The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-04-28
THE DISTRESS IN FIGURES.
THE AMOUNT OF SUFFERING GIVEN IN NUN

THE DISTRESS IN FIGURES.
THE AMOUNT OF SUFFERING GIVEN IN NUM-
r r,,,o.- BEERS. ttf n lcId
NEW ORLEANS, April 25.-Captain Blanks,
in letter to a member of the relief commit
tee, says: al have just returned with the
Onschita Belle from Camden, Trenton and
Monroe, through the overflowed districts Of
North Louisiana, and saw that efforts
have been, and are being, made to reheye
the suffering occasioned by the overflow. l
have also seen a tabular statement, which
was presented by you to a meeting OF citi-
zens from the overlooked districts, held in
the Senate chamber some time last week.
From personal knowledge and direct infor
nation derived from others within the last
few DAYS, i am satisfied that said
estimate is by far too low. AS you have
been requested by three different public
meetings, held in the overlooked district Of
Louisiana to represent their want and con-
dition now present you a statement of
localities and numbers needing help at once
so that you may present the same TO the
governor and the committee on distribution
appointed by his honor, the mayor; The
lower Black river for 300; Marde's. includ-
including that part of Concordia Parish on
Black river, 500; Wilson's on Black river,
for 400; Trinity, including Tinker's bayou,
t.2eO. Harrisonburg, including bayou
Iouis. 1000; Starb's landing, including
Bunker Hill, including both sides OF the
river and swamp Balaven, Ouachita, and
Boeuf, 1900; Columbia, including Franklin
and Ouachita or Boeuf and between Qua
chita and Boeuf rivers, 1000; st. Adams, IN
GLIDING the bottom on both sides, ], 800;
Hopewell and Waco, including Back swamp
up to the Ouachita line, ,0O0 Monroe, 500;
total, IL, 900. Now, at the lowest estimate,
this number may be said to be in
actual want, and many have been so
for DAYS as their land has now been under
water for some two or three weeks. They
have lost all their hogs and nearly all their
cattle are either lost or starving. The peo-
pie themselves have neither money nor
credit, no place to go to, and nothing to do.
But this estimate by no means discloses the
districts of those residing on small bayous
and creeks who have been overtiowed by
THE BACKwATER AND THE FLOODS
of rain. They generally have been on land,
but have lost much of their stock and I'm
provements, and are out of provisions and
money. The prospect of making crops are
so discouraging that none are willing or able
to advance the supplies. They must suffer
or receive assistance. If these be added, the
number needing help is not short of 10000
people in the districts referred 10.
The Times says that the extent OF
the damage which has resulted from the
great overflow is just beginning to be fully
| understood. That it was vast was readily
conceived but that it should involve 900 ,00C
| of acres and population of 10000 was APP
pareutly beyond reasonable calculation
Yet such is really the case. In the cotton
| regions it is now aseertained that four oi
the largest and richest parishes producing
cotton have been inundated. The parishes
| of Carroll, Morehouse Richland, Madison
Franklin, Tensas Caldwell. Concordia and
Catahaula are all overlooked, embracing fully
2,5OO,OO acres. The amount of cotton
land in these parishes in actual cultivation
is estimated to be two hundred and fifty
thousand acres, besides one hunnred thous
and acres in corn. These estimates include
only the large places, leaving out hundreds
of small farmers and all the estimates fol-
cattle, hogs and gardens. The population o
these nine parishes are &c, 1894, according tc
the census of 1870. In the sugar producing
parishes the ascertained facts discover al
equal, ifnot greater amount of ruin anC
suffering. These parishes are Point Coupee
Fast Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge
Iberville, Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche
st. James, ST. John, the Baptiste
ST. Charles, Tirrebonne and Plaguemines
The overflow In those parishes cover
nearly two hundred and fifty thousand acres
titled and untitled, including a production
OF 10000 hogsheads OF sugar. besides larg
product of rice and crops of small farmers
OF whom there are many hundreds VIII,
thing else they possess. The population o
these parishes, according to the census O
1870, was 50,36S whites and 72,241 blacks
making total of 500, from which mus
J be deducted the population of East Batol
Rouge, as small portion of
: THAT PARISH HAS SUFFERED
from the overflow. Tsat deduction bein
made. the parishes named contain popu
lation of l03. GOO. In all the parishes name
it is believed that more than p, 900 peopl
are now in actual suffering for the necessar
supplies of life, and that in less than 6
days the number of those whose circum
stances will require alienation will increas
to more than so, 600 persons. Above W
. present all the facts as far as ascertained b,
. the relief committee up to yesterday. MI
! John X. Glow, of st. Landry parish. in,
note referring to the above, says: Z" i hav
just seen in the Times Of this mornin
7 an approximate estimate Of the extent Q
! damage which have resulted from the over
, flow in the nine northeastern parishes 9
this state which includes only the parishe
north OF the Red river, and then passing
the mouth of said river over to the parish Q
! Point Coupee. The estimate includes all o
the parishes between the Mississippi an
Alchafaylaye rivers to the gulf, which is al
Q very correct as far as IL goes. But resultin
from the immense body of water which
! coming down the valley OF the Mississippi
Onachita and Black rivers and passing acros
Red river some 40 miles from its mouth, an
: meeting with no obstruction until IL reache
!, the levee on Bayou de Glace, 1t sweeps wit
irresistible force over its feeble barrie
and occupying a breadth of country from
9 to 30 miles wide through the eastern porto
> of Aveyell's and st. Landry parishes, an
covering all lands in that region, which in
, cludes within its limits the larger portion
the most productive lands in thos
two parishes beginning at Morear
vile, washing around what
# called Big Bend of Bayou de Glace, down
Y Sims Port, distance of more than 40 mile
+ by the meanders of Bayou, which is thickl
settled, thence down the lowlands on I'll
eastern side of Atchafaylaye river, benin
. the plantations on that river, and inundatir
: them from behind. Within the limits of IL
@ land thus submerged there are not less tina
Y 10000 souls, including white and blac
mostly of the laboring classes, but no doul
~.Ft Co.