The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-05-08
The Southern Overflow.

NEW ORLEANS, May 4-The relief
conssAittee report officially to the Gov
ernoF that up to date they have been
f rty thousand rations day
and that, in their Judgment fifty thousand
rationa daily for sixty days will be re-
quired, to relieve pressing wants. Gov
ernment clothing arrived to-day, and
was stored in the United States Ware
house, subject to the order of the Gov
ernor.
NFw ORLEANS, May 4.-There Is no
abatement of the creyasse overflow. The
following extracts from letters to the
Governor show the condition of those liv-
ing in the overhowed districts. Edgar
Fazerd, manager of Bell River plant
alton, Assumption Parish, says:
SIN this section of the parish there is
a population of about one thousand,
white and black, destitute of the FIRST
necessaries of life. living on RATS and
houae-tops. No transportation OF any
kind, and the nearest land is twenty miles;
all their cattle and horses are drowned,
and the water still rising about six inch
es in twenty-four hours"
Mrs. 8. A. Briggs, writing from Hes
peria plantation, Madison Parish, ssys:
"Permit me to call yanr attention to the
sufferings Of the freedmen on my planta-
tion, one hundred and ten IN number.
We are submerged. Merchants are not
extending credit, provisions are exhaust
ed, stock destroyed; women and children
come TO me, and / am without the means
to help them or myself"
The Brashear News says: Brashear
City has an average ofthree feet of water
in the rear, and FIVE feet in the front of
town. There are but three acres Of dry
ground in the place. Goods are stored
in railroad depots. The space not so oc-
cupied is used for public market.
Avoca plantation, on Bayou Boeuf. has
800 acres of cane and corn under water.
On the Bayous Boeuf, from Brashear to
the railroad, fifteen plantations are under
water In Chene five plantations are
under water, with a number of small ISL
cts of dry ground occupied BY swampers.
At Shoefer's three plantations are under
water, and twenty families are in distress
and asking assistance to transport them,
to the highlands. They are now living
on RATS. On Sweet Bay Lake fifteen
families are flooded out; on Black Lake
sixteen families; on Laurs sixteen.
The following is regarding the towns:
Charenton-All the front and a portion
of the business part of the town is under
water. Franklin-The market-house,
Jail, ship-yards, coopershop, warehouses
and whsrves are submerged, and the wa
ter is extending to the rear of O'Neirs
hotel. Centerville and Pattersonville-
The front of the latter and the business
portion of the former are under water.
On Bayou Teche-On forty plantations
$4,000 acres of cane and corn are entire
ly destroyed, and 81, 900 acres submerged
From the Teche down, upon fifteen plan
tations, 5000 acres of cane and corn are
destroyed.
MEMPHIS, May 4.-Captain Mark
Cheek, of the steamer Geo. w. Cheek,
confirms the reports of planters along the
river above Napoleon, that the negroes
who have been driven from their homes
by the overflow, refuse ali offers from the
planters who wish to hire them, saying
the Government is going to furnish them
rations, and they do not want work.