South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1874-05-01
The Great Mississippi Flood.

Appalling Statements Of Tie Devastation.
7oVns SH5merged-FIue Millions Of Aerss Invol-
-Th0U'Gnds Of People Destitute : Crops De-
stroyed &c
Iho New Orleans Times says tha. the
extent OF the damage by the overflow 10
La, Is only beginning TO be understood,
and that the food will involve 5 100000
acres OF land aud population of lis 900.
In 'ne cotton regioos it is now sscertained
that nloe OF the largest and richest parishes
producing cotton have been inundated -
The parishes of Carroll, Morehouse, Sich
laud, Madison, Franklin, Tensss, Caldwell,
Concordia aud Cstahoula are all overlooked,
and embrace fully $500, 900 acres. Tue
amount of cotton land in these parishes iu
actual cultivation is ascertained 10 be
quarter of million acres, besides one hun
dred thousand acres 10 corn. These esti-
mates include only large places, leaving out
hundreds of small farmers, and all estimates
for cattle, hogs, and gardens. The popula.
ton OF these nin' parishes is 20, 1891 whites
anu 4,O33 blacks, according to the census
Of 1870
THE SUGAR PARISHES.
In the sugar. producing parishes ascer.
tanned facts discover equal if not greater
amount Ct ruin and suffrring. These par
lshes are Pointe Coupce, East Baton Rouge,
West Baton Rouge, Iberviie, Ascension,
Assumption, La Fourche, ST. james, St.
Johu the Baptist, ST. Charles, Terle Bonnie,
and Pisquemines. The overflow in these
parishes covers nearly two aud half mil.
lion acres, titled and untitled, including the
production of thirty thousand hogsheads of
sugar, besides a large product of rice and
tue crops OF small farmers, of whom there
are many hundreds who have lost their
stock aud pretty much every thing else they
possess.
The population of these pari shes, accord.
ing to the census of 1870, was So 6S
whites and y, 24l blacks, making, a total
of 2,G09, from which must be deducted
the population of East Baton Rouge, as on.
~ small portion of that parish has suffer.
ed from the oveIf>w. That deduction be-
ing made, the parishes named contained
population of l03, 600. 10 all the parishes
named 1t is believed that moro than % 600
people are in actual suffering for the neoes-
sary supplies of life, and that in less than
sixty days the number of those whose cir.
cums'ances will require alienation will in
crease to more than $4,000 persons.
SWEEP OF THE FLOOD.
The in nense body of water which comes
down the valley of the Mississippi and Gu
achita aud Black rivers passes across Red
river some forty miles from its mou th. and
meeting with no obstruction until it meets
the levee of Bayou des Glaizos it sweeps
with irresistible force every feeble barrier
occupying breadth of country from TWEEN
ty-ii7e to thirty miles wide through the
eastern portion of Avericles and 81. L,n-
dry parishes and covering all the lands 10
that region, which Includes it's limits
the larger portion of the most productive
lands on these two parishes. Beginning ut
Moreamount II washes around what ia call.
ed the big bond of the Bayou des Glaizes
down to Simsporf, distance of more than
forty miles by meanders of the bsyou, which
is thickly settled, thence down the lower
lands on the western side of Atchafalava
river, behind the plan tations on that river,
inundsting them from behind. Within the
limits of the land thus submerged there are
not less than 10000 souls, including white
and black, mostly of the laboring class, but
no doubt some of the proprietors are 10 a
suffering condition on account OF the almost
total failure of the crops of both corn and
cotton, on account of the wet weather last
year.
THE oUACHITA VALLEY.
Dispatches from the Ouachita Valley,
La, give graphic pictures of the distress
The town of Monroe is an Island two and
hall miles long by half mile wide, from
which there Is no exit, except By boats or
Swimming. From the crossing of the rail-
road aud Desard street back is one wide sea.
All the vacant houses have been taken,
and several families are living 10 the court
house, Business is almost com letely sus.
pended, but the houses are open Fo1ly
one thousand people have DOT raiions for
three days, nor money TO buy with. Stock
Of every description gathered in the town
are starving. % Desard Island almost all
the plantations are under water. On the
river bank front the fences are nearly oil
washed down and steamboat could be run
down Gotten street.
An eye witness from Camden. Trenton,
ard Monroe, and the overhowed district of
North Louisiana, gives a statement of the
numbers needing help as follows:
Lower Black river, 800; Marder, ex.
cludiug that part Of CoDcordil parish on
Black river, 500; Wilson's, 90 Black riv-
er, 400; Trinity, excluding Tensss bayou,
Little river, 1900; Harrisburg, including
Bayou Louis, 1000; Stsrb's landing, in
Guiding Braiue landing, 300 Csrter's
landing, 400 Bunker Hill, between Gu
achita aud Bayou Boeuf, 500 Columbia,
including franklin and Ouachiia or Boeuf,
and between Ouachita and Roouf river