The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-05-14
THE FLOODS.
Continued Distress In Arkansas and Bc-
low More Relief Needed.

flowed districts, particularly from the
lower portion of Arkansas, where the
destitution is greatest, and where the
following extracts from letters will give
good idea of the suffering and desti-
tuition, and appeal to the philanthroplc
throughout the land:
A well know planter whiting from
Bernard, Chicot county, Arkansas, says;
There are needed in this section ratlons
for thousand persons, and forage for
their stock, whose lands are under wa
ter. The destitution here will be very |
great, nearly every one lu the over
flowed district having lost their stock,
and having nothing loft to MD them in
purchasing the enecessary rations. These
parties all require help until they can
raise some corn. Help us all you can.
Our people are truly suffering, and I'M
less we get aid to make at least some |
corn, this portion of the country Will
be abandoned by fully one'halt OF the
laborers.
A petition from $50 colored laborers
from Arkansas City and vicinity, is for
warded by j. w. Dickinson, which says:
The undersigned, colored people OF
Arkansas City and neighboring planta-
tions, would respectfully state that we
are in desperate condition, only few
of us having few days rations, and
they have been furnished by the owners
of plantations who now have not
enough left for their own families. The
water stands as high as four feet above
the floors in many Of oar houses. Some
of us have had to move ont and herd
with others as best we can. Over all
the plantations the water stands from
3 to 5 feet The levecs are all broken,
the fences gone and our stock has been
greatly reduced from drowning and
starvation. Oar friends, the white pee
ple. have done all they could and can
do no more now. We can SEQ nothing
but starvation and death to many of MS,
unless the good people will aid us and
that soon.
Mr.. Dickinson, in forwarding the pc
tition, says 1t does not make the con
dition as bad as it really is. Some OF
these families are on my place, and l
have been feeding them for -four months,
three of which they have been cooped
ND in their houses on platforms three
feet above their floors / cannot feed
them any longer, but hope something
will be done for these poor negroes.
They will suffer Some Of them have
not enough left for their own families
long, and the others are living ON hom-
my alone or pNrched corn.
On the other side of the river from
where these letters are written, there Is
considerable destitntion, but Gov. Ames
and other state officials are taking steps
to relieve them. But in Arkansas, ow-
ing to the troubled condition OF affairs
at the capitol, nothing is being done for
them, and they are entirely dependent
on the charities OF other states. Inc
relief committee is doing good work,
but cannot relieve but small portion
of the immediate district.
Citizens complain of the action OF the
New Orleans relief committee in moi
sending supplies outside of me state OF
Louisiana, but this doubtless arls
from the scarcity of supplies and the
great amount of dcstitrtlon nearer New
Orleans. The Memphis relief commit
tee are actively engaged in collecting
supplies to relieve the immediate wants
of these people. Further trouble If
apprehsnded from rise III the ST.
Fancis river.
The governor of Louisiana and relic
committee receive letters daily from the
overhowed parishes, giving details o
the condition of the inhabitants. lie
I cent letters from Calahoula, Caldwell
q Concordia, Franklin, Ouchita and Ten
sas parishes, show no Improvement, biI
, Indicate additional affection by sick
a ness. From the great mass of corre
: poudence the following is selected II
showing substantially the purport o
n the whole:
|. Mr.. Redditt, writing from Cuba
!, Ouchita parish, says; All the countr
g for miles around is submerged. lively
II farms are almost entirely under wi
e ter within three miles OF this place, wit
r population of 100 persons, from Il
O brcaking of the Cuba levee. The leyt
" broke April Sth, and tho cSrrent of W
# ter was so strong that it washed awi
,e everything except my dwelling house al
* store house. Ny corn, horses and oXt
,e are all gone. The water i'll my dwelIir
1t is four feet deep, and rushes through
" such current as to make 1t tremD
,e like leaf. But do not look to II
ar alone. There are six or seven hundre
d others similarly situated within thrt
10 miles. w. j. Ellis has lost everything
,s The water on the floor of his dTellir
8. is five feet deep, and he hasnot one rour
of provisions on hand for himself al
fifteen freedmen, and no chance OF &c
ting any in the neighborhood.
lie DIR. II. G. Burch, writing from Bose
,e bel plantation, Ouchita parish, sa,
st there are 800 people within the limits
s, his practice many of whom are suffe
j. ing from sickness, caused by exposu
re on account of the overflow. He is I'm
IN bic to supply the demand for medicine
as and askes that medicine be furnishe
at Offering to distribute it to the sick Al
le suffering.
ne The rise in the st. Francis, which S
IL in few days since, has overflow'
ne banks in two or three places, and pla
n, tations under cultivation have be-
mt drowned out. There is but little des
lk tuition in this valley, and planters a
IT, hopeful of the waters soon running I
n and being able to resume planting. III
n rise has broken the levees in sever
4, places near the mouth, including Jefft
m son and st. Clair rivers near Island G
and threatens several others. II
ed leyees NJ Helena and Friars Point Il
of reported in danger. While the river
st inside its banks down to Augusta al
Id below there, planters are yet hopeful
72 being able to make crop. In the 10
he er Arkansas river the water is off of 1
or the plantations except Rawlins, a
er the planters are Mt work.
ed ---
at Aquation vs.. Cremation.