Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-03-23
THE WESTERN SUFFERERS.

In response to resolution, the Secretary of
War transmitted to the House of Representa-
tives, last Friday, communication estima-
ting the number of persons made destitute by
the overflow of western rivers. The total
number is stated to be IS, 900, as follows Mis-
souri, 2,2OO, Illinois 1000, Kentucky 800, Ten
nessee 5000, Mississippi 10000, Arkansas TO-
600, Louisiana $4,000, and states that 713, 900
rations have been distributed. The commu-
nication further states that the appropriation
already made is sufficient to purchase 500, 900
rations of subsistence, and estimates that the
supply will be exhausted in Arkansas, Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana about the 21st. No
estimate can be made as to the time during
which the necessity for Congressional aid will
continue. No further demands are expected
from Illinois and Kentucky, but from Mis-
souri,, Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi
the department has information that the ne
cessity for subsistence will continue for a Pc
riod estimated at from thirty to sixty days.
The department has no information from Lou
isiana, but it is thought that it may be placed
ON the same basis as Mississippi.
A correspondent of the New Orleans Demo-
crat gives the following gloomy picture of the
situation:
The measure of the damage wrought by the
floods now out in the Mississippi Valley is on
ly just beginning to be appreciated, and there
is no doubt that in a few weeks it will be
known very definitely in the East by the
amount of outstanding debts that will be found
.uncollectable. There have been during the
present century three specially memorable
floods, and this is by far the worst of the three.
In 1915 the rivers burst their bounds and lnun-
dated more country than had ever been known
that was of course little known. In1962 there
came the next great flood, which, although of
tremendous dimensions, was yet less than the
other, but during the past few weeks the wa
ter has been foot higher than it was in 1915,
and many portions of the country have been
submerged that were never wet before, to the
knowledge of the inhabitants, except with
rain water.
From one of the unfortunate planters of
Washington county, Miss, whose lands are
now entirely under water, but who has sue
ceeded in saving his stock by driving them to
the hills, your correspondent learned that the
true condition of affairs has been suppressed
by the journals and officials of that section
from a foolish fear of injuring their local rep
utaton. For over five weeks past the country
has been uninhabited by the negroes and poor
whites, who form by far the larger part OF the
population. A month ago all the better sltua-
ted farmers removed their stock back to the
hills, but the negroes, naturally improvident,
and the poorer classes, through sheer inability
to move, remained, hoping against hope, until
they were overtaken by the calamity. Most
of the stock, consisting of mules, cattle and
pigs, are of course lost. The people generally
colored) who remain are padding about on
mprovised RATS and ccngregating in deserted
gin houses in utter destitution yet, strange
to say, it has only been very recently that their
condition has been brought prominently to
public notice. What makes matters worse is
the fact that the population of the overtlowed
section is larger than ever before. During the
whole of last fall and winter the colored peo'
pie had been pouring into that section from
the hill country on account of the betterwages
offered.
Dispatches of Monday represent the situa'
tion as unchanged; unless, indeed, it may be
for the worse. The rivers were reported rising
and at Millikan's Bend the current had carried
away house two miles back into the country
People, with their stock, are fleeing to the
hills, and the extent Of destitution will be
greatly increased over any previous calcula
ton. 1t is even predicted that famine in the
oyerfoWed section is inevitable.