Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-05-01

ishes in actual cultivation is ascertained to
be 250, 900 acres, besides 100000 acres in
corn. These estimates include only the
large places, leaving out hundreds Of small
farms and all estimates for cattle, hogs and
garden. The population Of these nine par.
ishes is 20,394 whites and 4,033 blacks,
according to the census Of 1870.
In the sugar producing parishes ascer-
tained facts discover and equal is not a
greater amount of ruin and suffering.
These parishes are Point Couree, East
Baton Rogue, West Baton Rogue, Iberyille
Ascension, Assumption, Lafourohe, St.
James, St. John the Baptist, s.. Charles,
TerrebOnne and PlaQuemines. The over
flow in these parishes covers nearly $500
600 acres, titled and untitled, including a
production of 10000 hogsheads of sugar,
besides large product of rice and crops OF
small farmers, OF whom there are many
hundreds, who have los: their stock and
pretty much everything else they possess.
The population of these parishes, accord
ing 10 TIE census OF 1870, was sc, 1868 whites
and = Il blacks, making q total of l22.-
609, from which must be deducted the
population of East Baton Rouge, as only
a small portion of that parish has suffered
from the overflow. Tha: deduction being
made the parishes named contain popu,
lation of l02, 500. In all the parishes nam.
ed it s believed that more than 25, 900 peo.
pie are now in actual suffering for the
necessary supplies of life, and that in less
than sixty days the number Of those whose
circumstances will require alleyiation will
increase TO more than $4,000 persons.
Above we present I'll the facts, as far as
ascertained by the relief COMMITTEES up to
yesterday.
AN URGENT APPEAL FOR PROVISIONS.
A dispatch from Vidalia, Concordia par.
ish, says: "a public meeting assembled
here to-day. Five thousand people in this
section are represented as suffering foI
want of food. 4 committee has been ap.
pointed to procure supplies
The Mayor Of Trenton telegraphs "We
are all overfowed. Send US 5000 rations
by Ouachita Belle if possible. The colored
population in particular are in distress."
Large quantities of provisions were ship
ped to the sufferers to-day. The relief
committee has got fairly to work. The
demands upon it are much greater than q!
tirst expected and increasing daily, as the
water from the creYasses continue spread.
ing. Another great rise is coming out cI
the Red and Ouachita rivera.
SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THs OUACHITA
VALLEY.
New ORLEANS. La. April %.
The following dispatch shows that the
food in the Ouchita Valley has not abated,
but ia increasing:
MONROE, La, April "a &c p. NJ.
l. is impossible to give an idea Of the ex.
tent of the overflow here. The water ia
higher than ever known before. The town
is an island two-and-a half miles long by
half mile wide, from which there is nc
exit except by boats or swimming. From
the crossing of Railroad and Desard streets
back is one wide sea. Boats come and &C
from Oakley's.
The 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 the houses are open. Fully
one thousand people have not rations for
three days nor money to buy with. Stock
Of every description, gathered in the town,
are starving.
On Desard Island almost all plantations
are under water. OF one thousand acres
belonging TO Captain Phillips only one hun
dred and fifty remain uncovered. What
has transpired below we know nothing
about.
At Pargond's Home Place the water is
two feet deep in the yard, aud there is no
passing below there.
Trenton is under water from Crossley Is
residence up TO and Seyond the business
houses Of the town. Cotton is brought in
and goods sent out to Claibourne, half a
mile distant on fats. At Herds and
Stander's residences, the water is two feet
deep in the yards. On the river bank front
the fences are nearly all washed down. A
steamboat could be run down Cotton
street.
The river rose one inch last night. II
has rained slowly ever since daylight and
is still raining. There are no crops to speak
of, and not five days. work has been done
along the river for four weeks. In the hills
the land is washed badly, and what has
been done towards making the crop has
been thrown away. What the people arc
to do, God only knows.
GEORGE W. M'CRaTNE.