The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-12-12
MONTGOMERY
SEES THE LIGHT
Alabama River. Begins to Re.
Cede From the Flood
Stage.
GREAT PROPERTY DAMAGE

Montgomery, Ala, Dec. 12.-The
Alabama river at this point is now
receding slowly from the flood stage
of 5T1 feet, which it reached at 5
o'clock Thursday evening. The read
ing at o'clock this morning was
56.2, the stream having fallen nine
tenths of a foot within the past four
teen hours.
The water will recede slowly, says
the weather observer, for the first
day or two and after that the fall will
be much more rapid. The upper
Coosa was reported as still rising,
but this was not expected to affect
the Alabama here
Montgomery is still engulfed in the
nest difficult maze OF flood condi-
tioIis she has faced since 1886, when
1 the rfxcr went still higher than at
this time ~T fm
Refugees coming into the city tell
narrowing tales of suffering and pri-
walton. These are Mostly negroes
and are being taken care of by the
! city and county. Mayor Gunter asked
the citizens to be ready to give aid
to the suffering. There are a large
| number, Who have been unable to
reach the city, having been caught
on the opposite side of the river.
River on Rampage.
Selma, Ala, Dec. 12.-The Alabama
river is on a rampage through Selma
territory and is carrying with 1t
| everything that comes in it's path.
The water is already entering the
cellars of the Water avenue brokers,
the "Wall street" of Selma.
The river registers Sc feet today
and will continue to rise until Mon
day, reaching 81 IL to 58 feet, says
G. l.. Brislin, local weather observer.
AT the Washington street side the
river is four blocks wide, spreading
across the lowlands south of Selma.
fRelief committees have been formed,
working under the emergency work
of the local branch of the Red Cross.
The situation is described as des-
perate one with the river at the pres
| ent exceedingly higl stage, while
with rise of five or six more feet
the greatest amount of rescue work
and relief will be needed, and loss
of lives is feared in many instances
unless relief comes quickly.
Masons have organized relief COM
niittees to work among those dis
( tressed. St Johns chapter, No. IS,
Royal Arch Masons, donated $500 to
start relief work
The United States government
boat with barges, which have been
standing in port here for some time,
steamed down the river at 5 o'clock
this morning with f. l.. Milhous in
charge, aided by the relief commit
tee, to relieve distress along the river
and conduct rescue work
Train service in and out of Selma
Is temporarily abolished in certain
instances. With heavy washouts on
all roads, trains tied up between sta
tions, two feet of water on the main
line of the Southern railroad to Mar
ion Junction, it will be almost impos-
sible to resume railroad traffic for
some time.
Rapidly Clearing.
| Meridian, Miss, Dec. 12.--Flood
conditions are rapidly clearing in this
vicinity today and traffic was re-
sumed at nearly normal proportions
on all railroads entering her. with
the exception of the Mobile q Ohio.
1t was expected, however, that the
J Mobile & Ohio service ould be par
! TALLY resumed during today.
| Reports from Enterprise, south of
here, indicated rapid falling of water
| there.
! Only one death resulted from the
| high waters, it was definitely deter
! mined lasFnight.
Conditions Improve.
! Macon. Ca. Dec. 12-The .Ocmu!gec
! river at this point was receding today,
having fallen slightly over one foot
! since 6 o'clock yesterday afternoon,
| when the register was 25.3 feet. At 9
| O'Clock this morning the river registered
242.
The local weather bureau announced
| more rains are expected, and that an
| other rise is due. but believes the crest
| of the flood has passed
Savannah Recedes.
l. Augusta, Ga, Dec. l2.-The food
waters of the Savannah river were re.
ceding here today, after having reached
a crest of 35.5 feet late 1nursday
August's nine-mile levec recently con
structed at cost of So, 900 900. protected
the city from what otherwise wout
have been an almost general inundation
Hamburg. S. c., across the river from
Augusta, is still partly submerged
There was no loss of life.
| Hatticsburg. Miss, Dec 12.-With th'
water In Leaf river falling slowly anC
the weather moderating the crisis II
the Hood situation here is passed. Ovei
1000 refugees were sheltered last nigh
in public buildings. while food anC
clothing was provided by the authori
ties. assisted by the various civic in
stitut ions