The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-03-08
THE FLOODS /!
HALF OF A MISSOURI COUNTY
ovERFLowED.
Terrible Distress at Several Points on
the Whole Fami-
hes Starving in Ar
kansas. etc. etc.

ST. LOUIS. March IA gentleman
here from Mississippi county, in the
southeastern part of the State, re-
ports that over half of that county
is under water, caused by the over
flow of the Mississippi river, and
that the farmers in the submerged
district have lost nearly all of their
live stock, grain and other property.
A great many families are living in
the second story of their houses. and
many others have been taken away
in their boats to higher ground, and
are being provided for at the public
expense. Much suffering exists
throughout the submerged district.
The track of the Iron Mountain
Railroad is said to be ahoat in some
places, and in order to prevent it
from being swept away long stakes
have been driven into the ground
Oh each side to keep it in its place.
CINCINNATI, March IA speeia
to the Tmes-Star from Little Rock,
says:
1t is reported that three miles of
the Iron Mountain Railroad track
has been swept away and that the
bridge over the Fourche Caldo. is
submerged and considered to be un-
safe. Much damage has been done
to the Little Rock and Fort Smith
Railroad, all by the rain on yester-
day and the day preceding.
CAIRO, H.. March 1.-The Ohio
River shows fall of about three
inches and the Mississippi fall of
about four, but it is thought the
rise reported above will check the
fall. The levees still hold out firm,
and everything looks brighter.
Business is picking up, and the gem
eral feeling is that Cairo is safe.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Mar. IA spe-
cial from Helena, Ark, says: ''The
river began rising tonight again
from water above. A big break is
reported in the levee just Le.ow
Concordia, which occurred yesterday
morning, and the people are panic
stricken. Four negroes and one
white man have been drowned. C.
w. Blackburn, of Laconia Circle,
arrived to-day and is negotiating
for steamer to remove stock and
people from that flooded district.
He says many negroes are starving.
Others are feeding on the purtrid
carcasses of drowned cattle and such
game as can be procured.
whole families are suhsisting on
a half a peck of meal per week.
People in this section are offering
milk cows at 25 cents per head, as
the poor beasts are dying from wa
ter starvation. Mr.. Blackburn will
move his family, hands, stock and
all movable effects to i plantation
back of Helena till the water sub.
sides. The distress all along the
river is unparalleled. News reach
ed the city this afternoon that
the water in the st. Francis River
bottom or sunk land is rasing an
inch per hour This, if true, will
put us to thinking before the week
has passed"
VIcKsBURG, Miss, Mar. 1.-The
river is rising slowly. The weather
is clear and warm. Reports from
above say that very serious breaks
have occurred at Concordia, Clay,
Boggot and Clarke leyees, which
will put the northern part of Wash
ington aud the back fands of Issa-
quena counties under water. A
number of people were drowned at
Riverton, and there is considerable
and loss of life at other
points.
EAsToN, Pa, Mar ii. O. Wag-
ners dam, on the Burkill, was wash
ed away by high water this after
noon. The Delaware River at Eas-
ton tonight is fourteen feet deep,
and is rapidly rising. The Lehigh
River is also rising, and if the rain
continues it is feared the damage
llong both rivers will be great.