Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-04-29
THE OVERLOOKED COUNTRY.
Laborers Starving and without Work.

The Memphis appeal of the 25th, says
"a Memphis merchant, who has been
down the river three hundred miles, re-
turned yesterday, and states that the con-
dition of the people in the overlooked sec
lions is tenfold worse than is generally
believed. The whole coast country is un-
der water, and the inhabitants have been
compelled to leave their homes and flee
for safety to the higher lands. The me-
groes have left the plantations along the
river bottoms, and congregated in great
numbers around the towns and country
stores. These people have no money, and
not only are in rags, but almost on the eve
of starvation. In the early part of the
vaneed supplies and provisions to the ne
groes who would give them mortgage or
lien upon the incoming crop. In this
way the negroes were enabled to procure
clothing, food, and groceries to suit their
wants, and the merchants were guaran-
teed payment for the same because of the
mortgage.
AS the flood prevents planting, and will
deny many negroes the means of making
any crop, the merchants can not continug
to advance provisions and clothing as
they have been accustomed to do. The ne
groes have, therefore, nothing upon which
to rely for subsistence, and their condition is
t1s.Ssy most pitiable. AT many places they
I'VE been driven almost to desperation
by hunger, and threaten to mob store
houses so as to get something to eat and
wear. AT some places the merchants and
citizens are issuing four pounds of meat
and peck of meal per cdput a week to
these unfortunate persons, allowing
nothing for children. The gentleman i'm,
forms us that many places are so density
packed with refugee negroes that the citi-
zens are in great danger of having their
hDIIGna invaded md fAr 4
these half-famished creatures.
All who have enough money to pay
their fare lose 10 time in boarding steam
boats in order to leave the stricken coun-
| Try. Stock of all kinds has been drowned
in the bottoms, and should famine be
| averted for the present, the great loss in
the future will be unprecedented from such
| a source.
The above state of affairs exists from
here TO the gulf and no one can contem-
plate the hardships and miseries of the
| people along the river without feeling a
desire to do something for their allevia-
| ton.
A Memphis gentleman stopped at Friars
Point few days ago to attend to some
mercantile business, but was Immediately
| drafted into the river-gang and put to
work on the levee, which was in great
! danger of being broken by the strong cur
rent. The Memphis man went to work
very cheerfully, as he was engaged in a
good task, After finishing his quota of
work, he drew his rations and left for
| home. The levee was sufficiently strength
ened, it is thought. to resist the action of
the turbulent stream.
FIFTY THOUSAND PEOPLE STARVING.
A dispatch from Vidalia, Concordia par
ish. says: A public meeting assembled
here to-day. Fifty thousand people in this
section are represented as suffering for
food, A committee was appointed to pro.
teiegraphs: 1--WE are all overfiowed.
Send us five thousand rations by OuAchita
Belle, if possible, The colored population,
in particular, are in distress" Large guam
tides of provisions were shipped to the
sufferers to-day. The relief committee