The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-04-27
THE FLOOD.
Business Almost Suspended.
10000 PEOPLE WITHOUT RIA.
TIONS.
THE RIVER FALLING,

MONROE, La, April "a. 6 p. NIT is impos-
sible to give an idea of the extent of the over
flow here. The water is higher than was ever
known before. The town is an island q miles
long by mile wide from which there is no ex-
it except by boats or swimming. From the
crossing of the railroad and Desard street
back is one wide sea. Boats come and 90 from
Oakleys. People living in the rear have been
driven in. All the vacant houses have been
TAKEN and several families are living in the
Court House. Business is almost suspended,
but houses are open.
Fully 10000 people have no rations for three
days nor money to buy. Stock of every de-
scription is starving. On Desard Island al
1000 acres belonging to Capt. Phillips, only
about $50 remain uncovered. OF what has
transpired below we know nothing about. At
fairgrounds home place the water is two feet
deep III the yard, and there is no passing below
there Trenton is under water beyond
the business houses of the town.
Cotton is brought in and goods are sent out
to Clarbourne, half-mile distant. On the
flats at Hedds and Standfers, the water is two
feet deep in the yards. On the river banks
the front fences are nearly II washed down,
A steamboat could be run down Cotton street.
The river rose one inch last night 1t has
raned slowly since daylight and is still raining.
There are no crops to speak of. Not five days
The land is washed badly, and what has been
done toward making a crop has been labor
thrown away. What the people are to do God
alone knows.
The Number of Sufferers $4,000.
A report made to the Governor of the num-
Der of persons washed out of home are nearly
as far as could be ascertained was II, 800 from
which it is estimated that at least $4,000 are
needing help, for many along the creeks could
not be reached.
The Extent of the Overflow.
NEW ORLEANS, April 25.-The Times says
the extent of drainage which resulted from
great overflow is just beginning to be fully
that it should involve 100000 of acres and
population of 178,000 was apparently beyond
reasonable calculation but such is really the
case. In the cotton regions it is now ascertain
ed that nine of the largest and richest parishes
producing cotton have been inundated. Par
ishes of Carroll, Morehouse, Richland, Madi-
son, Franklin, Fensas, Caldwell, Concordia
and Catahanla are all overlooked, and embrac-
es fully two and half million acres. The
amount of cotton land in these parishes in
actual cultivation is ascertained to be 100000
acres besides 100, 900 acres in corn. These esti-
mates include only the large places leaving out
hundreds of small farms and all estimates for
cattle, hogs and gardens The population of
these nine parishes is 20, 1874 whites and "a ,033
blacks according to the census of 1870.
In the sugar producing parishes ascertained
facts discover an equal if not greater amount of
ruin and suffering These parishes are Pointe,
Iberville, Ascension, Assumption, St. John the
Baptist, Louisiana Fourshe, ST. James, St.
Charles, Lone Bonnie and Plague Mines. The
overflow on these parishes covers nearly $780,
600 acres titled and untitled including pro-
duction of 30,0 900 hhds of sugar besides large
product of rice and the crops of small farmers
OF whom there are many hundreds who have
lost their stock and pretty much everything
else they possessed.
The population of the parishes according to
census of 1870 was 50,368 whites and 1924
blacks making total of 122.609, from which
must be deducted the population of E. Baton
Rogue as only small portion of that parish
has suffered from the overflow. That deduction
being made the parishes named contain popu-
lation of 103, 609. In all the parishes named it
is believed more than %, 900 people are now in
actual suffering for necessary supplies of life
and in less than 60 days a number of those
whose circumstances will require alienation
will increase to more than 81, 900.
Call for Aid.
A dispatch from Vidalia Concorda Parish,
says public meeting assembled to day. Five
thousand people of this section represented
their suffering for food. A colnmittee was ap-
Rsnton G sTe ali Ss %ayeI
Send us 5000 rations by the Owachita Belle if
possible. The colored population in particular
are in distress" Large quantities of provisions
were shipped to the sufferers to-day. The re-
lief committees have fairly got to work. De-
mands upon it are much greater than was ex-
pected and is increasing daily as the water
from the crevasses continues spreading. An
other great Use is coming out Of the Red and
Ouachita rivers.
Mayor Cobb of Boston, to-day telegraphed
Mayor Wiltz to draw at sight for 10000 max
$4,000 contributed by Bostonians for the over
flowed.
Mayor Wilt yesterday reported $4,000 in
the bank to the credit of the relief fund.
The River Falling.
NEW ORREANs, April 26.-The river is fall
ing now and is now two feet below high water
mark. Five to seven days mails are due from
northern, eastern and western cities. The
New York mail of the 18th and some or the
Goth have been received.