The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1882-03-31
VOL. XIII.-NEw SERIES.
FAMINE FOLLOWS THE FLOOD.


of tho cnormity of the disasters by the flood
in the Mississippi Valley may be formed by
comparison. That is the only way know
to give anything like an idea of it to Eastern
readers Teuncssec's 5 losses which con
sidered trifing, are hardly ever spoken ofat
all in the ccaselcss conversation about the
floods that goes on everywhere In pre-
sence of the distress in other States Ten.
nesscc makes no complaint, yet there have
been no less than 2537 persons in Ten.
ncssec supplied with ratinus, they having
bcedn rown,d out of their homes. utterly lu-
ined, and reduced to the very e.lxe of starva-
o'"-. Nm women aud children aM were
brought toa condition OF absolute hunger,
with no food within their reach, and nothing
to buy it with if there were any thing to buy,
The real shores of Tennessee are mostly bluffs
,,sthat rise. above exon ahepresens height
5A6f tho ffver!s But below zfhcse 'biutf5 ifi
phces lie strips of rich bottom land, ordina-
riy dry ground. These strips are from one
to eight miles wide and extend sometimes
from ten to twenty miles up and down the
river. On these lived agricultural labor>
crcs who, under the system of farming in
vogue almost throughout the South, raised
their cotton on shares with the owners or
lessecs Of the land-that is, the planters
supplied them with tools, live stock aud food ,
and chargcdit it to them. Their crop IS raised
and the laborer's account for goods supplied
is deducted from his half of the proceeds
1t is argued by many that the planters shculd
supply, them in this emergency but they arc
afraid To do SO, as there Is the smallest pnSsl.
ble chance in most eases of their getting any
return. The ncgro-and more than ninety
five per cent, of the Tennessee sufferers are
negroes will not stay to work out hope
less debt; but If he Can succeed in getting
away behind in his account, rs he is always
trying to do. he invariably leaves the plan
ter in the lurch.
The government Instructions were that
ratons should b. given to sufferers anywhere
they might be found, regardless of districts.
This work OF distribution was finished yes
trrday. aud the accounts have uSt been
made up as above The only surplus re-.
naming in the committees hands is that
designed for the Ilalc's Point unInrtunatcs.
This unless some means are soon found I"
convey it to them. will probably bc given t"
others equally needy. The ratiuns issued
are sliccnt to keep all the sufferers VIII" have
been reported here. with the exception of
those, 200 alive for ten days To come or IN.
til say March %. The most Sanguinc pr"-
pie here. however, do not expect the water
to clear of a. soon rs that, aud further issue
Of rations will probably be necessary.
POSSIBILITIES FOR PLANTING
If another ten days can be- tide over and
the water subsidies in time to plant 10y the
middle of April there is chance that all
will 90 well after that. Some fix the plant
ing time later, saying that if the seed can hc
sown by the middle "f May there will be
good crop, unless frost comes to" early
Others say it must hc ,own by the middle of
April. The prosperity of the "vcrtiowrd
country for the next year, however, hangs.
rs nearly rs can judge by tAc talk at
merchants and planters. "n three c"ntin
gcncrs.
First it depends upon whether the plan
ters can get labor. or wchthcr the negroes
cmgratc second, on i lnte fall u give the
crops time to mature after late planting
third, on whether there is June rise.
The Mississippi River. as is we'll known,
commonly runs high in June. II it does :"
this year, with the lrvccs all broken, crops
which may be planted by that time must
certainly be destroyed.
HORRORS OF THE SITUATION.
From the flooded districts of Arkansas
impending death from famine. Beasts are
reported as growing furious with hunger.
In places hogs are said to have killed and
eaten each 0tncr wolves. too, are abroad in
nc country. and in one or two instances, it
bored, they have grown bold enough to
men. This may be an cxaggcration.
po cxag"cration, however. to say that
pdS living now whithout food and un
escape from their dcSolatcd homes
itinS anxiouSly the he p which people
anxious to send them as soon as it
possible Boats though they can
the country to many places, cannot
Gwhcrc.
"a it isn't war it's pcstilcncr; when
cstilcncc its food after the food
nine reckon the people East
ircd hearing that we i'll this God
,Dnntry need aid said a mrrch,nt
rlnr of the Tennessee Club last
the s'rdrn spot Of the world,
cr zcalouSly."
nuyh : sud the first But it is "A
of plaques"
que resembling those of Egypt il
pf gnats. a Northcrncr knows
he buifllo "nat. II is a large
ones in swnrmS and kills the
GTI Ats bites Two things are resort
them The animals may be IN.
-oUtk guat oil. which is expensive
Y be- raised hy setting fire tn old
N " CATTLE seen. this smoke f,r six or
s,.,, a,"qn and cluster around to avoid the
pc. 80, year buffalo gnrts are about in
grca,c, .;..,bcrs aud earlier than usual, and