Evening star., 1927-05-08
EY REX COLLIER,
s4a9 rnrraenn,n,fa,t ,1F Tho Star

| the river, Secretary Hoover. Secretary
of War Davis and other Of the Govern
ment food inspection party arrived
here before dawn today aboard the
| United States steamship Control en-
route to Baton Louge, La First-hand
| glimpse of actual rescue work was
| afforded the group as several large
| steamers docked this morning to un
| load their motley, pitiful assortment OF
! flood victims from the Tensas Basin
section opposite here, now gradually
being turned into a gigantic lake,
While the cabinet officers, Chief OF
Engineers Jadwin, Red Cross Dl'
rector Fieser and the other members
Of the official party were enjoying
breakfast aboard ship at the lower
end of town, a big stern-Wheeler ued
up at an adjoining wharf with 100
sorry looking refugees from the Black
River region, The poorly dressed fam
lilies Law stretched out on the boards OF
a fat boat in tow of the steamer,
some sheltered from the glare or an
early, but sultry sun by KHAKI tentS
or canvas leantos They were unload
ed in trucks and transported to the
local refugee camp, swelling the pop
uIation to considerably over 1000.
Several of the refugees were Ill ana
had to be carried from the boats
The relief expedition was welcomed
to the haven for Louisiana refugees
by committee of city officials, lnciud'
ing Mayor l.. A. Wilmington, Mrs.
Margaret +. Butler, director of local
Red Cross activities. and w. I'll. Bra
dan. president of the NatcheZ Cham
her of Commerce After watching the
unloading of rescue boats at this
wharf. the group was escorted INTO
the city proper for a formal confer
ence with relief authorities here. Later
n tour of the refugee center was made
al the invitation of Mrs. -Vivienne
breckenridge, disaster relief worker IN
charge. The party learned that score
of Natchez high school girls are as
sisting in the vaccination or the camp
inhabitants against smallpox. Ihey
also are being innoculated against
typhoid fever.
Leave for BATON Rouge.
. Upon completion of the inspection
program here the Control pulled out
for Baton Rouge, where the national
relief party will confer with former
Gov. Parker and other members OF
Iouisiana's rehabilitation committee
from Baton Rouge. The party Will
nroceed to New Orleans to remain
over the Sabbath 1t is understood
that the Commerce and War Secre-
taries may return later TO Bator
Rouge. They were delayed several
hours in leaving VickSburg yesterday
afternoon while Secretary Hoover
completed a tour of the refugee
camps and Secretary Davis and Gen,
Jadwin made an afrplane flight over
the levees to the south.
The Control sailed down on the
crest of the Mississippi under full
steam for the first inspection point.
st. Joseph. This levee town ana
Newollton today were being caught
in the advance waters from the
creyasses at Millikens Bend and VIM
ter Quarters and evacuation OF resi-
dents was virtually completed. The
Control pulled close in shore at ST.
Joseph, but because of darkness Its
passengers were unable to discern
much of interest.
The ship also passed Hard Times
landing. near Newellton. where
crevasse waters are merging with
back waters and with overflow from
the Red River to lay waste Concordla
Parish and other low areas in the
great Tensas Basin. From the heights
of Natchez the party could distinguish
far across the muddy river the roof
line of Vidalia, where gangs OF work
men have been laboFing furiously to
prevent a collapse of the weakened
leveeS.
Evacuation Described.
lust before last midnight Coast
Guard rescue boat pulled alongside
the Control and the official party re-
ceived from the doughty sun-burned
members of its crew a gripping story
of how the Government rescue neet
is accomplishing the evacuation or
territory inundated by the Hard Times
ereyasses. Warrant BoatswaIn w.
r. Schulz, husky Coast Guardsman
from the Texas Gulf, explained how
the two Coast Guard ships and half
a dozen surf boats combed the flooded
lands and tributaries around Hard
Times and removed from winter
Quarters alone $50 Inhabitants
There are still about 500 citizens re-
manning. in the section, but they are
loath to leave their homes, Schulz re-
ported.
THE Hard Tintes break has widened
to 500 feet and has washed out the
Ieyee to a depth of Is feet, 1t was
stated. overfiowing Lake Bruin ana
covering the country several miles
north of St. Joseph. The evacuation
of this region was effected without ac-
cident. An S5-year-old woman died
here Yesterday, however, from the
shock of her experiences. 1t Is be-
lieved she succumbed in the local hos
pital.
Lots Of people don't want to come
out of their homes" Schultz stated
They say they guess they will wait
while until the water gets too deep.
One negro insisted on being taken
back TO his home after we had res
cued him. We told him he would have
to stay there. as we could not come
back for him. Il reckon you all Will
come back foh me If the water gets
too high, though. won't you cap'n,' he
drove him to straddle his chimney
drove him to straddles his chimney
and WAS licking at his shoes we might
think about saving him. He said he
would stay. suppose he's still
there"
Rescued Half Dozen Times.
Secretary Hoover was deeply inter
ested in the case of another man who
was so undecided about whether to
flee or remain that he was taken back
and removed half dozen times before
he finally agreed that he better aban-
don his home.
HE just couldn't make up his
mind" the Coast Guard officer eX-
planned. 80 we let him have his way
until he was able TO reach a decision. "
Waterproof. singularly enough will
be under four or Ave feet of water
within d short space of time, it was
stated Three barge steamers are serv-
ing as refugee stations in that neigh.
horhood The smaller boats put off
from these stations and ply up and
down the streams and lakes, remov-