The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1877-04-27
SOUTHERN NEWS.
Louisiana.

The swamps in Avoyelles are rapidly
filling up.
The people of Avoyelles are going
into the stock raising business.
The rain in the country has seriously
damaged the newly -ploughed helds.
There is very little smallpox in New
Iberia, but great deal In the neigh
borhood.
DIR. Dan MacFarland was elected
parish physician by the police jury
of Webster parish.
Cattle are dying on the Vermilion
prairies in consequence OF the back
wardness Of the grass.
The planters of Union parish will,
notwithstanding the low price OF cotton,
plant more than usual.
The IDonaldsonville Chief complains
OF too much shooting at nights on the
streets Of that little town.
The fruit crop Of this parish promises
well. Peaches, pears, plums, figs and
apples will be plentiful and OF Q supe..
soon want "that barrel OF crushed
sugar. Marksville Bulletin.
We are having decidedly too much
rain for farm ing operations. The soil
has barely time to dry when another
rain comes to spoil every thing. At
least such has been the case for the past
two weeks.-[ Marksville Bulletin.
Mississippi.
Capt. s. Gwin, of Monticello, Is spoken
OF for Auditor.
Fifteen hundred people visited the
Plymouth at Vicksburg on Sunday.
A number OF the citizens OF Crystal
Springs have started for the Black Hills.
Major Barksdale, Of the Jackson
Clarion, Is favorably spoken Of as a
candidate for Governor.
The Tilden Light Artillery Of Natchez
went over from Natchez to Vidalia to
fire salute for the redemption Of Louis
lana.
Hog thieves are suffering in Wilkin-
son county. Juries have no mercy on
them, and are sending them to the pen
itentiary by millions.
Two more plantations in Adams coun-
ty, hitherto forfeited for taxes, were re-
deemed last Saturday by the payment
Of the back taxes due on 1t.
The Natchez Democrat tells the fol-
lowing somewhat incredible story:
A very singular freak Of the lightning
stroke which splintered q tree on Canal
street yesterday, was exhibited in the
case of one OF the pupils Of the school
of Mr.. Ell. @. Eustis. The boy, immedi-
ately after the report, came running
into the house from the yard, exclaim-
ing in q frightened tone that he had
been struck by lightning and that his
back was on fire. Mr.. Eustis was net
in at the time, but the ladies of the
smelled the fumes of sulphur. On ex-
amining the boys back it was found un-
hurt, but in the back of his coat, which
he had pulled off as he ran, was found
a hole with the edges apparently
scorched, and which had not been there
before. How the electric fluid could
have penetrated the coat without injur
ing the boy is question for the scien-
tific to answer.
The following Is the account given of
the late hail storm In Amite county by
one Of the oldest residents:
On Wednesday there was the most
terrific hail storm here that I ever saw.
1 have resided in Amite county sixty
two years and never before witnessed
anything like it. About 12 O'Clock m.
observed a black cloud in the north in
close contact with yellowish looking
cloud. In a few minutes the wind came
up, with hard rain and in a few minutes
more the hail commenced to fall, and
the storm burst upon us in all its fury,
blowing, raining and hailing in most
alarming manner. The storm was
about one or two miles in width, and
came up from the northwest, veering
and travelling in northeasterly direc-
tion. 1t was over in about thirty min
utes. My yard was completely covered
with hail, and never did see so much
rain fall in so short a time. A great
quantity Of timber was blown down, and
the fences were scattered in a distress
ing manner. The gardens were ruined.
The fruit crop, / think, is completely
destroyed. In the hollows the hail was
washed down by the water and left in
some places In bodies ten feet square
and from two to three feet deep. The |
stones were from the size Of a mar
BILE to one and a half inch thick.
On the fifth day after the storm there |
were wagon loads of the hail still to be |
found under the trash. After all this |
terrible hail-storm / believe there was |
no person hurt and but little property |
destroyed.
The jockey club races commence at
Dallas June 2.
One hundred families of Michiganders
are settled near Luling.
The grape crops will be particularly
large in Kendall county.
They are discussing proposition for
waterworks at Fort Worth.
Copper ore and stone coal have been
discovered in Guadeloupe county.
Coal mines have been opened within
eighteen miles of San Antonio; the
coal is at depth Of only thirty feet.
The stockmen held meeting at Fort
Graham on the 10th and adopted rules
and bylaws as to the manner in which
cattle were to be branded, killed, driven,
etc.
Texas holds her agricultural fair in
the spring-somewhat like an Irish bull,
for, as none Of the crops are yet ripe,
there can be but an Indifferent agricul-
tural display.
The down town stage from Eagle Pass
was robbed between the Sabinal and
Uvalde. Three passengers suffered, Mr..
MellEont of Fort Clark lost S4nn The