The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-03-13
FLOOD, FAMINE, DEATH.
THE SWELLING TIDE OF woIs
10 III, Ml,lI.slppl Nall.y-TuO Huadr,d NILE, q,
Gentry spbasrgsd Sy the Mad Waters,
And EIsAt''n rhOu,and P.Opl. Hone.
les 'nd Ia Need Of Relief

tricts. Among others, by the Adams,
Captain Lee, Of the army, sent by III
Secretary Of War to report upon the cor
dition Of the water covered districts, an,
the distressed people. He estimates th
number needing help, Mt $4,000 on tn
Mississippi side, and urges 100000 addi
tional rations as necessary for immediat,
distribution.
Previous reports Of the disastrous effect
Of the inundation are fully verified. Man,
people are in cotton gins and other eleva
ted houses, the foundations Of which ar,
gradually being undermined and threaten
ing to overwhelm the inmates.
Houses are reported surrounded BY
water, with mules and other animals quar-.
tered on the front galleries and in hall.
ways. White people occupy rooms upon
which false floors have been built, nm
lower floors being under water. Some
have escaped on floating pens Of logs and
rails, and have their mules upon these,
While they gather cottonwood branches
and green cane from the swamps, by
means o. dug-outs and skitEs, TO feed and
sustain life.
At one point where $50 head Of mules
and cattle had stood on narrow strip OF
levee, heswiit current gradually cut the
patch OF earth away, taking off the feeble,
halt.starved animals one by one, until les
than fifty remained, and these were crowd.
ed so close that at intervals brute would
be crowded of and lost in the flood.
Captain Lee states that the rayases oi
the water have not been underestimate,
as lar as he could observe, and that the
result can only be measured by its dura.
tion. ','''
The fiBt break OF the leyees on the Missis.
sippi side is near Star Landing, thirty
miles below here, and from there on 10
the boundary Of Washington county. Two
hundred miles further down the creyasses
are numerous, and most Of the country
lying along the river is submerged.
TERRIBLE TALE As TOLD ny CAPTAIN LEE.
MEMPHIS, TENN, March 1.-THE river
here fell ! inch to-day, and now marks IS
feet and 10 inches on the gauge, and four
inches below the highest point reached
this season.
Twenty thousand rations for Tennessee
sufferers arrived this morning, to be dis
tributed Monday.
Captain F. NJ. Lee, the army officer ap-
pointed by the Secretary Of War to ascer-
tain the condition Of affairs in Mississippi,
returned tonight at 10o'clock from Arkan.
sas City, on the steamer Dean Adams. In
an interview with Western Associated
Press reporter, Captain Lee said no idea Of
the true condition Of the country over
flowed can be imagined without being
seen. From point twenty miles below
Memphis, where the first break in the
leyee occurred, the entire country is
one vast sea Of water. People
oil through this submerged region
are utterly destitute in starving condi-
ton. Their stock has been drowned, they
are living In gin.houses, stable-lofts and
upper stories Of cabins. Hundreds are sub
slsting on parched corn. Many have been
temporarily relieved by the distribution OF
Government rations, but others could not
be reached and their suffering is very great
The levee along the river front has broken
at forty different places between Memphis
and Arkansas City, and at some points the
river is fifty miles wide. All published re-
ports have fallen far short Of giving an
idea ot the damage that has been done, or
destitution prevailing.
his first estimate made to the Secretary
oi War that 100000 rations would be re.
qniredto feed the $4,000 needy in the State
oi Mississippi, will, he says, fall short, as
the destitute will probably be double the
number OF the first estimate. Captain Lee
will telegraph Secretary Lincoln and await
further instructions here.
OFFICIAL INSPECTION.
LITTLE Rock, ARK, March 1l.-Lieut.
Satterlee, Of the Third United States In.
iantry, has been ordered by the War De-
partment to proceed to the overhowed dis.
trlct and inspect the supply stations.
Adlutant General Churchill, OF the Gov
ernor's stall, is also ordered down, and both
leave tomorrow for Arkansas City
APHILADELPHIA MANS ExpRRIEScE.
A. Il. Baltimore, OF Philadelphia, ar
rived tonight from the overhowed coun-
try. He said to GaIetle reporter: HFri.
day | went round the neighborhood of
Arkansas City on an inspecting tour.
While rowing through the woods in n
skill We came upon hali.submerged log
house; rowing alongside an upper window,
We looked IN. A man, his wife and two
children occupied the place. The man.
upon being questioned, said: ave didn't
expect break in the levee. The other
morning We awoke and found water all
around the house, and the floor was lifted
up by the pressure. We had no means Of
escaping. As We lived great distance
from the river We have no boats and did
not think the flood would become so
serious. fhaye been living here for ten
years, and have never before suffered anv
inconvenience from the water. did not
mink II would become very deep or we
could have waded out at first. l was fool.
sh enough to think the break in the leyee
lad caused the overflow, and that other
breaks would occur shortly and distribute
he water but 1t kept on rising mi we
we're forced togo up stairs. For two davs
re have not had anything 10 eat TIE
water is gradually rising, and but ior this
imely deliveranco We must have soon
been drowned" 'o0i
We took this family to land, about ten
niles distant, and provided food.
Going out in the skiT again, wescame
ipon a knoll where six or seven peonis
lad taken refuge. They had been driven
rom home, and, unable to get out Of The
bottoms, had remained on the little knoll,
Ilthough It could be but temporary relief
9 starvation, Il not food, must soon come come
In old man, in objection, stood near The
'dge Of the water, and looked with inex.
'ressible sadness out upon the great watery
waste. He said his name was Marsoip and
hat he had lived in the neighborhood for
earlytwenty years. ~ was liyinpyitb nv nv
laughter" he said. "The other night tbs
iood rushed In upon ur, We did not have
ime TO make any arrangements, i called
o my daughter to follow me, but last then
swift current struck me and Bore r me me
way. ! heard my daughter scream. and /
attempted to answer her, hut choEeJ
vas borne on with the rapid waters Str;L.
ng tree, seized hold Of fitand held on
Lifting my head'aboye the water T ealIei Ii
ny daughter, but the mighty rush Sf'the
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