Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-03-30
THERAGING WATERS
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
VERY GREAT.
Estimates of the Present Sufferers.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, March 22.-Captain
Knower telegraphs General Beckwith,
Monroe, La, as follows, about the flood :
About 1000 people in the parishes along
the Black and Ouachita rivers will need
aid until May 1st About $500 of this
number are now supplied until April 1st /;
1,1Oosto April 10th; 900 to April 5th; the
balance need aid at once. The greatest
distress is found in Caldwell parish, and
the least in Ouachita. The issue of meal
is preferable to -four. The loss of stock
will, be serious for want of forage. do
not advise more aid for Ouaehita parish
below Monroe or Caldwell above Colum-
bia. Capt. Vedder makes the following
report in dispatch, dated Monroe, La. !:
arrived here last evening after having
visited Lelta, Tallullah, Delhi and Raj
vile. The distance travelled is seventy
three miles. The country is in most
depiorable condition. The loss OF stock
from being drowned and eaten to death
by gnats is very great. The people, rich
and poor, need food for such stock as
they have been able to keep alive. If the
water does not fall rapidly, most of the
horses, mules and cattle will be lost, as
no means of transportation can be pro-
cured to move them away"
The Globe-Democrat's correspondent
on the Government relief steamer Anita,
up the SunfioWer river and some OF Its
tributaries, gives some graphic descrlp-
tions of scenes along their banks among
the poor people. who for many days,
have been camping on dry spots OF
ground or cooped up in lofts of houses
or huddled together on roofs. Many OF
them were suffering from hunger and
all utterly destitute, having lost every
thing they possessed. Up to Saturday
night the Anita had picken up and taken
to what are known as the Harris Mounds,
which are large and high, nearly thou
sand people, mostly negroes. They are
camped in the open air, but they Will be
supplied with food until the flood SUBJ
sides and they can take care OF them
selve. The correspondent relates the
following as one Of the incidents ef the
trip: While passing through Lake
George, Captain Lee came plump against
the labor issue-tbe mule or negro queS-
tion. The Anita had taken of a party of
negroes whose place Of refuge was only
a foot about the food; and who had no
boat to make use of if the water swept
over it. The Anita was on the way to 3
high mound with the party, when q
planter for whom the negroes worked
rowed alongside and asked to have the
negroes put back. They were in debt
for supplies and if allowed to get off the
place they might refuse to return. He
was permitted to talk to the people and
said something like the following: You
people know had gone off to get float
and after moved the mules was going
to take care of you" Captain Lee in
terfered with the remark that the peo-
ple were IN imminent danger, and that
removal to safe place was demanded
by, humanity. The conclusion of the
matter was that the ~niggers" should
b I'VE an equal chance with the mules.
That is say, the planter agreed to put
the people on the float with the animals
and remove both together.
NEW ORLEAs, Mar. 22.-Captain Lane,
of the United States army, reports that
Mt Lake Providence and vicinity there
are about 1900 persons, and from the
Arkansas line to the southern line OF
East Carroll parish not less than 5000
people. white and black, who will re-
ouire rations for thirty days; and at
least 1000 people in Madison parish who
will have to be assisted next month. By
order of the Secretary of War 100000
rations for the overflowed sufferers are
being delivered to the Louisiana commits
sioners. Fifty thousand rations were
sent to Atchafalaya- The rations issued
for $4,000 people for Is days will soon
be exhausted. Forty thousand people
will apply for rations. This number
cannot be supplied unless additional ra-
tiops are received. Provisions will be
shipped daily until all are supplied or
the stock exhausted, there being no fund |
at the disposal of the Governor. The
Times Democrat furnished the State
Commissioners with forage for distribu
tion, and then bought the steamer for
the commissioners use, stocking it with
corn. oats, bran and hay for the suffer
ers east of the Ouchita river. The stock |
is reported dying by hundreds. Appre-
hension is felt that the people will not
be able to plant crep, even if the water |
recedes in time, on account of the loss
of stock.