Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-03-02
from a break at Hughes Front, four

regards the planting interest, occurrel
at Bolivar, Miss. One above OIL
Bolivar is 200 yards wide, and anothe
below is about fifty feet wide. TIL
water rushing over the largest breal
looked like the great father Of al
milldams and roared like heavy thun
der. Here, as elsewhere, the peopl
were disheartened and utterly unabl
to work. The levee broke about tn
same hour as at Riverton, and tn
| consequences were similar as regard
the town, though more serious to tn,
planting interest. Several had mar
row escapes, and one gentleman, thu
parson Of the church there, who is
red headed and newly married man
was particularly vivid in his descrip
ton of the scene. He took a gospe
view Of the thing, and solemnly re.
marked that the break was undoubt'
edly caused by the heavy peals o.
thunder. His description, into which
forked lightning, black clouds rever-
berating thunder and rushing waters
largely entered, was graphic in the
extreme, and who shall say it was
untrue? No lives were lost, SO far as
could be learned. The people here,
as everywhere else along the river,
seem to be more at ease in a dugout
than in the cabin of a steamboat, and
unless absolutely reckless or mex
cusably careless, are not likely
to lose their lives by the
food.
The Bagget levee, as it is called, on
one side of Bolivar $50 feet high, and
the main line levee where the Wade
break occurred is five feet higher.
The second break spoken of is just be.
low Judge Clark's place.
The principal planters are Major
Nugent, who cultivates 1900 acres and
raises 800 bales of cotton; Meyers &
Pollock, same; Charlie Scott, 400
acres and $50 bales; Thos. H. Allen,
four places, 200 acres and 800 bales;
john Brennan & Brother, 800 acres
and 400 bales; j. B. Green, $50 acres
and $50 bales; DR.. Rowland, 300 acres
and $50 bales; Ben Franklin, 300 acres
and 200 bales; Field Miller, 1900 acres
and 400 bales; Green Clay, 1000 acres
and 600 bales; Kirkland Uren, 1900
acres and 200 bales; also the Lobell
places, Bellows & Brothers.
There are four stores at Bolivar
all Of which do a large business that
will be more or less damaged by water
as they are already flooded. They are
owned by j. H. Biscae, damage $500;
E. W. Phillips, $500; j. w. Mason,
5000; Rogers & Farrell, $3.50.
This break has probably carried the
waters over Egypt Ridge, which has
always been dry. 1t is a piece Of high
land about six miles back of Bolivar.
The planters work about five mules
to every one hundred acres Of ground,
and it is estimated that about one fifth
Of them will be lost, as it was impos-
sible to collect them in time to drive
them to the high places. Eighty-fve
head, belonging to Field Miller and
Green Clay, were put aboard the Dean
Adams at Kentucky Landing, below
Bolivar, and brought to Memphis.
At Catfish Point, below Bolivar
Landing, the water backed up behind
the front levee from a break in the
rear, and no other damage except that
done by the break. was feared. At NJ.
Lyons store, directly at the point, the
ground was dry at 5 o'clock Tuesday
morning, but at 9 o'clock it was FIVE
feet deep and over the top of his
counters. He procured a skiff and
took his family to a piece of dry levee,
remained until taken off by the
Adams. He had about $500 worth
Of goods in his house which will be
damaged more than half, if the house
does not wash entirely away.
Between Catfish Point and Mound
Landing, q distance of six miles, the
levee broke in four places Tuesday
morning, pouring the food in upon the
farms already named as being affected
by the Bolivar breaks. Mound Land
ing and the extensive country which
backs it up was safe Tuesday evening,
but the danger was imminent. On
account Of the breaks above, the strain
on the levee in front was decreased,
but the pressure on the levee
which rims along Williams havou
to one side of it, was greatly
increased, and the people were work
ing night and day to save it. Sack
after sack of earth was piled on top Of
it, until the layers were four thick,
with the water gradually rising. Those
living behind the levee were hopeful,
and worked with a reader will than
at any other point noticed.
Arkansaw City is a new Venice.
The flood covers the floor Of every
store and dwelling in the city to Q
depth Of from six inches to four feet.
with one solitary exception-that Of q
widow lady, whose house is built nine
feet from the ground. The water in
the hotel is twenty inches deep, and
the guests are Aoated into the mair
hall in a dugout. The floor Of the
new oil mills is about a foot out o.
the water. All the prisoners in the
Jail have been removed to Monticello
until the water goes down. Trains
can approach no nearer than Tripp'i
Station, nine miles away, and passen
gers havo to be transferred By boat
Several attempts made to run a trair
through the water were unsuccessful
The FIRST engine that tried it came t
a dead stand in the midst of the over
flow on account Of her fires bein,
quenched by the water, aud another
engine sent to pull her back mad,
bali a dozen Intellectual attempts be
fore successful, having to return fire.
quently to fire up again. There are sew
eral hundred packages offreightin tn,
elevator awaiting transportation, ant
the telegraph wire is down. All tn
business OF the town is done by skih
and oanoaS The whole countrv !,