Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-04-21
Destruction Of valuable PrOperty-I he
Bottoms Inundated and Farming
Operations stopped.
Houses, Barns, and Fences, Swept
Away-SeTeral Lives Lost by the
Destruction Of a Railroad
Train-Etc., Etc.
Middle rrsNrssrr

IAll-
ing, but very slowly. The injury to the
: railroads has not been as much as was
( feared. Most Of the roads are still oper,
sted, and trains run with reasonable
I regularity. Here, as in other parts OF
the State, the farmers are very backward
4 on account of excessive rains in Febru.
aTy, March and April. Fortunately a
large acreage of land has been sown in
wheat and other small grain, which are
doing well. How fortunate would il be
for West Tennessee if she, too. had
large fields of wheat and rye. Our
farmers will certainly learn, after many
years of bitter experience, the necessity
Of preparing their lands in the fall, when
the weather is good, for the next years
crop. Where this has been done the ex-
cessive rains have done much less dam
age, and those farmers are far In ad.
vance of their neighbors.
From the Nashville Union and American OF
Fuday.l
The river lacks only five feet of being
up to the hlgh-water mark Of IS47, ac-
cording 10 Ferguson's gauge on Harri-
sons store. The rise OF the tributaries
OF the upper Cumberland arrived here
yesterday in great volumes, causing the
river to swell its proportions considera-
bly,. According to the signal service re-
port, the depth Of water in the channel
on Wednesday evening at three O'Clock,
was ifty-eight feet eight inches, and
yesterday afternoon at three o'clock il
was sixty-one feet two inches. From
seven o'clock yesterday morning to
three o'clock yesterday afternoon, the
river rose ten inches. There has been a
rise of two feet and q half since our last
report, and at latest accounts last night
the river was still rising. The water has
done much damage in its downward
course, as well as up the river. A num-
Der of fences have been washed away,
and persons living on the banks had to
vacste their residences yesterday and
seek safer abiding places. The river at
Hydes and Buena Vista ferriesIis swollen
extensively, and the continued rise yes
terday caused the back-waters to rise in
proportion. Houses that We're thought
to be safe are now almost submerged,
sending those occupants who thought
they were perfectly secure, in search of
other houses. The water has reached
Spruce street, at the Intersection of
Line. 1t was only at McLemoTe We'd
nesdsy evening. All those occupying
houses on this street, between Spruce
and McLemore, seeing the danger ahead,
commenced moving out.
From the Union and American OF sunday
Up to late hour yesterday afternoon,
the river had fallen three inches and a
half, and after that time it became sta
tionary. The marks on the houses sub
merged in the backwaters, showing now
far the water had fallen, could be easily
discovered yesterday. The bsckwRter
seemedtO decline rapidly up to twelve
O'Clock, bnt after that hour the fall
could scarcely be observed. Persons
having an anxiety to strengthen their
muscles were out in full force yesterday,
padding their own and borrowed canoes
and dugouts. Some Of the men were ac-
cOmpanied by their sweethearts. We
heard couple of young men, who were
occupying long dugOut, and who look
ed as if they had been destroying a con-
siderable portion Of intoxicating liquors,
singing a song to the tune of Over the
Ocean tCe Wave, but they got it fearful
ly bungled up. We heard one of them
bleat out "Over the Sulphur spring we
glide,n which was about all he
could manage to sing, before he toppled
over into the canoe In q drunken con-
in a number of the houses on Line, Nc
Lemore, North Spruce, North Vine,
High, Summer, Cherry, College, Mar
ket and Front streets, and streets cross
ing these. Wards coal-yard is partial
ly submerged and connection Herewith
has been cut off. Duck river, on the
sixteenth, says a dispatch from Colum-
bia, was higher than it has been since
1917. This morning the water reached
the large three-story frame Touring mill
on the north side Of the river, taking il
off its foundation down stream with its
machinery and large stock of wheat
and flour. The building went TO pieces
after striking the middle pier OF the
bridge, sinking everything. The mill |
was owned by j. B. Ashton, whose loss I
is between five and ten thousand dollars. |
The loss to farmers in the river bottoms /
is very heavy, most Of the bottom being
under cultivation. Clayton M0Ore's eX-
tensive tannery on Little Bigbee was
entirely swept away. His loss is severe.
Several fine stalliOrs, in training st the
Fair GTQunds, made a narrow escape
from dkwning. Some delay was Oc-
to the train at the CulleOka
-restle this morning, but trains are run
ming on time. A gin washed away up
he river including cotton, several bales
" which were caught here. The bridge
,ver Duck river here has been condemn
d, and the county will institute suit
Igainst the contractors. II is reported
hat the bridge crossing the Cumber-
and river at Clarksville Is about to be
wept away by the rushing torrents. A
Ong train OF fiat cars loaded with heavy
ock was placed on the bridge yesteT-
ay to hold it in its position. But the
liver is so swift at that point that it is
hought the weight Of the train viii not
e sufficient 10 answer the purpose.
going from Louisville to
iemphis came by way OF this city last
vening and will go 10y way Ofthe Nash
lille and Northwestern railroad.
rom the Fayetteville Express, Of Fridsyl /
The heaviest rain ever seen In this
ection fell here yesterday morning. The
Ieavens opened and poured forth water
n torrents, and the lower portions Of
he town were completely inundated.
)athOuses and fences were swept away,
md several gardens were entirely under
water. TheindicatiOns are that we viii
AVE tremendous freshet. B dispatch
rom Pulaski SAYS: 1.-THE streams from
tCA1AAA W -NtN'A.N AAiN AtAN All bNCA AtlEAA
,anks, and the low lands inundated,
.ausing heavy loss Of fencing. Trains
rom and 10 Nashville were delayed to-
lay from three to four hours. The Mem
ibis and Charleston road is not hurt, as
al as heard nom. II is still raining
lere."
from the Murfreesboro News, OF FriGayl
The continued heavy rains OF the pres
mt month culminsted on Wednesday
morning. in the greatest rise Of water In
stones river and its tributaries that has
zen known in many years. IL was
aid TO be three feet higher than the
reshet which swept over our water
ourses two years ago. All through
tuesday night rain descended in tor
ents, overtiowing the Liresdy highly
wollen streams far above theS- banks.
carly wednesday night another twelve
ours, rainfall was threatened, but hap
lily It fell only Ia drizzles. Had It been !