The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-26
TIE MISSISSIPPI FLOOD.
Gloomy Accounts from the
Overlooked Districts.
FIVE MILLION ACRES INVOLVED.
twenty-five Thousand People
Requiring Assistance.
the COUNTRY RESPONDING Ho5lY.

NEW ORLEANS, April 25, 1874
Captain Blanks. In letter to member OF the
Relief Committee says:-"I have just returned
with the Ouachita Belle from Camden, Trenton
and Monroe, through the Overnowed district OF
North Louisiana, and see that efforts have been
ana are being made to relieve the suffering occa-
stoned by the overflow. have also seen tabular
statement which was presented by you to
a meeting Of citizens nom the 0vernowed
district held in the Senate Chamber
some time last week. From personal knowledge
and direct information obtained from others
within the last few days, am satisfied that SAID
estimate is by far too low. As you have been re-
uuested by three different public meetings held In
the overlooked districts OF Louisiana to represent
their wants and conditions, now present you o
statement OF the localities aud
NUMBERS NEEDING HELP
aJ once so that YOU may present them
to the Governor and Committee on Distribution
appointed by His Honor the Mayor:-Lower Black
River 800; Marder, excluding that part or Con-
cordia parish on Black River. 500; Wilson'S on
Black River, 400; Trinity, excluding Tensas Bayou
Little River, 100; Harrisonburg, includ-
ing Bayou Louis, 1000: Starb's landing In
GLIDING Braine landing 800; Carter's landing, 400;
Bunker Hill. between Ouachita ana Bayou Beuf,
$500; Columbia including Franklin and Ouachita
or B9uf, and between Ouachta and Beuf River
1000; ST. Adams, including the bottom ON both
sides, L500; Hopewen and Waco, including Back
swamp up to the Ouachita line, 1,o00 Munroe,
LOO; total, II, $780,
AT the lowest estimate this number may be said to
be IN actual want, and many have been SO for days.
as they have now been under water some two or
three weeks. They have lost all their hogs and
nearly all their cattle are lost or starving. The
people themselves have neither money nor credit
no place to 90 to and nothing to do. But this est-
n
residing on the small bayous and creeks which
have been overnowed BY back water and hoods OF
have lost much OF their stock and improvements
and are
OUT OF PROVISIONS AND MONEY
and the prospect OF making crops is so dis
couraging that none are willing or able to advance
them supplies. Those. too, must sufrer or receive
assistance. II these be added the number needing
help IS not short of 5000 people the district
ferred to. the Times saws the extent Of the
overflow is Just beginning to be fully under
stood. That 1t was vast was readily conceived,
but that 1t SHOULD involve 100000 Of acres and
population Of 17S,000 was apparently beyond
reasonable calculation but such really the case
In the cotton regions it is now ascertained that
nine OF the largest and richest parishes producing
cotton have been inundated. The parishes OF
Carroll, Morehouse, Rchland Madison, Franklin,
an overnowed and embrace fully $4,000 acres ss
The amount OF cotton land in these parishes
In actual cultivation Is ascertained to be 100000
mates include only the large places, leaving out
hundreds Of small farmers and all estimates for
CATTLE hogs and gardens. The population
OF these nine parishes Is 20,39l whites
and 64,oSs blacks, according to the census
ascertained facts discover an equal not greater
amount OF ruin and suffering. These parishes are
East gan Eoss Lon
Charles, Terrebonne and Piaquemines. The over
acres titled and untitled including production
OF 10000 hogsheads OF sugar. besides large
whom there are many hundreds who have lost
their stock and pretty much everything else they
coraina to the census Of 1870, was So sss Whites
Tt% which must Be deducted ed the popu,
8 small portion of that parish has suffered
from the overflow That deduction being
IOa, 900. In all the parishes named 1t is believed
that more than $4,000 people are now In actual
suffering the necessary supplies OF life, and that
In less than sixty days the number OF those whose
circumstances win require alienation win increase
to more than $4,000 persons. ABOVE we present
all the facts. as far as ascertained by the relief
committee up TO yesterday.
Mr. John K. Glow, OF st. Landry parish. in note
referring to the above, says:-'sI have just IN
the Times OF this morning an approximate est-
mate OF the extent or the damage which
has resulted rom the overflow In nine North
passing at the mouth OF said river over to the
parish OF Point Coupee. The estimate includes
ali Of the parishes between the Mississippi
and Atchafalaya rivers to the Gull;
which is all very correct as far as it goes but the
Valley OF the Mississippi and Ouachta and Black
rivers, passes across Red River some forty miles
from It's mouth, and meeting with no obstruction
until 1t meets the levee on Bayou des GlaiZes, it
sweeps with irresistible force Its iee-
pie bar, barrier, Occupying breadth no, Of coun,
through the eastern portion OF Avoyelles
and ST. Landry parishes, and covering all the lands
larger portion OF the most productive lands on
those two parishes. Beginning at Moreamont 1T
washes around what is called the big bend OF the
Bayou des Glaizes down to sorrisport, a distance
Of more than forty miles by the meanders OF
the Bayou, which Is thickly settled, thence down
the low lands on the western side OF Atchafalaya
River, behind the plantations on that river inun-
dating them rom behind. Within the limits OF the
land thus submerged there are not less than 1900
souls, including white and black, mostly OF the la
boring class; but doubt some OF the proprietors
are in a suffering condition, on account OF the
almost total failure OF the crops OF both corn and
cotton through the wet weather OF last year.n
AN URGENT APPEAL FOR PROVISIONS.
"A pubic meeting assembled mere to-day. Five
Thousand people IN this section are represented as
suffering Tor want OF food. committee has been
appointed TO procure supplies.n
me Mayor 81 trenton telegraphs :-''We are all
overnowed. send us 5000 rations by Ouachita
bene POSSIBLE IS the colored population In par
Large quantities OF provisions were shipped to
Lne sufferers sufferers Lo-day. The relief committee has
got iairiy to work. The demands upon it are
much greater than at first expected and Increasing
daily, as the water from the crevasses continues
spreading. Another great rise ia coming ONT OF
the Red and Ouachita rivers.
Sad State of Affairs In the Ouachtta
Valley.
NEW ORLEANS, La, Aprn Is, 1874
The following despatch shows that the nood In
the Ouacuta Valley has not aDated, but is increas
ing
MONROE, La April "a P. NJ
1t Is impossible to give an idea OF the extent OF
The overflow here. The water Is higher than ever
Known before. The town Ii an island two and
half miles hong by half mile wide, from which
there is no exit except by boats or swimming.
From the crossing OF Railroad and Desard streets