The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-03-20
THE Valley OF DEATH.
A TERRlsLE PICTURE OF DISTRESS.
Th. D.plOrsbls Stat. of InAln Along St. Vr.nsIl
RlTsr-PsOpls Rs,Ortlss 10 CsssIball,B to
Keep From starting New Breaks In Tie
LsTsts Near New Orleans

| AtNNtA NtAF NeW 0fntaAsa
MEMPHB, March ls.--The Avalanche
Helena, Ark, special says: Latest advice
from the Upper St. Francis river are tina
the people Of that section are almost re
duccd to Cannibalism. They have eater
caFcasses for some days, and now have al
the appearance Of people about TO become
Insane from starvation.
Colonel A. H. johnson, President Of the
Arkansas Midland Railroad, returned
to-day from Het Springs, He came down
by skiff to Helena from tie mouth OF the
St Francis River. He says that the scenes
along the way are most distressing, and the
stencil OF dead animals revolving, and when
the waters decline 1t must be still more
fearful. The earth is left covered with a
thick sllmy substance OF reptiles Of every
kind and smell. The miGsma produced
from decaying substances must inevitably
be serious in its consequences.
SITUATION on TIE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.
NV ORLEANS, March 1S.-There are now
reported thirty-three breaks in the levees
between HHshpakRna ard GreenVille, and
terrible suffering ia experienced.
A dispatch says water from Milliken
Bend has submerged the town OF Duck
port, and that houses were floating for
miles into the country.
The steamer Cannon arrived at Vicks-
burg yesterday. Captain Campbell says he
rescued over two hundred head OF cattle,
mules, &c, and number OF families from
the ends Of levees, and at one place went
out into swamp about mile and a half
for thirty people, who were literally starry
ing to death. The captain reports terri.
BILE condition OF affairs below, and says
that, in many instances, there is not only
lack ofmeans but absolute poverty.
The pilots Of the Cannon report five feet
OF water over Newtown, Miss. Below New
town the whole country, with the excep.
ton OF Natonez, is submerged. On the
Louisiana side, Drouland plantation, at
Point Coupee; Hogs Point, four miles be.
low Red River; Gibson Place, sixteen miles
from Natchez, and Coleman plantation.
ABOUT two miles above Waterproof, are the
only sites where land can be seen at all.
So far the damage to the sugar-producing
section OF Louisiana has been comparative.
fy light.
Two hundred and sixty thousand Gov
ernmeat rations have been distributed ia
this State, besides contributions by private
citizens. Governor McEnery has received
applications for rations for 10000 people,
Madison Parish having added 1900 to
previous applications.
The clerk OF the steamer Natchez SAYS
matters were good deal worse than the
last trip; stock Is in a terrible condition.
On any little knoll in the overhowed dis.
trlctyou could see thirty or forty cattle, and
sometimes several dead ones, lying beside
their living companions. Gnats are liter.
ally eating them alive. On one part OF the
levee on the down trip there was pile Of
wood about half submerged, and on top OF
it there were twenty sheep and large
number OF hogs that had taken refuge from
the water, but would Starve
RELIEF EXPEDITION.
ST. LOUIS, March 1S.-The Government
steamer, General Barnard, which has been
loading here with Government rations this
afternoon and tonight, will start down the
river tomorrow. She will take l75,000 ra-
tions, besides n large amount Of food, cloth
ing, 90, contributed by people Of this city.
She will go direct to Memphis, where she
viii discharge rations for the Northern
Mississippi counties, then proceed 10 He
lena, where she will leave supplies for the
Arkansas State Commissioner stationed
there, and then to Vicksburg. II she is
not wanted for other service at the later
point, she will return to st. Louis and take
down another load OF provisions. She will
also have on board over 10000 rations,
which the officer in charge is authorized to
dispense to any suffering people whom he
may encounter on the way down. Five
thousand raiiops will be left ut New Madrid,
Mo-, Tor sufferers at Maiden, Mo.
NEWS FROM MEMPHIS.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, March 1S.-River de.
clined two inches today, and now marks
thirty.fve feet two inches on the gauge.
The Government steamer @. B. Reese ar.
rived to-day and will be provisioned to
supply the needy ut points below. Major
Benham, Of St Louis, will arrive to-mor-
row and have charge Of tho distribution.
AASN1SAlhlL hCNuSI lGlL lO'hdS W lnfcaLl-
gate suffering ut points below Vicksburg.
Captain Loud departs tomorrow on the
same mission.
Reports from below are all 10 the effect
that the river is gradually falling, from
Memphis to ViCksburg.
The AppedFS Helena, Arkansas, special
says: The river declined two and q quarter
inches in the last twenty.iour hours. The
overflow, however, fell less than an inch.
Beyond this there are no notable changes.
Commissioner Mangum received advices
from St Louis to-day that $4,000 rations
had been shipped for this point. They are
expected to arrive Tuesday
The Globe Democrats dispatch says The
tug Stafford touched here at 3 p. NJ, to-day,
remaining here but few minutes,
Cries for assistance are heard from every
quarter. Every effort is being put forth By
private citizens 10 render such relief as Is
in their power.
The steady continued fall in the river
has infused new life into our people, and
they arc almost iubitant, but are temper
ately prudent for the future.
WATERS EEcEDGEG.
ST. LOUIS, March 1S-The Globe Demo
Gratis dispatch boat reached Helena, Ark,
this afternoon. The river has fallen two
inches at that point. The Arkansas Mid.
land train went through TO Clarendon, for
the tirst time in nineteen days, running in
water foot deep. The overflow has de-
parted from Clarendon, except on the low.
est places. White river is falling rapidly.
SUFFERING IN ARKANSAS. :
Judge Mangum, the Commissioner for
Arkansas, who has established headquar.
ters ut Helena, says he has 5000 people
on his list now being fed by the Govern.
ment, and on half rations at that. He says
the number will now be largely increased,
as lie can reach a much greater number
from Helena than from any other point,
that being about the centre Of the greatest
suffering. He thinks the Government will
have 10 feed the people for q month. There