The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-05-08
RELIEF RUSHED
TO SUFFERERS
From Flood in the South
ern Sections.
new RECORD OF MISSISSIPPI
Government Now Has 100,.
600 Refugees On Its
Ration Rolls.
THE SITUATION AT HICKMAN


rooned families in the inundate,
territory north of this place, re
ports from which state that condi
tions are extremely pitiable ant
critical in different sections. Foo
depots have been located at points
convenient for purposes of distri
button.
Conditions in the Black river sec
ton are said to almost beggar de-
scription. In many instances par.
ents and their children have sought
refuge on hastily constructed RATS
which they share with live stock.
A. S. Simmons, who arrived from a
trip over COncordia, Catahoula and
/ Tensas parishes, said that all of
these parishes were under water
with the exception of a few towns
protected by levees.
The inhabitants are homeless
and destitute" said he, land they
have no means of support. The
situation in the Black river section
is the worst | ever saw. Five thous-
and white persons along the
Black river are in a desperate fix.
The Government supplies received
there are inadequate, many fami-
lies expecting the flood, built RATS,
and when the water came they
moved their household goods
aboard. Horses, cows, pigs, chick
ems, dogs and cats are sharing
these RATS with the farmers and
their families. The RATS are anch-
ored to trees ard that's the way
they are living now. When | pass
ed through the swamps l saw many
of these RATS. The believing of
the cattle could be heard a great
distance. The people not only need
food for themselves, but provender
for their live stock
The water continued to rise in
this district yesterday, the gauge
at the Torras bridge showing an
advance of four-tenths within TWEEN
ty-four hours. The gauges at the
mouth of the Red, the Mississippi
and Atehafalaya showed an equal
rise. Old river has submerged the
old gauge and another has been
erected.
Previous Marks Broken.
New Orleans, May ALI pre-
vious Mississippi river high water
records from Baton Rouge south |
were smashed to-day and the food |
tide is increasing at the rate of |
three to five inches a day. Extreme |
anxiety as to the stability of the |
levees south of the Red river land |
ing is entertained by the Federal |
and State engineers, and unless
sunshine continues during the pres
ent week, they freely admit they
have little upon which to base
hopes of winning the hard fight.
At New Orleans this morning the
river gauge registered 2O.6 feet,
the highest water ever officially re-
corded here. The gauge at Baton
Rouge showed 419 feet, or more
than a foot above the previous high
record, and rising at the rate
half a foot a day. A rise of two
tenths was recorded at Natchez and
of a foot rise at Vicks-
burg. Above Vicksburg the waters
receded slightly at all points ex-
cept Cairo, where there was a rise
Of a foot and a half for the past
twenty-four hours.
Junior United States Engineer
Schoenberger, at Natchez. reported
20 the engineers headquarters here
to-day that hundreds of head of
cattle from the overlooked lands in !.
parish are swarming on
the levees, endangering the levees
further and impeding the opera
tions of the forces at work on the
embankments. Mr.. Schoenberger
reported that he had already re-
moved 500 head of cattle from the
levees near Natchez and will re-
quire additional boats to move 9TH
ers.
Day and night mounted patrol OF
the levees in New Orleans has been
established. The engineers say
there is no danger of a break near
the city, but to prevent overflow,
the levees in the commercial dis
trict are being raised and the re-
vetements are being strengthened
Mt all points.
Situation at Hickman.
Hickman, KY, May 2.-The Mis-
sissippi river continues to rise rap
idly here and will. no Doubt. reach
I stage that all of the lowlands will
1gain be flooded. Some of the per-
sons from flooded homes. who were