The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-03-10
The Flood in the Lower Mississippi.
MEMPHIS, Marchsi.

II would require an artists pen to picture the
grandeur OF the Nj ssissippi as at its present
fiood-tide it sweep, with mighty power down to
the Gulf while ITS endless current everywhere
carries upon its bosom the evidence OF ITS de-
structive powers. From Cairo to Vlcksburg,
Miss, there is scarcely anything to be SEA but n
dreary water waste, extending IN many IL calities
The damage that has been done to farming
interests by the great overflow cannot be esti-
mated. Thousands Of cattle and other stock
have bcen drowned, and hundreds are now daily
dying of starvation The inhabitants OF the
bottom lands have been driven from their homes
and are now existing the best they may on
ridges where hastily-built huts afford them
shelter, and where they would soon starve
were not food provided. Never before within
the history Of tho country was there 30 much
suffering experienced by the people OF the
mississippi valley as now. and, what with the
rising waters and the incessant rains, the dis
sstsrs Of the future cannot be foretold.
MEMPHIS, March 8.
News reaches here Of terrible destruction Of
property by the breaking of the levee at Car
sons Landing. La. A gap of seventy-fve feet
was first made by the rushing water, and 100
yards OF the levee were soon swept away. The
noise OF the roaring flood awoke the sleeping
cit Gems, who looking ont Of their homes, saw
he river rapidly spreading over the country.
Without taking time to cothe themselves, tine
people fled for their lives. -Four persons were
overwhelmed by the rushing waters and
drowned. Their cries for help were heartrend-
ing. Many people had narrow escapes.
BY the breaking Of the levee few miles
above Greenville, Miss, the whole Of Bolivar
county. Miss, is inundated. Great loss Of
property, and, worse still, loss of life has re-
suited. Roseda,e, The county seat of
Bolivar county, Is more than six feet
under water. Advices from Riverton, Miss, $50
miles sonth OF here, report fearful destruc-
ton Of property and some loss of life. The
STOCK Ia ali drowned, and there are no provis-
ions for poor peo. 10 TO subsist on. The village
OF Riverton has been entirely swept away, and
tho inhabitants are homeless and penni-
less. Steamboats, now run through the
streets at Indian Bay, Arkansas. The
water at New Orleans is greatly higher
than the average level OF the city.
Arkansas City, Ark, is from six inches to four
feet under water. The poor inhabitants depend
Memphis and Little Rock road by floods is esti-
mated at $4,000. Refugees are focking to
Memphis by hundreds. The Commissioners to
distribute rations for Arkansas and Mississippi
are on hand, and supplies have already gone
forward to Riverton, Concordia and Belen-
MEMPHIS, March G.
Reports received from the flooded districts in
Eastern Arkansas are OF the most dishearten-
ing character. The damage is much greater
than first announced. Refugees from Desha
and Chcoh counties give graphic and thrilling
accounts of the floods which drove them from
their homes. One man says he was awakened
ut midnight by roaring sound, and aroused
his wife and three children under the impress
sion that a cyclone was sweeping across the
plantation. Some minutes later the house
was swept from its foundation and it hoated
Off on O sea Of water. The wreck was
almost instantaneous and the occupants OF tho
dwelling could not realize the situation until
they were forced to seek shelter on the roof.
They were rescued the next morning. Many
incidents OF a similar nature are related. The
Governor of Arkansas says the num-
Der of persons requiring assistance in
that s ate alone will reach $4,000.
The Governor of Missouri telegraped the
Secretary of War to increase the rahons
ordered for the flood sufferers. Secretary
Lincoln replied that eight DAYS supplies
had already gone forward to the inunda ed
portion of Missouri, aud that the Arkansas
Commissioners ask $1,000 rations for for,y
days, which will exceed the appropriation.
Eight army officers will be detailed TO investi-
gate the needs OF the people, and it ID thought
that 100000 will be required. Congress
Is to DO asked to furnish the poor with seed
corn.
ACCOUNTS Of the foods along the Lower Mis-
sissppi country grow gloomier as the days go
by. Whole towns have been swept away by the
angry waters, plantations destroyed and inn
mense stretches of fertile country IN Arkansas
and Mississippi inundated. The destruc-
ton of property has been appall-
ing, and famine threatens the unfor .unate vic
TINS of the overflow. A dispatch from RIVER
ton MISS, says that when the current struck
that town 1t was impossible to pull boat
through, and the people took shelter upon the
housetops and upon floating pieces OF fences,
sides of buildings, etc. 1t was about an hou r
before Rosedale was flooded, and the people
there had time to save some Of their
clothing and the most valuable Of their
light personal property. As soon Ak possible
the ladies and children were removed to the
wharf-boat at Terrehe, where temporary
shelter was found, the men staying by their
property and homes, seeing all they possessed
swept away by the torrent of angry waters.
The colored people Jared the worst, and many
were lost in the immediate vicinity Of
Rlverten.
Hon. L. H. Mangum, OF Arkansas, in
an interview with an Associated
Press reporter at Memphis, said that in the
counties of Mississippi, Criltenden, Lee, Pom
sett, Cross, Craighead, ST. Francis, Phillips,
Desha, Chicot and Monroe, in Arkansas, he
had information of about 20, 900 destitute peo-
pie, VINO would nave 10 DE leU by the GONcrn'
ment for at least forty days These counties
do not include those bordering on the Rcd
river, where great suffering is SAID to exist.
Senator Garland says the cities and towns OF
the State are responding literally; but they are
burdened by refugees from flooded districts.
He also says the present distress is only begin
nlDg.
Commissioner W. L. Hemingway, OF Mis-.
sissippi, said the inhabitants of Tunica, Goa
homa, Desoto, Ouitman, Bolivar Washington
Issaquena, Yazoo, 1allahatcnee and Sunh )sel
countits in his State, to the Lumber OF $1,000
were IN like suffering condition. Those coun
ties in Mississippi are all above Vicks0urg, an
there are otner counties below that city that
have suffered by the floods.
Three thousand Tennesseeans residing along
the Mississippi river are reported by Gov. Haw
kins in destitute condiuon. The Governor oil
Illinois has asked the Secretary of War for re-
| lief for the sufferers from the overflow of th.
Ohio in Pulaski county, ILL.,; Secretary LincolI
| has ordered relief to DO sent.