Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1849-09-05
The Red River Overflow.

We have already published several short &C.
counts of the great overflow in Red River, but
the following, from the Alexandria La.) Re-
publican, Extra, of the 2lst inst, is fuller. than
any account we have yet seen:
The extraordinary and unheard-of food of
Red River has put it altogether beyond our
power to continue the regular weekly issues
of our paper. To print this extra, giving a brief
account ofthe calamity, terrible, awful and over
whelming us it most truly is, it will be necessary
for us to work in water three feet deep on
one of the highest first floors in town.
The acco UNITS of the suffering above, repre-
sent it to be even worse than it is here. Having
no high lands to fly to-, the inhabitants have had
to huddle with their cattle upon their highest
grounds, and either stand in water waist deep,
or climb up into trees and wait for a boat to
rescue them.
The oldest inhabitants of the country, men
of sixty and seventy, who were born and raised
here, say that the water never has been as high
as it is now during their existence. As far as
we have been able to learn, it extends from hill
to hill every where, covering, except a few high
spots, all the alluyial lands on both sides of
Red River; on Bayous Robert and Rapides, and
perhaps Bayou Beuf. Evena large portion
of the lands of the Plaisance settlement, which
have been considered perfectly secure against
high water, are partially inundated. The loss
has consequently been very great. In this
parish, in the crops of cotton and sugar alone,
estimating the former at $4,000 bales and the
latter at 10000 hogsheads, with the usual
amount ofmolasses, it will exceed 100000, and
if we include corn, stock, and damage done to
prnnarfr - n,o MI y.,afa IN 60 nn0 n0n
Our front proprietors leveed only against an
hind what they conceived their invincible breast
works that they made no preparations at all for
moving until the water, rising as it did with ex-
traordinary repidity, completely covered them
Hence on some places only a part of the stock
was saved, while on Others it was all lost.
1t is impossible to estimate the loss by the
flood in the valley of Red River. Instead of up
wards of $4,000, this parish will not produce
bales. In the valley, instead of upwards
of 100000 bales, not 10000 will be made. The
loss in this one article will consequently be
$%5,OOO,OOO, which is nothing to the loss of the
corn crop, Of stock, of farming implements, the
destruction of improvements, and general
breaking up of plantations. To these too are
be added the loss of credit, 40 mean item,
which we must measurably suffer. Truly it is
a sad fix that this country is in.
The damage done to the town cannot now
be estimated, but it is considerable. Many
are partially undermined, and others
probably will be before the water leaves u.s.
Until it does so, at least until it leaves our floor, |
our readers we fear will not again hear from
US.
The Natchitoches Chronicle of the 25th inst, |
says that Red River has fallen at that place |
about three feet, and was receeding slowly.
The cotton worms were very busy with the
little cotton not destroyed by the food.