Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29
The Mississippi Flood.

hii' -iI9SiSHi'pi looN.
The ruin in the lower Mississippi Valley
by the flood of the last two weeks. is I'M
paralleled in the history of that much in
undated country. New Orleans advices
give comprehensive account of the over
dow and the disasters it has caused.
1t involves five millions of acres and a
population of 17S.000. In the cotton re-
gion it is ascertained that nine of the rich
est parishes (Carroll, Morehouse, Richland /
Madison, Franklin, Tensas, Caldwell, Con-
cordia and Catahoula) are inundated, en-
bracin@ $50 90 acres; and cotton land in |
actual cultivation being 2j0, 900 acres. be-
sides 100000 in corn. These parishes |
have 20,394 whites and -. 033 blacks. by |
the last census. In the sugar-produciug |
parishes there is equal, if not greater. ruin |
and suffering. These are Pointe Coupee, |
East and West Baton Rouge, Iberville, As
censon, Assumption, Lafourche, St.James,
Saint Jean Baptiste Saint Charles, Terre
bonnie and PlaquemineS, and the overflow
covers nearly 1900, 900 acres, titled and
untitled, with a production of 80, 600 hogs
heads of sugar, besides large products of
rice and the crops of small farmers, Of
whom there are many hundreds who have
|
thing else they possessed. The popula
ton of these parishes, according to the
census of 1873, was 50.36S whites and -
241 blacks, and deducting from the total
the population of East Baton Rouge. as
only Il small portion of that parish has
suffered, the damaged population numbers
1903, 500. In all these parishes it is believed
more than 1000 are now in actual suffer
inc for the neccssaries of life, and in less
than 60 days their number will increase
to more than 10000 persons.
The immense body of water which comes
down the valley ofthe Mississippi, Ovachi-
Ia and Black rivers passes across Red river
some 20 miles from its mouth. and meets
> with no obstruction until it meets the
> levee on Bayou Des Glaizcs, over which
feeble barrier it rushes, devastating Il coun-
trv from % to 30 miles wide through the
eastern portion of Avoyelles and St. Lam
dry parishes, and covering all lands in that
region Beginning ut Moreamont, wash
ing around what is called the big bend of
Bayou Des Glaizes, down to Simsport, a
distance Of more than 10 miles by the
meanderings of the bayou, which is thick
" settled: thence down the lowlands on
the western side of the Atchafalaya river,
in which region there are not less than
1D,UUU SOtllS, lutiuulu1 NLllC ttHu DltlCh,
: mostly of the laboring class, The editor
the town is an island in Il wide sea, with
no exit save by boats or swimming. All
the houses are filled with people driven in
| from the back country; several families
= dwell in the court house; their live stock
are without food. The river rose IN inch
Thursday night; was still raining, though
1 slowly. There are no crops to speak of
5 and not five DAYS work done along tho
e river for four weeks.
At midnight, Sunday, the river was fall
ing mt New Orleans and was two feet be
low high water mark. From five to sever
/ days mails are due there from northern
). eastern and western cities. The New
e York mail of the 18th inst. and the sam,
of the Goth We're received Sunday. Inter
vening and subsequent dates are missing
The Mobile and New Orleans railroad los'
If a bridge or have Il wash-out, every few
y days. The jackson route also is in a BAG
condition. Bridges are gone and Il pof
/ ton of the track is submerged.
IS Although Congress passed bill for TIN
If relief of sufferers by overflow of the lowe
V Mississippi, it has been found that no sup
: plies can be spared from the various mill
II tary stations in that region; therefore thu
y secretary of war; after conference W tn III
IS president, has directed the commissary o
10 subsistence to purchase 100000 ratiOns O
meat, flour, beans and rice, and to carr,
: the law into effect, asks an appropriation
Ii of 5000 600 The estimate is based on al
he issue to 10000 persons for % days. Larg
y quantities of provisions We're shipped from
New Orleans Saturday At a meeting i
Il Vidala, Concordia parish, Saturday, 800
y people of that section were representa-
d suffering with hunger, and IL committe
o. were appointed to procure supplies. Til
: mayor of Trenton has sent for 5000 rations
Il There were nearly $4,000 collected for tn
3 same purpose in Chicago, Saturday, whic
lie will be forwarded at once, and followe
, by further contributions.
The relief fund subscribed ut Boston
amounts to $4,000.
The latest advices are that the rains sti
prevent the river from falling.