Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-21
THE FLOODED VALLEY.
Great Suffering From Backwater-
Crowds Huddled ON the DrY
Spots.

Vicksburg to the IuleS-DemOerdt, dated
midnight, says: "The river has risen an inch
IN the past twenty-four hours, but is now
stationary. Telegrams from Yszoo City re-
port no change in the condition of affairs
there. The steamer Carroll arrived there to-
day with $50 mules and other stock and
$50 refugees from the ove-fowed section.
1t is believed that the river at Yszoo City
will be at q stand TO morrow. 1t has fallen
an inch at Ricks' place above there. The
steamer Headlight from Davis Bend brought
to Vicksburg two hundred head OF stock
aud three hundred people, the majority of
whom are in a most destitute condition.
She reports DRmock, Hurricane and Big
Black Islands as completely submerged,
not a strip of land being visible
in that entire section. At Palmyra
and Davis Bend, about thirty acres of land
are sill above the water. The steamer
Dickson, from Eagle Bend, brought seventy
five head of stock and seventY-6ve people.
She reports the levee Immediately in front of
Milliken's Bend to have broken last night.
The crevasse is now 1000 yards wide.
When the "Belle of Memphis" passed the
Eddrington place last evening the water
was running over the levee. A further rise
of an inch or so will put that fine planta-
tion under water"
VICKsBURG, March 20 The steamer Jo-
sephine Spingter will leave to-day for
ROundAway bayou on 8 mission of relief.
The planters are making arrangements with
the boats TO go out in the overfowed
sections and save stock. The depth of
water through Madison parish, Louisiana,
is four to five feet over most of the cotton
fields. The tug Bigely went up to Milli-
ken's Bend yesterday to bring off stock
The majority of the creatures were so nearly
efo ad fhof fhay dfad np that
The current passing through Milliken's
Bend carried away store at that place q
couple of miles back In the country.
Vicksburg is rapidly filing up
with negroes from the overfowed lands
above and below. They are unable to get
work and will have to be assisted by the
government. The Belle of Memphis, which
arrived last night from St. Louis, in addi-
tion to her freight list, brought lot of
stock from Henderson's and other points
Also about $50 passengers, including large
number of negroes from the overfowed sec
tions. Among the passengers were ten
correspondents and four sketch artists to do
the OVERT owed district.
The steamer Carroll arrived this morning
from the YsZoo river. She has moved about
ten thousand horses and mules from the
plantations to Yazoo City. She reports the
river at q stand at Tochula City. The water
is rising in Delta, opposite this city. A
strong current has set in through
the principal streets, and fences and
many outbuildings have been washed
awsv. Anderson Thomas was drowned
at Delta yesterday. He was in a canoe
loaded with provisions, and it capsized
Mrs. James place, in Madison parish, by
the upsettiug of a skiff on Chuls lake. At
Marcella one house has fitty-seven white
people. The YsZoo river is now on a stand
at Burtonia, and falling at the head of
Honey Island.
The Tallahatchie river is also falling. At
Tallulah landing, Mississippi, there is no
water on the levee, and 1t is crowded with
families from the back country. At Shiloh
water but the front levee is all right. At
Samuel Nelson's, at Chute o. the back
water has commenced rising, at the rate of
eight inches In twenty-four hours. He bas
about seventy-five acres free from water,
on which he has two hundred and thirteen
persons needi1g rations Also one hun
dred head of mules and horses, two
hundred head of sheep and two
hundred held of cattle. At Tennes see
landing the backwster is three feet higher
than the river and is running over the levee |
into the river. At MsgnaVists the backwater |
commenced rising Friday night, and Satur-
day night water was running over the levee |
into the river. In the house of Mr.. Chap !
man. at this place, there are thirty people |
in the second story, and outside there is not |
g foot of land visible. The water rose sud- |
denly, and there were many narrow escapes |
from drowning. At Chotard the levee is
running into the river There |
are about two hundred negroes |
camped around small church on the land |
at this place. All this water is from Steel's |
Bayou, Deer Creek and the Sunfower and |
Yazoo rivers. There are az least nine |
hundred people between Chotard and |
Magma Vista, mostly colored, who will have |
TO be supplied with rations. At Brunswick |
Point the backwater is running
into the river, and a large number |
of cattle have been lost. This |
is the first high water they have had there |
in fifteen years. The whole of Eagle Bend |
county is under water. B. 81. Kiger will
lose fully IS 600 worth of stock. Buckhorn
creek is at least half mile wide and about
ten feet deep. The water is spreading all
over the country, and the people are on the
tops OF the houses waiting to be removed.
James A. Stone and James B. Stone, at
Omego, rescued ninety people by means of
skiffs.
The levee at Lovell's, Palmyra landing,
gave way last night, and there is six feet Of
water there. The Ashwood levee in Tensas
parish has also gone. The whole of Hurri-
cane lslanu Is now COlupI6t6ll uuucE WdJSI.
Captain Leathers expresses the opinion
that in three days there will not be an acre
of land visible in Tensas. Passengers on
the steamer White say the levee at Millikens
cannot possibly hold out, IL there is any
further rise in the river. Lieutenant
8. G. Vedder, United States army, under
instructions from the Secretary of War,
left at a. m. for Monroe in a skiff, and
will visit Tallulah, Delhi, Floyd and Rays
Vile, and will report his observations of the
condition of this country and the distress
existing. He will make his report by tele-
graph. The news from the tributary
streams of the Yazoo. Tallshstchie and
Suuhower adds to the gloomy aspect
of affairs. Cattle are receiving no atten-
tion, all efforts being directed to the preser-
vation of horses and mules. Refugees and
stock continue to arrive at this point in
large numbers.
The report in a special dispatch from here
Of a break in the levee in front OF the town
of Milliken's Bend is untrue. The breaks
are above and below the town. The re-
ported destruction of a gin house few
days ago with great loss OF life is also un-
true. No lives were lost by the burning OF
Baer's store.
YAzoo CITY, March 30.-The water at this
place is two feet above the mark of 1867
and has risen an inch In the last twelve
hours. At this rate of increase It will likely
reach its maximum point tonight or to-
morrow morning. Boats from above report
the water at a stand. The excite
ment is subsiding, but each steamer
brings people and stock. A large
percentage of the refugees are
negroes, who, with few exceptions, are
provided for by the merchants and planters,
who have them employed, and some have
gone to the hills to work temporarily, and
as yet there is no suffering. Some have
remained in town, refusing to work, but
clamor for government rations. At this
point very little assistance is needed at
present. The overfowed business houses
of this city have had scaffolds built In them
and business continues. Yszoo City has an
extra police force on duty night and day.
With the exception of few cases of petty
larceny no violations of law have occurred.
Riot In HaVennA.
ROME, March 20-There have been seri-