American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-04-23
Floods In the mississippi and Arkansas.

a dispatch from ST. Louis con firms the
accounts OF floods in the Mississppi and
Arkansas rivers. From the mouth OF White
IiVer 10 the Louisiana line, but few places
escaped. Plantations have been submerged
and the destruction is immense. A, Napo.
| leon. the water is higher than during The
Hood of 1874. Another dispa'ch, dated at
Vicksburg. April 8, says:
The river towns OF Napoleon and Prentiss,
we learn from accounts received here this
morning. have been inundated i'm conscou.
enre OF the height TO which the river has
| risen. .......
The Ievees below Napoleon are reported
10 have given away, thereby causing the
whole adjacent country to be submerged.
Inc river is now as high, within a few
inches, os II has ever known a, points
between this and Memphis. Opposite this
twelve hours.
A resident OF Bolivar county, Miss, fur
n!shes the following particulars to Memp-
his paper:
Our informant states that some DAYS ago,
having occasion TO visit Carson's Landing
with his family, This residence in some len
miIes from me riverO to procure passage for
female relative upon some ascending boat
as far asMemPhis, he found his return sud.
denl cut of and himself completely hem
med IN by the rapid influx Of water, conse-
Quent upon the bTeakage OF the levee above.
In short time the whole country. for miles
IN extent, was flooded. Large plantations.
valued at $50 per acre, were COMPLETELY
covered, and nearly all the live stock swept
away; all, in fact, save the few who con.
GreSated upon little patches Of the rising
ground, here and there, of some few feet iii
extent.
In many places private dwellings furnish
ed shelter TO man and beast. As in cases
OF double ienements. somewhat elevated,
whites occupied one end OF the building
negroes the other, while in the Intermediate
porch cattle would be huddled as lhick as
they could stand. In very many instances
however, the houses themselves were de-
serted. the owners having been compelled
to betake themselves 10 dug .outs, boats and
rails, or whatever came first TO hand,
The suffering distress of the inhabitants
Is described as having been severe in the
extreme. Our informant states that, up TO
the time he left, fears were entertained tina,
the levee would give way in other places
below the first break, aud all who could
| render any effective service, were bnsily EN-.
pioycd catching drif-wood and piling il up.
on the Ievee, and using all other means in
lheir power 10 raise il, so as to curb the i'm
pe,uous flood.
Another dispatch from ST. Louis, dated
Friday, says: ...
Fuller accounts from below state that
much damage has done by great rise in
| the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers. From
The mouth OF White river TO The Louisiana
ine,lhere are bu, few places that will escape
being submerged. Whole cotton plantations
are now under water.
The town of Napoleon is completely in
undated from the depth Of two to ten feet,
The South side Of the Arkansas river has
overlooked, causing immense destruction Of
! property the North side is comparatively
safe. The river is falling now, but the back
water from the Mississippi extends so miles
| from its mouth.
! The levees on the East side Of The Missis
sippi have not yet given away.