Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-02-13
Cotton Belt Will Be Oper. ating Trains as Usual by
 Tonight.
SITUATION SOUTH
 STILL SERIOUS
Desha and Chic0t Counties Expect No lmprOvement for Week or More. Railroads, Steamboat and Telephone
 Lines Render Great Services.

With the snnounc ement, that Cot ton Belt .trains will again be cperat- ing over the main line through the flooded section around Clarendon by tonight, comes virtually the end of the high watsr troubles in this sec ti1n of the state.h.s
 The Iron Mountain resumed opera tions on it's lines to St.. Louis early in the week. and by the afternoon of Thursday trains were running again over tho Iron Mountain south of ilera, after service had bsen suspended on these lines fer week or more
 The Rock Island repaired washouts on its line. between Brinkl2y and Duvall's Bluff about the middle of the week. resMa ing through traffic between Memphis and Little Rock. and ths repairs of the Cotton Belt around Clarendon brought all this work to a successful end, SD that all roads are again operating over their own lines, virtually according to the regular schedules. aG
 In Desha and Chicot counties, flood conditions continue to prs vail, and are expected ta prevail q WS0k Of IuSAG iSASSA, III OoNCl ~A less degree. but elsewhere in the seuths astern part of the stata the water is rapidly receding. refugees are returning to their homes to make estimates Of their losses and to rssume their usual operations, and conditions generally are rapidly reaching the normal.
 Utilities Suffer Greatly.
 The telegraph people are virtually the only public service corporations which have nst suffered to any ex- tent during the flood which is now receding.
 All railroad lines. steamboat lines and tslephcne lines have had more or less trouble, and considerable ex- pense. even when actual operations were not suspended by the flaois.
 Despite their own troubles the rail roads and steamboat lines have de- voted tiIe ard ensrgy and consider able sums of money, to the work 1f giving aid to the flood sufferers ami refugees. Special trains have be n run without cos except to the reads. food and water has bsen hauled free or at greatly reduced rates. Live stock and househsld goods have been moved by trains and boats. with no charge for the service. The telephone companies have bsen operating steadily. although under greatly in- creased expense, and the managers are frank in expressing ths belief thas many of the calls over long dis tance will return no income what ever. the service having been givsn by the company because it was an emergency matter, and without the usual dsel and for assurance of pay ment.
 District Commercial Manager w. l.. Jones of tAe southwestern Telegraph & Telephone company yesterday fsrwgrded D ihs Southwestern Tele- phone News, letter describing con- ditions under which the company has operated the past three weeks, in this vicinity. He points out that the operators in the Arkansas City and Lake Village exchanges are living at the exchanges during the flood psried. their meals being furnished by the company, and, in the case of Arkansas City, drinking water oelng shipped to the exchange from Green yille, Miss. in l00-gallon quantities,
 Mr. Jones commands and prais s the manner in which the employees or the company a, Pine Bluff, Arkansas City. Lake village, McGehee, Dermott, Clars ndon and all other Points have handled the business, and especially for the manner in which they have heartily co-aperated with the au- thorities and all asher agencies, in rendering aid and assistance to the flood sufferers,
 Work Under Difficulties.
 He saws in part.
 .tAt Pine Bluff most of the eastern sscticn of ths city was from six 10 ten feet under water. When the water began to rise move orders and emergency connscts began pouring m fr:em the flooded district. Boass and hin boots were put in service and these orders were cared for with astcnishinC raniGity. Using boats to