Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-04-03
FLOODS IN THE
MISSISSIPPI
Threatening to go Over Levee and
Innndate CairO--.Strength.
ening Walls
RAPIDITY OF THE CURRENT
Barns, Houses, Furniture, Trees and
Drift Wood Borne Swiftly Along
Women Form Relief Corps.

Cairo, H., April To-day may de-
eide the fate of Cairo. Set in waste
of water fifty miles wide with the Miss
issippi river hourly threatening to &C
over the levee and food the entire
town, the citizens have made u tire
less fight against the flood for two
days.
With the dawn, the few who were
allowed to go to their homes late last
night, returned to the dkes today and
resumed their labor of strengthening
the walls. All night long laborers,
merchants and farmers worked shoul
der to shoulder in the streets, filling
sand bags and their dragging them
to the levce and hosting them to the
six foot wall that is being added to
the natural height of the levee. AS
far as could be seen toward the Mis-
souri, shore there was nothing but
water.
The current has increased in velo-
city and is today whirling by the town
carrying barns, houses fortunes in
stored up grains and trees and drift
wood on its crest.
So far the citizens of Cairo have
saved the town from great damage.
Leakage from the lcvcc has let con-
siderable water into the town and all
furniture has been moved to second
floors.
Late yesterday several hundred
women and children were sent from
town on j special train that managed
to make its way through the flooded
districts. The women remaining to-
day again joined the workers about
the levee by keeping hot coffee and
sandwiches constantly ut hand. Eve
ry business house in town has closed
and the restaurants have thrown open
their doors to aid in the common
cause.
Thousands of gallons Of hot coffee
were made and distributed free OF
charge. The women are formally or
ganiZed into relief corps. The bak-
crys have been working overtime in
an effort to supply the demand for
bread but when it became evident to-
dav that they would not be able to
meet the demand, part of the women
started the ovens in their homes. The
bread shortage is caused by the in
terrupted train service owing to the
high waters. The levees north of the
town were in precariOus condition
last night but tons of sand were
dumped behind them and it was hoped
they might withstand the rush of wat
erS.
The damage of the food throughor
the entire valley is staggering. Far
mers, wealthy last week, are today
practically penniless. Millions in
grain have been washed away. All
seed corn is lost and the water has
spread over farms within a radius OF
fifteen miles of Carlo. Some Of the
farmers say it will take years for the
low lands to dry out. The steamer
Three States returned from a rescue
trip last night with $4,000 worth OF
live stock, which had been picked uT
at various points.
The steamer plunged it's way ovel
rice farmes and found in the midst OF
the flood a man, his wife and baby
huddled on a scaffold which had beer
built near their house. The watel
was then within two feet of the scat
fold but they refused to leave thell
home. Conditions in Hickman, Ky.
were critical today. The tents sent b!
Gov. McCreery and the government
will not reach there until this after
noon oowing to the delay of trains ant
the suffering is intense. The town i:
under ten feet of water and it is i'm
possible for the local authorities tt
care for the 5000 made homeless by
the food.