, 1874-05-09
THE SOUTHERN FLOODS.
Distressing Accounts From tho Sub
merged Districts.
Approximate Estimate Of the Losses
in Louisiana,

in Louisiana,
NfEMpu1s, Tenn, May 8.---Tho Relief Commit
| too this morning, received = large number Of
letters and applontionb for relief from the ovor-
flowed district, particularly from tho lower por-
| tion Of Arkansas where tho dostltuton Ia great
or and more general. The following extracts
from those letters will give an idea Of tho suffer-
Ing and destitution thsre, and will sppea to tho
philanthropic throughout the land.
| IN oulcor COUNTY, ARR.
4 well-known planter, writing from Bor-
nard, Chicot County, Ark, says: There ia
needed In this section rations for 1000 per-
sons, and forage for their stock, whose
lands arc under water. Tho deatitution
here will bo very great, nearly ovory ono in
the overaowod district having lost thor stock,
aud having nothing left to aid them In purchhs-
ing tho necessary ratlonB. Thesc parties ali ro-
quiro help until they can raise como corn. Help
III all you can. Our people aro truly suffering,
and, unloss VIC got nd to make ut 1enst soma
corn, this portion Of tho country Mill be aban-
doned By fully ono-half OF the laborers."
ARKAasAB CITY.
A petition from 500 cotored laborerB. from Ar
kansas City and that vicinity, is forwarded by j.
v. Dickinson, formerly = ootton-factor hero,
Of Arkansas City and the ne,ghboriug planta-
tionB, would respectfully state That We are in 4
desperate condition, only Il few Of uB having b
| few days rations, 1ud they have boen furnished
have not enough loft for their own families
long. The water now stands as high us 4 feet
aboYo tho floors Of many Of our hout es. Some
Of ua have Ind to move out and lerd with 9TH
ers as beBt no can. Over all tho plantations
| tho water stands from to feet. Tho leyees
! ars all broken, tho fonoea arc gone, and our
atook has been greatly reduced from drowning
and starvation. Our friends. the white people,
| have dons all they could, aud can do no more.
Non. We can eco nothing but starvation and
death to many Of US, unless the good people viii
aid ua, and that aoou."
hir. Dickinson, in forwarding tho petition,
aayH ut doeH not mako the condition Az bad as
1t really IL. Some Of these families are on my
four months, during three Of winch they
''ee ps'esSns Gsssa tees aso9s iss's
their floors. canno!t; feed them any longer,
negroes. They will suffer aoon. Some Of thom
have not enough loft for thor own families long,
and the others are living on hominy alone, or
parchsd coru."
On the other aide OF the river from whore
these letters are written there s considerable
destitution, but Gov. Amos and other State
o1lciala are taking steps to rolievs thcm, but In
fairs at the capital, nothing is being done for
them, and they arc entirely dependent upon the
charity OF the citizens Of other States. The
Rel,of Committee here is doing good work. but
cannot relieve but small portion Of the inuu-
dated district.
At Hopeheld. opposite here. Which has been
aubmel8ed for nearly two months, there ia con-
siderable distress, but it is being relieved.
The following information concerning the
| overflow ia Cleaned from the officers OF the boat
arriving last might: The rise In the st. Francis.
which set In 8 few days Hince, bus overnowed tho
banks, and, in two or thteo placos, plantations
| undor cultivation
HAVE BEEN DROWNED OUT,
There ia but lttto deatitution in this valley, and
the planters are hopeful Of the water soon run
ming OF, and being hble to resume planling.
This rlso has broken tho loyoo In several places
near @ the mouth, including Jefforsona and 81.
lovccs ut Helena and Friar's Point arc re-
ported in danger. White River iB inBide its
banks down to Augusta, and below there tho
planters ace yet hopeful Of being able to make 4
of all tue plantations, excepting RawIings, aud
planters Rre at work.
CINCINNATI, O., Mny B.-Mayor johnston to-
day issuea proclamation calling upon tho pas
to procure relief for the suffering citizens Of
Louisiana. He suggests the use of boxes to re-
ceive donations in all the churches next Sunday,
aud announces that he will aend al ageut IN
Monday to collect the money.
AN APPROXIMATE ESTIMATE OF IogsEs IN LOUIE
lana.
From the Nt.o Orleans Times Mav4.
Not until there has been d complete suhHid-
ence Of the waters can there be 4 full moasuro-
ment Of the damages sustained; but n survey Of
the yaht plane Of water, which stretches from
TIC. border OF Arkansas to the Gull,
with an avorage width Of, say, fifty
miles, NO may at least approximately esti-
muto tho. calamity. prodicating our esti-
mates on the best lights now before US, the loss,
direct ind consequential to the people Of this
| staie must largely exceed 10.0l0,00o.
The area now under UNI water ls yarlously estl-
mated ut from 2 250D, 100 to 5000, 600.
Involved is . population fairly estimated At
100 600, without considering the large comtnsr-
ola! iuterests Of New Orleans.
,Wel'-lnforined planters and good judges with
will be loss Of 26o.00o balss Of cotton on tho
crop Of this year, even under the most favorable
circumstances. Should the overflow continue
longer than the 18th inst, the loss will be largely
enhanced, and exceed 800. 900 balcB.
The loss IN sugar Ia almost total and absolute,
MT only for tho present yoar, but will attend
that industry for two more years after tho
present. Cane, cannot be brought to q proauo-
tion can only be accomplished gradually. It will
be fair to count In the loss not only of the prcs-
ent year but the consoquentialloss OF succeeding
years. Tho loes on this years crop Is yariousy
We are persuaded tllat the former figures $4,000
hogsheads) IL within the margin Of certainty;
that would be $9 600 900; next year, 20 600 hogs.
heeds @ ooo ooo and ths a, yeo year following that,
then, directly aud consequential, must be sok
/ down at 60, 100000.
| OF tue rice.crop We hays certalu loss Of
6.o31, ,040 pounds. which, estimated At az
| contB, aggregatoa 4311 ,000.
There may be some loss In the crop OF to-
bscco but dillgsuk inquiry has failed to fycovar