River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-03-30
Southern Sufferers.

A letter written by one OF the govern
ment relief party, on board the steamer
Anita says: AT Greenville, Miss, it is
estimated that 5000 people must be fed
in Washington County alone, three
fifths of which is now under water.
There are 800 refugees in Greenville
now. The inundation of Yazoo County
followed as natural sequence nppn
the breaking of the levees of Coahom-
ats and Bolivar Counties, in the north
west corner of Mississippi. The Sun
flower and Tallahatchie and parts of
the Y4zoo became blended in great
lake forty to sixty miles wide. with a
boiling current, and that is the situation
now. There are embraced in this
overlooked district Tunnica, Coaho-
mats, Bolivar, Washington and Isague-
ma Counties. Sunhower, Tallahatchie,
Quitman and Yazoo Counties are also
affected, though not to the extent of
THE BORDER TIER.
It is estimated that $4,000 people
are suffering in the above named
counties, and at least three-fifths will
be dependent upon charity until the
waters 60 down. The State Legislature
appropriated $15, 5000 for relief, but adj
journed before the magnitude of the
situation was known. From Lake Pro-
violence down the delta opposite Vicks-
burg the situation is much the same as
on the Louisiana line.
The Vicksburg Commercial has dis
patch, received to-day from Yazoo City,
the latest from there. 1t says the sit
uation is becoming more and more
alarming. Men are here appealing to
the merchants for boats to rescue from
destruction their mules and horses, hav-
ing given up all hope of saving their
cattle, hogs or sheep. The steamer
Golden Era has arrived here
FULL OF REFUGEES
from places between here and Belzanea.
Thousands of cattle will perish, being
now virtually abandoned to the mercy
of the elements.
Hunt pressed into service all the skiffs
he could get and built number of ba-
teaux. These were sent out in every
direction, and day and night people
were taken from their housetops, where
they had sought refuge from the flood,
and conveyed to such elevated spots as
were abo We water. But for this prompt
action the loss of life must have been
great. The breaking of the Bolivar
and Coahama levees also saved the CO.
lumbia on the Arkansas side Of the
river. Had the bank there overlooked
THE ENTIRE COUNTRY
would have been submerged. The
Eagle Bend country is entirely under
water. This, like the Yazoo country,
is very rich, highly cultivated section
and among the best cotton regions In
the state. At Milliken's Bend the wa
ter is pouring over the levee in great
sheet. At Omenga, Alsatia and Good
rich the levees are hourly expected to
give way and complete the destruct-
ion.
Capt. Parisal told the correspondent
that the situation up the Yazoo Basin
is beyond description. The tops of gin
houses, he says, are covered with peo-
pie and there the Anita will find them.
Cattle and hogs are
PRETTY MUCH ALL DROWNED,
but mules have been put into the lofts
of gin houses and are being kept there
in hopes that the waters will subside
before they starve.
The steamers Headlight, Carney and
Golden Era arrived at Vicksburg to-
day from different sections, all having
large numbers of refugees aboard, who
where taken from housetops and other
preearious places. Ten thousand peo-
pie are expected to arrive at Vicksburg
to-day and tomorrow, and there are
more than that number here already,
and every boat brings an additional
number. None of these people having
anything in the world except their
clothes on their backs. Gov. Lowry
will make Vicksburg his headquarters
tomorrow. He says he will add the
states contingent fund of $4,000 to the
appropriation made by the Legislature.
He will send the steamer Yazoo City
up the Yazoo tonight and hurry for
ward the small boats as fast as possible,
to be used in rescuing the people from
their perilous positions, the first OBJ
ject being to save life.