The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-30
EVERY EFFORT IS MADE ID REMEDY
 FOOD SHORTAGE
Many Communities Complete. Iy Surrounded by Water With Scores Without
 Food
By AsEociated i.rass

New Orleans, April 29,-Reports from Harrisonburg, La, late today that the 1000 residents of that town, in addition to 500 refugees from Catahoula, Concordia and other flooded parishes in that sec tion face starvation unless food sup plies arrive speedily, have greatly intensified the gravity of the flood situation, and every agency is to- night trying to overcome the diff culty of transporting supplies to the stricken people.
 The most serious phase of the flood situation in northern Louisiana at this time. aside from the danger of continually rising waters. is that of the threatened food shortage. Many isolated communities have been com pletely surrounded by water and resi- dents forced to depend upon the small stocks of food on hand when flood waters rushed through the break near Ferriday. Countless numbers are living on canned products that they are securing from community groeers, but reports from some sections indi- cate there are other communities not so fortunately placed and that many people are very little ahead of starva- tion. In many isolated farm houses, where residents have remained in their marooned or flooded homes. there is very little if anything to eat.
 Heal. Crisis Exists
 nF ported from all the refugee camps in the Louisiana flooded area, and a real crisis existing at Harrisonburg. refugee workers today expressed the belief that those who remained in their flood-swept homes may in the long run be better off than those con centrated in the refugee camps unless some means of reaching the camps with provisions is found without de- lay.
 If provisions are not rushed to darrisonburg at once there will be suffering there,| N. R. Cotton, member of the Tensas basin levce board, declared today. A steamboat loaded with provisions was reported to be en route from New Orleans, but little is known of the time of it's prob able arrival, or when these supplies will reach Harrisonburg, where at least 300 more refugees are expected by tomorrow.
 The increasing gravity of the food shortage problem, the necessity of providing marooned persons with food. and In some cases medical at tention. coupled with the growing un- easiness relative to a number of com munities which have been completely surrounded by water and believed to be in danger, the lack of communica- ton with the outside world, the pre- valence of rumors and distorted re- ports of famine and pestilence, of floods and disasters in other sections all tended to aggravate the pitiful plight of the homeless refugees. many their lives, as they huddled up in small groups about the refugee camps.
 No Complaints Heard
 No murmurs of complaints against the hard fate they have met with arg heard. The refugees are facing theii troubles stoically. and spenu quits as much time conjecturing about the probable duration of the flood as upon the arrival Of food.
 At the Jonesville refugee camp, where several hundred are being cared for by residents there, a new source of trouble has arisen in that the flood waters from the Ferriday crevasse have surrounded the town and threaten to cover the entire place within few hours.
 Disquieting reports are being re- ceived at Jonesville of people being marooned at different points along the Louisiana and Arkansas railway. Many people at Black Water. Chevy Chase, Althone, Moreau, and some other communities are reported tn be ia eeed Of immediate aid. Whole com snnn ties have been cut off from out side communication and the lack of small boats, the only method by wtifh they can Dc reached. has prac- twaily isolated them.