Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-04-29


rl1E FLOOD IN THE LOWER
M1SSBSSlPPI.
! 10. ABLEC CONDITION OF RIVER TOWNS
Numerous Crevns.es aud Extended Ovor.
now
[Prom the Cincinnati Gasette, 25th.l
Our latest advices in regard to the
high water in the Lower Miss .sipI
are of an alarming character. From
the officers OF the steamer Monarch,
We learn that the numerous crew. 3 IS
have resulted in the overflow Of large
tracts of the lower country. and the de-
struction of stock, crops and improve
ments to an almost incalculable
amount. From Memphis down, the
river is described as spreading on
either hand like a SEE, and the marks
of desolation are everywhere visible.
Scores OF plantations and villages are
either overlooked or rendered almost
uninhabitable by the mould with which
the surrounding moisture has covered
every dwelling. The houses which are
built on pillars, thus suffering the water
to>run freely beneath, are still occr =
pied. Flat boats are usually moored to
such habitations, which serve the
double purpose of stables for the cat
tie and quarters fer the negroes who
guard them.
The anxiety to learn the news from
above respecting the water, is describ-
ed as intense, aud the people exhibited
great depression on being told that the
upper rivers were still rising.
At Helena the levee has successful
" kept the town from overflow
Napoleon is also well protected, the
levees along both the Mississippi, and
Arkansas Rivers being in good condi-
ton, the seepage water, however, keeps
filled the low grounds in the rear of
the place. The graveyard on the banks
of the Arkansas, and between the riv-
er and the levec, is submerged, and
the gravcstoncs and monuments just
peeping above the flowing waters
At Lake Providence the water is eX-
cluded, but the town is muddy and
extremely damp and no,some. At
Vicksburs the water is sixteen inches
higher than during the flood Of last
year, so that the steamers tie up cheek
by jowP with the houses, some of the
awnings Of which they have knocked
down. 1t will be remembered that
Vicksburg stands upon very high
bank.
We also learn that there Is often no
land in sight, and that the steamers in
order to reach the SO called landings
are compelled to push among trees and
logs, and buried levees to deposit a
mail bag or | indie on log or in a
skitf.
The following extracts from the
New Orleans papers will give some
idea OF the work Of destruction going
on in the immediate vicinity Of that
city. The Delta of April 10Th says :
On Sunday the river at this point
attained the height OF the memorable
flood of last year, and at o'clock last
evening was about half an inch above
that mark and continues rising stcadi-
ly. Our planters cannot be too vigi-
liant.
The crevasse Just below the mouth
of Red River has been closed. A crew
assc occurred on Saturday morning at
the plantation of NJ. Delogmy,opposite
College Point. The planters IN the
neighborhood concentrated their fore
es and succeeded in closing the breaF
The old chute, designated on the
Mississippi river chart as the Nutlet, or
FegIeman's bayou, is fast working itself
into stream. ne chute cuts off
Crandywine Island aud Thirty Nine,
saving nearly nine miles. The floods
of the past and present year have Civ
en- passage to every steamer from the
City of Memphis to the Emmabett,
through it. The banks are cavlng in
and the bed widening out, and if the
timber is only kept of, to prevent It
from choking up the channel, we pre-
dict that first class steamers will pass
through it five months in the year.
Fogleman's bayou is two and a hall
miles through, and has but one bend
in it, being a natural canal, nnsurpass.
ed for the regularity of its shore and
smoothness of its bed by any cut off 81
outlet on the river.
The Crescent of the Goth reports
The levee on the other side of the
river, at or near Bonnet Care, gave
way yesterday morrzg, breach oc-
Cured through which the tide Of the
river poured resistless volume. II
is probable that the adjacent country
was very sson inundated, Is the Ope-
lousas Railroad track was washed away
or at any rate the cars were stopped.
A boat was started up to bring down
the Passengers.
The following We copy from the
New Orleans Picka, sne of SUNDAY
the 18th 81
The officers Of the D. r. Carol
ftsm Grand Ecors, 18th inst. repef1
that % he night Il The asth INA. 90