Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-03-29
AUSTIN. Mss. March %. $50.

AUSTIN, MISS, March 70, 81.
EDITOR LEDGER-The water at this
point continues to fall, although slowly,
yet sufficiently to justify the strongest
hopes.
Our people had submitted heroically to
the consequences Of the overflow, up to
within few days ago.
From the first, the supplies sent to Aus
tin for distribution have proven very in
adequate, and for this reason short rations
have been iudiciously Issued.
Many hundreds have been relieved
through this source, while hundreds of
Others have received no relief whatever.
In this condition Of affairs, feeling that
worse would ensue. a citizens meeting"
was called on the oath instant for the pur-
pose OF appointing a committee of three to
visit Memphis to solicit further aid from
government and private sources.
The committee consists of men who are
familiar with the condition and needs of
our people, and we apprehend no fears
that Memphis will send them home empty
handed.
They will only ask for supplies, the dis
trlbution OF which will preserve the lives
of man and beast.
waiting and watching" and anxious
ly hoping in fear" are expressions char
acterizing the condition of the minds of
our citizens at present. We are, indeed,
experiencing the dark side, but not with
out the hope of bright future.
Had the present overflow occurred one
month later, then indeed might the gloom
of the future been intensified, and,
hoping in fear" be justified
We admit the present is full of gloom.
The more successful of our planters may
be more or less involved, but are we to
feel that we are left upon an open sea
powerless2 Never. Surrounded by wa
ter that is reccding at the rate Of two
inches per day, will, by the LIST of May,
expose for tillage more land than can pos
sibly be worked with the facilities used in
1881, for it will include hundreds of acres
of old land, brought into requisition-re
ovated by tho sediment from the over
flow, and which had been thrown out for
one, two and three years past.
We have lost heavily in stock, but sll
are not gone; and, if we are denied the
usual assistance from "our merchants" we
will be compelled to plant according to
our work capacity, and probably be the
better off in the end.
From conversation with many planters,
we are confident that Tunica county will
plant, with cotton, its share of corn the
coming season, thereby securing to itself
sutficiency at least to feed through the fol-
lowing season. But we have no fear that
assistance will not be rendered as the time
approaches for our work to begin. Prece-
dents justify this opinion. Memphis in
terests are SO closely identified with our
own we do not think they can or will be
disregarded.
In our present condition, the fact is, we
are fast becoming impatient. We forget
that had we not been encountered with
the misfortune of an overflow, to-day half
of us would hardly be through Knocking
stalks" Even now, long ere the eleventh
hour, and the seed Of the coming crop
will have been sown, its germ put forth,
cotton chopping begun, and we fear some
of the lessons Of the overflow will be par
TALLY forgotten. We hopefully say, yet
a little while longer" and "al will be
WELL J.M.H."