Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-05-10
$50 100000 LOSS BY
MISSISSIPPI FLOOD
Flood Situation Along the Mississippi
Is Getting More Serious With Break


ing of More levees and Rising
New Orleans, May 9,-Fiye breaks
in the levees along the Mississippi
and tributaries in the last twenty-four
hours has made the flood situation
more serious than ever.
heavy loss of life is feared in this
section and half of the sugar crop has
been lost.
convicts Fighting Flood
Bunkie, La, May 9.-Fifteen humid
red convicts are fighting the floods in
the various parts of this state.
Plaucheville is threatened with de-
struction by the break of the Torras
levee which is now a half mile wide.
Residents have built protecting le-
wee about the town.
All the crops in Averettes parish
have been destroyed.
Washington, May 9.-Millions of
dollars of loss already done, millions
more III prospect.
This is the view Government ex-
perts take OF the flood damage in the
Mississippi river valley, to say moth
ing of the toll of human life exaeted,
and the lives that have been placed in
jeopardy.
Experts at the Department of Agri-
culture estimate that the loss of farm
crops and agricultural property has
probably reached the $50,000,000 mark
and may finally total double that sum.
Until the ravages of the swirling Mis-
sissippi have finally ceased it will be
impossible to determine whether the
800, 100000 mark will be exceeded. The
damage to the cotton crop alone is ex-
pected to amount up to d stupendous
figure. Just to furnish food for thou
sands of homeless people who have
been driven from their homes and rem
dered temporarily destitute, the War
Department has already expended the
sum of 100000. This represents the
actual amount spent since the river
and it's tributaries first went on a ram
page less than month ago. The pres
ent prospect is that it will be at least
a month before conditions are restored
to normal, and if this proves the case
Department officials fear they will
need about 100000 more to care for
flood sufferers
Congress Has Appropriated $1,25o,ooo.
Congress has already appropriated
in the neighborhood of S1,250,000 for
relief work To furnish the work OF
relief already begun it may be neces-
nearly 100000 more. This does
not take into account repairs which
will have to be made to levees that
have been broken and displaced bars
which must be reconstructed.
1t is estimated that the army has
provided 10000 tents to house flood
refugees, varying from canvas affairs
that cost only $13, all the way to cost
lily tropical tents. After these have
been in use for awhile, it is stated,
they will be valueless for actual army
work, so that their total cost practical
" represents an additional expendi-
ture to the Government Millions OF
army sandbags have been used to
check the thrush of water where the
leyees have threatened to give way.
Damaged Territory 554 Miles.
The vast territory in which relief
work has been done stretches from
Cairo, ILL.,, to New Orleans, a distance
of 554 miles. This does not include
territory in the extended valleys OF
Ohio and Red rivers.
Although the navy department has
no fund at it's disposal which could be
used in rescue work, there Is good
chance that Congress will grant it a
small sum, so that it can work in a
limited way in conjunction with the
War Department. The sending of the
battleships Nebraska the gunboat Pet
rel and the militia ship Isle de Cuba
I'D the river to save the lives of per
sons stranded in out of the way spots
il, the flooded territory was done only
entirely on the responsibility of Sec
rotary of Navy Meyer.
Appeals for contributions to enable
the Red Cross to extend relief have
not met with as prompt response as
the officials would like.
Attended Funeral