Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-04-29
CURRENT REPORTS.


A REFUGEE INTERVIEWED. -
Refugees from the overfiowed country
south OF this continue to arrive daily,
and give accounts Of the pitiable condi-
ton Of the unfortunate people there.
Owing TO the isolation of the country
along the Mississippi and other rivers,
the true condition of the inhabitants is
not known to the public. Many homes
in the bottoms, far from railroads and
telegraph stations, have been deserted,
while hundreds of people are left With
out food, clothing OF shelter. In many
places the water extends for miles in
every direction, cutting off all eommU-
nication with the upland country, and
compelling the inhabitants to remain in
cherries homes and half-submerged
dwellings. No provisions are to be had,
for there are none to purchase. The pub
lie cannot be too generous in its charity
toward these people. Only yesterday a
lady named --1 '7 "
~ LE MRS. WALKER, -gF uZa
with her child, arrived in this city,
from her deluged home in Mississippi,
sixty or seventy miles below here. Her
story is 3 sad one, and arouses the SYM
pathies of all who hear it. The high
water broke through the levee, and soon
flooded the country for miles around.
The unexpected rise forced her family
into the second story of the dwelling,
and did not allow any time for laying in
provisions or removing the stock. Two
DAYS ago a passing steamer was sig
nailed, and, rounding to, approached
as near to the half-fioating house as
the timber would permit, Mr.. Walker
took his wife and child in his arms and
after wading knee deep through the
water for over a hundred yards to little
knoll of ground reached the steamer
The boat showed Off after receiving Mrs.
Walker and her child. The husband,
after waiving adieu to his wife, returned
to take care of the three remaining
children. Mrs. Walker came TO Mem
phis for the purpose of buying food and
SEEKING AID FOR HER HUSBAND AND |
CHILDREN.
Unfortunately the little sum of money
she had was stolen on the boat, and al |
though vigorous search was made, it was I
not found, and she left the boat without |
a dollar in her pocket. When she left |
home there were only three days pro- |
visions for her impoverished husband |
and helpless children. This was true of |
every family in the neighbOrhoOd. There /
are no supplies in that portion OF the I
country, and even if there were, the peO /
pie IN most instances have no means of |
them. The strong current, tim /
Der and DRIFT, render it extremely hazard
Gus, if not altogether Impossible, ,tOiptopel 7
RATS, even where such are at hand. |
When Mrs. Walker left the water was ,
so high in her house that the children /
were sleeping on shelves and the cook
ing-stove was located on the dining I
table. The fowls had to roOst on
the roof Of the house where three I
or four pigs found a lodging place. Out !.
of nine horses aad mules seven had
PERIsHED WITH HUNGER OR WERE
DROWNED.
The same state Of affairs existed for
miles, and in the remote bottoms count
less hundreds Of persons are suffering
with hunger and imprisoned in their de-
luged houses with no prospect of relief.
The swift current stripped plantations |
Of fences, buildings, wagons and farm
implements of every kind. Communi-
cation with the outside world was effec- +,
tualy cut Off and the people could not |
reach the upland country. The story as
related by Mrs. Walker, who, with her
child, is stopping at the Grand Central
contrary gives a faint conception Of the
true condition Of helpless men, women
and children actually suffering, and in
too many instances starving to death. /
From the present stage of water no re-
ceding OF the river can amount to any
relief within the next ten days, unless |
the define be unusually fast. The whole |
country south of the city along the Mis- |
sissippi, St. Francis, White and ArkaR- |
sss rivers is submerged, the planta- F.
tions devastated, and the inhab- I
itants undergoing the most fearful |
affiictioa that ever befell a people. \
The trade from this section of inundat- I
ed country belongs 10 Memphis, and an 4
nually contributes to the commercial
greatness and wealth of our city. While
much aid, though by no means too
much, has been extended to the suffer
ers ia Louisiana and the lower coast by
The government, leading cities, boards
1f trade, cotton exchanges and other
business organizations throughout the
country,
NO ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN GIVEN
he inhabitants in the sections above re-
erred 10. Their complaints are IN
leard, their appeals unheeded, and
n6lr Suuerlngs unkuOWus IL Is Dub
light that contributions be made by
Memphis for these people. Approaching
he demand Of these people for assist
lnce, PresidentJ. NJ. Pettigrew, Of the
,hamber OF commerce, and President
w. b. Galbreath, of the cotton ex-
change, yesterday appointed a joint
committee to devise and report some
plan by which to assist these unfortu-
nate people. The action of the
committee is published below. The
steamer A. J. White, with provisions
donated by Memphis merchants left
here yesterday for Napoleon and inter-
mediate points. There is no doubt but
that our citizens, one and all, will do
nate something. The article in yester-
days APPEAL touching the necessity
for immediate action in this matter has
not been read thoughtlessly by our COM
muaity. Many have siguified a desire
TO do all in their power to save the peo-
pie from starving, and the Hveliest in
terest has been aroused among the OFF,
GERS aud members of the chamber of
commerce and cotton exchange. Let
the good work continue.