Huntsville gazette., 1882-02-25
THE OVERFLOW. !.
Breaks in Levees, causing Great Dam
age to Property and Crops along
the Mississippi River.

MEMPHIS, Tenn, February ZU.-Ihe
levee around Laconia Circle, $50 miles
south of Memphis, broke Thursday
evening. Eighteen cotton plantations
are submerged. From eight hundred
to one thousand hands are employed
on these places, and 5000 bales of
cotton produced per annum.
A Ievee broke on the west or White
river side while seven hundred expe-
rienced hands were working on the
front or Mississippi side. Laconia
Circle has been dry since the great
overflow of 1867.
The disaster is likely to fall the
heaviest on the poor people, who own
all the cattle, which they will not be
able to feed. Works on crops had
begun, and the damage will lie esti-
mated by the length Of time the over
flow lasts. Another crevasse occurred
yesterday near Austin, sixty miles be-
low here, which threatens to flood the
entire country to Friar's Point. thirty
five miles below, and perhaps the en-
tire Sun Flower River Valley. The
disastrous effects of the overflow will
be felt from Cairo to Natchez, as cot
ton planting preparations had just be-
gun.
February 21.-A special despatch
from Helena, dated last night, says the
situation remains unchanged. The
river has been at stand for the past
twenty-f four hours. The water in the
city continues rising. and is now over
North Main street, at the Presbyterian
Church. All the mills and workshops
in the lower part OF the city have sus-
pended operations, and many laborers
are thrown out OF employment. A few
more days of such distress will leave
many In actual want.
The only means of communication
between Main street and West Helena
is by skifs, for which there is great de-
mand Business is at stand still.
There are no transactions in mercan-
Tile circles except for the actual neces-
saries Of lite. At many points be-
tween this city and Vicksburg the
river is II inches higher than it was
ever known before. This is accounted
for by the fact that the Mississippi
river has overfowed its banks above
Osceola, Ark, 80 miles up the river.
\ large volume of water pours through
that country into the headwaters of
the st. Francis river and again finds
its way back into the main stream, tif-
teen miles above Helena, where the
st. Francis river empties into the
Mississippi.
Every plantation between Memphis
and Frars Point, Mississippi, is sub
merged, and the water extends back
from either shore fifteen miles.
Planters are enduring great hard
ships from loss Of stock by drowning
In nearly all overhowed sections stock
il suffering. What were saved are
kept huddled together on hastily built
platforms.
ST.. LOUIS, Feb 21.-The river has
risen over 5 feet since last evening,
and is now 272 feet higher, total rise
since Sunday Of about II feet. The
rise is much slower now than yester-
day, and the water will probably. be-
gin to fall by to morrow.
Railroad travel is still very much
interrupted.
The rise in the river here is said by
the oldest steamboat men to be unpre-
cedented. No such amount of water
was ever known TO come down so sud-
denly. The rainfall amounted to IT.
100 of All inch of as much as the av-
erage fail for the entire winter for the
past eleven years Telegraph wires
west of here are still Frustrated.
SHREVEPORT, La, February PA
heavy wind and rain storm passed over
this citR sbHSIs causing much dam
age. Trees and fences were carried
away. Reports from all directions
state that rivers, bayous and lakes are
rising rapidly. The river here is higher
than it has been for years.
The Mississippi Valley.
Memphis. Feb. %. The officers of
the steamer City Of Greenville CON
firm tna rpDnrt nuhIishad onpo< ,ino