St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-03-18

is under water and many houses have been
abandoned. In one instance a house was car.
Gied off by the food.
COOKING ON THE ROOFS.
MEMPHIS, March 1O-TO-day is bright and
clear. A cool breeze is blowing from the north,
and CLEAN OF sunshine is found straying from
the dark riffs OF clouds in the fact that the
river at this point has again commenced re-
ceding. Reports from above, however, are not
so reassnrlng. the 1reshet now pouring out of
and any material attachments OF the floods
throughout the Mississippi valley cannot be
looked for earlier than month hence. 1t
must be remembered that the entire country
between Cairo and Vicksburg is submerged
In many places the water extends back into
the interior for thirty miles from either bank
and when the river begins declining all this
water will naturally run back into the river
again, and thus the decline for several weeks
at least, will be very SLOW In the meantime
the distress and suffering of those who have
lost everything by the overflow must increase.
As an example OF how thousands below here
are subsisting, the following instances are
cited: Capt. j. Ferd Rogers, one of the largest
planters in Walnut Bend, has water from two
to six feet deep all over his farm. His resi-
Aence, which is known as White Hall being one
OF the handsomest in the country has water
IL inches over the first floor. His family were
brought here, but his hands, to the number of
20, remain on the place. They all i've in the
stable lofts, and do their cooking Oh the roofs
OF their cabins.
The Clayton place, Walnut bend, owned by
W. A. Gage has about 100 negroes on it, They
TOO are living in Clubhouse and in the upper
sldered above overflow for 80 years, and when
the back water from the st. Francis river be-
gan flooded the adjacent farms, planters
this farm, but the present overflow has wiped
out all the marks OF previous years. and the
water is now two feet deep over the highest
country around were brought to Memphis to
keep them from drowning. On Jacob ThOlnp-
sons pl.ce, between Glendale and Delta, there
are $50 negroes living on the roofs OF their
cabins and clubhouse and stable lofts. What is
true of these Is also true OF every farm be-
tween Memphis and Greenville, Miss.
The country between here and Madison, on
the st. Francis river, is covered with water to
the depth of 10 feet, and the inhabitants are
living in the second stories of their dwellings,
Hundreds of negroes are on the high ridges,
to reach them with provisions. They subsist
on the dead carcasses of cows that float in the
current, and many have died Of exposure.
Cattle can be seen on little mounds that We're
built by the Indians, where they are standing
in water two feet deep and hourly dying OF
The extent of the great distress that now
life that the waters have caused. Each day
adds to the story OF suffering, and the end is
not yet.
LABOR DEMORALIsED BY RATIoNs.
HELENA, March 1o-Within the past twenty
four hours the river has fallen one and a quar-
ter inches, and the overflow has risen eight
inches-the latter caused by the tDcreased
volume of water incident to the new breaks
below. There is no doubt but that the levee in
Of the town % ned s extra efforts are
raj days ago. The work is in charge of Alder
man Fritzon, who is one the best earth-work- |
ers in the country. The town presents a
gloomy appearance and worse is looked for. |
Many people who retired last night with the |
overflow six inches below their first floors are
flying now from the Hood. which has taken of. |
and in some cases destroyed, much personal |
Skiffs and flats may be seen all day |
long engaged in removing the sufferers to the |
hills in rear OF town. where a place of refuge |
ground have dozen families quartered in |
them, the members of which are accustomed |
to every luxury.
The headquarters Of the supply committee
for the distribution of their rations voted by |
Congress are literally beSieged, and In many
pases by Migrants about town, who are not en-
in at the start, I am sure they viii be left in
the cold hereafter. Some OF our citizens are
too free in their endorsement Of prayers for
aid to the relief commissioners, and several
are not only not in want, but have refused |
work at reasonable wages. The commission
ers only I'LL orders in future when they know
themselves that the applicants are meritoriOus,
or when the application is Endorsed by some
person Of the locality. Already
The cry has gone out that no one need work,
ZOE LIE xOFHTuLutut uhhS l6ouGl IOf the
,oIOred people, and even servants. have quit
heir places ON this account. declaring there
was no necessity of working.
NEWS FROM THE INTERIOR.
MEMpTIIs. March l0.-Passengers from below
,eport break in the levee one and a half
niles above Friarf Point, Miss. The break Oc-
,urred yesterday. and although Friar's Point
will be overlooked from the break, yet, OCCUR
ing where it did, the town will not suffer byt
he river washing through, as at Austin.
News from the interior continues of the
most distressing character. and much suffering
yists that cannot be made known for many
las yet. OF the sufferers in Big Creek bot
ON, who were brought to trenton Tuesday out
f the overflow. were two women who had
zen confined one upon a raft and the other
o Il Clubhouse. after they had been driven
rom their homes by the food, without the
lightest comfort known to the civilized world, {
be Wiud cutting mercilessly around them.
he mothers were hardly lalf-clad, and had |
% garments at all for the little ones; no fire,
o food to be had under any circumstances 1 t
ne swift current of the overflow rushing, and {
nxious eyes looking for rescue from all direc- \
ons in general and none in particular. the | i
ater in the meantime rising rapidly, adding 8
! fespair which had a ready well uigh Gull Il
The scene was one that pen could n
;ribe faithfully. Ii