Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-01
ST. LOUIS FLOATING BASE
CENTER OF RELIEF WORK
Secretary Garrison on Way Back to
Capital and Will Direct Federal
Activities From Here.


Of floating base of supplies. with Maj.
James e. Normoyle of the quartermaster
corps in charge Gen. Woods telegram
follows:
Flood situation in Ohio and Mississippi
becoming more serious: organization COM
plete on the lines of last year. st. Louis
will be source of supply for floating base
to be Immediately established, and Nor
moyle Will draw on st. Louis especially
for tentage. such as was used last year,
and other supplies including forage, etc,
needed for relief work.
1.-The establishment of the floating base
will be Immediately completed by Maj.
Normoyle, through the use of engineer
boats, barges, houseboats and such other
vessels as Ii may be necessary to char
ter for that work. Direct the chief OF
engineers to Immediately issue instruc-
tions to all engineer boats, especially
those rendeZvoused at ST. Louis. to re-
port to Maj. Normoyle for duty
Garrison on Way Back.
Secretary of War Garrison is on his
to arrive here tomorrow morning. He
leaves the situation behind him ade-
quately cared for All the flooded area
al OilO mas 'Oecu cOfcTcu Wy ISAiCA
measures.
Praise is given by Secretary Garri-
son to the courage. skill and initiative
of those who met the tragic situation.
He especially commends the labors of
Gov. Cox, Mayor Hunt Of Cincinnati. |.
Gen. Speak and Gen. George H. Wood
OF the Ohio National Guard, Maj. Nor
moyle, Maj. Rhoads and Maj. Logan of
the regular army: Director bicknell of
the Red Cross. John III. Patterson of
the Dayton Cash Register Company, is
included in his roll OF honor.
The continued rising Of the Ohio river.
Secretary Garrison concludes, Is certain
to cause damage below Cincinnati. from
which point his telegram Is sent. AT
Cairo, where the Ohio joins the Missis-
sippi river. he is more or less positive
that the danger will be greatest Pre-
fiicted by the course of the flood nave
been taken
Sees Further Floods.
Flood conditions on the lower Ohio and
Mississippi. he expects, will continue for
some time, and spread over a wide area
Secretary Garrison believes he can best
direct the work Of relief from Washing
ton. and is therefore coming nome.
His telegram reads:
the special train at 6 o'clock Tuesday
morning thence over the Louisville ano
Nashville, reaching Knoxville at 6:3(
Tuesday evening. thence by the Southern
railroad. arriving at Bristol at midnight
Tuesday, thence by Norfolk and Western
morning, thence by Southern, reaching
Lynchburg 6:15 Wednesday morning
thence Washington, arriving about noon
Wednesday. II flood or washouts inter,
fere / shall detour and advise you OF
changes.
You can rest assured as to the pre-
viously flooded area in Ohio; 1t has all
been reached and relieved. Too mucn
praise cannot be given to those VINO
met and successfully COPIED with a SIT,
uatiOn requiring courage, skill ano
initiative of the highest order.
Relief Workers Praised.
."k cannot attempt to epumerate by
name those who would be embraced
within the great number to whom this
applies, but pre-eminently were Gov
Cox, Mayor Hunt of Cincinnati. Gems
Sneak and George H. Wood of the Ohio
National Guard, and the officers and
men of the. guard; Majs. Normoyle
Rhoads and Logan OF the army and
the many other commissioned and
non-commissioned officers Of the army
and navy who have co-operated
Director Bicknell and his aids or the
Red Cross and the National Cash Reg
lister Company. guided oy John d
Patterson, president.
..The Ohio is still rising. being. al
most, if not quite, seventy feet here
now This surely will cause damage
below here. and almost surely in the
Mississippi from the junction at Cairo
The general situation in Ohio is so well
in hand of local organizations that the
great portion of our officers and non
Commissioned officers will be now
Louisville and on the floating base
being organized at st. Louis to meet
the situation existing on the Ohio and
threatened on the Mississippi.
Purpose of Floating Base.
instructions have been issued to i'm
mediately put in commission q sufficient
number of engineers, boats and bargee
now at St LOUIS and vicinity to take
on board ample supplies for men and
animals in the region likely to be flooded.
This floating base divided into sections
will be SO disposed as to meet emergency
conditions as they arise. The plan OF
organization is that employed SO success
fully last year, and will be under the
same officers.
..The numerous kilograms sent to me
and to Gen. Wood by relief committees.
members of Congress and others have
been answered. and the originals turned
over to Maj. Normoyle with instructions
to meet as rapidly as possible the exi-
gencies Of the various situations, and the
senders have been Informed Of the action
taken.
Assembling of Supplies.
"Acting under arrangements with the
Secretary of the Navy, the naval officers.
men and supplies will be assembled under
the senior naval officer into a single unit
at Louisville and there placed on board a
steamer OF steamers and operated under
the general direction of Maj. Normoyle,
who has immediate charge Of the entire
situation. This naval unit will be kept
together as much as possible.
-'It is probable from present indica-
tions that the flood conditions on the
lower Ohio and Mississippi will continue
for some time. and will be spread over
such a large area that / can best direct
the general relief work from Washington,
where / shall have Immediately available
the information and resources of the