Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-04-17
THE CREVASSE.
Breaks at Bolivar Landing, Miss
Graphic Letter Giving Accurate
Description, with List of Flanta.
lions Submerged, etc.

bF0Ako Ht BOLIVAR BnuuInEs Hiss
Graphic Letter Giving Accurate
Description, with List of Plants.
lions Submerged, etc.
On BOARD ILLINOIS, April Is, 1876.
John S. Toof, Esq, Sec'y Gotten Exchange,
Memphis;
At the suggestion Of a friend | write
hurriedly to give you information Of an
other very disastrous break in our levee.
On yesterday at about 3 o'clock pm,
whilst some twenty-five hands were at
work on the levee in front of the planta-
ton Of Colonel l.. 7. Wade, deceased,
about one mile or more above Bolivar
Landing, the levee suddenly gave way,
scarcely giving those working on it time
to save themselves, and greatly endan-
gering the livcs of Colonel Wade's
family, consisting Of Mrs. Wade, her
daughter and Miss Collins, q relation,
who was on a visit to Mrs. Wade. By the
promptness of Mr. Libby, Of Stormville,
who instantly took a skif, nrs, Wade
and the ladies and children we're all
safely placed in the houses and in the
care Of DR.. Richardson and Colonel
Wilson, who generously tender every
hospitality and kindness; and all
our citizens who are fortunate enough
to be out of harms way are doing all in
their power to help the unfortunate.
The Wade family are the only ones who
were in imminent danger, except some
colored people and white families on the
place. Allhsvs been safely landed on the
levee, and to-day / passed through the
break in a skif. with Mr.. T. G. Ander-
son, chief engineer, who was looking at
it with q view Of securing the ends from
further washing. This break is only
about one mile from the break on Buck.
rides plantation, just below Bolivar.
The Wade break, | suppose, is now four
hundred yards wide, and is constantly
increAsing-the levee being made OF dirt
taken in front some years ago, and is al
most a rope Of sand, that being the de-
post in front. The break at Buckridge
is seventy-ive to one hundred yards
wide, and fortunately is not increasing
much.
General s. W. Ferguson, the energetic
President of our Levee Board, came up
by horse from Greenyille tc see the Buck
ridge break, and Immediately on landing
from the boat mot being able to ride all
the Way) was informed Of this terrible
break, which is now devastating the very
heart Of this rich region. All the plan
tations on Lake Bolivar-Colonel G. W.
Myers, Myers 4 Pollock, L. T. Wade, j.
g. Ysiger, Morgan and j. D. Easten are
entirely submerged. Colonel Green
Clay and Colonel Field Miller, Major Ed
munds and q part Of the Content place
are deluged. The water is pouring into
Williams Bayou and Deer Creek and
will overflow many Of the most valuable
plantations, among them Colonel
Moore's and the Hedges place, lately
bought, | think, by Guy, Mcclellan &
Co., Of your city. The water is now
running over what is known as Egypt
ridge, at the place Of Colonel William
Sillers, a thing urhelrd Of before. |
have been living in the Mississippi
swamps since l849, aud this is by long
odds the highest water ! have ever seen,
Il is the first time a levee has been re-
quired at Greenville since | have known
the country.
People are getting off their stock and
property Of every kind, and the sight OIL
the raging pillows pouring over and
through homes that only twenty. four
hours ago were dry and the inmates busy
preparing for a crop aud happy in the
fanoied security Of the levee, is heart.
sickening, and is enough to awaken the
deepest sympathy for the poor u%nfortu,
mates, both white and black, hundreds Of
whom | saw to-day, little children and
families, without q dollar in the world
and no shelter but the broad canopy OF
heaven, camped on a marrow levee, rag.
ing waters 10 front and behind for many
miles.
This is only an outline Of the misery
which will be endured by the hundreds
who are now fleeing TO the highest places
for safety.
God protect them, Is the prayer Of one
who has more than once gone through
the whole Of it, but who is, as he hopes,
more fortunate and will escape this ter
rible disaster. Yours truly,