Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-21

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wrought devastation and destruc-
ton while they held their sway.
Nearer, above and below on TO the
jsouthward and eastward, the zig
gag track of the river was marked
by the rush of great oaks and cotton
woods that had stood for years.
Side by side with these, in wild con-
fusion, floated the roofs of houses
and the dead forms of cattle, that
told too well the devastation that
had gone on above and in the whole
valley Of the river. Never before
had a country looked so prosperous,
crops so well grown, farms so well
titled. Every circumstance seemed
TO have aided to build up the hopes
and prospects of each planter,
promising unexampled prosperity
to reward him for the year of sun
burnt toll. Now, all is hidden by
a remorseless, murderous food, and
in another week these crops, on
which the river counties rehed so
confidently for their support and
wealth, will be but one immense
mass of steaming, rott:ng vegeta-
ton, sending on every breath OF
air q malaria that will spread over.
the entire country, perhaps bring
sickness and want to the already
poverty-stricken people. Verify,
the hand of God seems to be upon
our poor people in the violence
of His wrath. Last night the water
had not receded and the fugi-
tives were not permitted to
return TO their homes. During
the whole night the town was
guarded by armed men, in boats,
against the negroes who threatened
to enter and seize the provisions and
food for which they suffered. These
negroes had lived in the flats near
the river and in the past four years
had saved enough to build them
houses and buy small parcels of
ground, from which they gained
their support. These were now
under twenty feet of water, their
crops destroyed, their fences and
houses swept away. At II o'clock
the water has receded from the
town, but it has left its mark.
Houses turn over or swing across
the streets, fences are swept away,
boxes, furniture and small houses
are deposited here and there in wild
confusion, in the middle of the
street or in strangers yards. The
streets filled with wagons loaded
with furniture; and people re
turning to their houses to find their
crops ruined and furniture disor-
dered, and walls and floors smeared
with the Shiny red mud deposited
on them by the receding waters.
As vet the amount of damage to
the town and inhabitants cannot be
estimated. Yet, it is 500, 600 sure
"; while the damage done crops
and country it would take millions
to recover.
While we thus describe LaGrange,
have we thought justly of the sister
towns, Bastrop above and Columbus
below, both on lower ground, and
from whom communication is cut of.
We can only base our opinion upon
the calamity before US, and imagine
how far greater it is with them.
The wires are down between here,
Bastrop and, Austin, therefore no
news from either.
This overflow, which has never
been equalled on the Colorado with
| in the history Of Texas, has ruined
Fayette county and its prospects
The greatest farming section along
the river bottoms on both sides, and
now that all these or nearly all are
so DESTROYED it will be as much as
the inhabitants can do to save food
and raiment foI the ensuing year,
without expecting to make money
What will be the story from the
lower river we do not know; we
may expect the worst.
We have no news definitely
from the other side of the river
vet. As the question may be asked
it is strange to say that no one has
been drowned so far as we have
heard. Rumors are afoat OF men
beino seen to float down the current
of the river on house-tops, yester-
day and day before, supposed 70
have come from above. 1t is not
impossible, nor yet certainly true
| All business will be at an end here
for some time-until the town Is
righted and CLEANED out" Very
respectfully yours, J. M. FoRsHEY