completely suspended. and
that no predictions of the time of re-
lief can yet be made. The two crevasscs
Of to-day may tend to complicate the
situation, and 1t is highly probable that
this new pouring in of water will de-
stroy tracks at other points in Arkansas
to the west of the present gaps.
BY round about ways the railroads are