The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-03-10

FAMILIES DRIVEN PROM THEIR HOMES WAITING
FOR STARVATION AND DEATH

4MHtfN f.-su. - ItAlTt~s
who was sent down 10 Desha county by
Governor Churchill to aid in distributing
the Government supplies TO persons rem
dercd destitute by the overflow, returned
yesterday. In m interview with reporter
he said that along the river front II Desha
county, ten miles in length, the restitution
Il beyond description. The water has
reached an unprecedented height. Scarcely
farmhouse or residence on the bottom
has escaped inundation. The people have
been compelled 10 build false floors In their
houses or 10 seek safety on higher lands,
where, In rudcly- camps Of
brush, boughs, and cane they sit
and wait for starvation and death. IL IL
appalling, and without Government aid,
literally and quickly bestowed, there IL no
telling where IL win end. Many persons
have been feeding on carcasses Of drowned
cattle. Personal Investigation AZ well ~
assurances Of respectable gentlemen con-
yinccd Mr.. Harris that not less than 600
families, averaging six persons 10 each, IN
Dcsha county alone, are dependent upon
the charity OF the Government. He be-
licvcd 10 10 bc no exaggerntion TO place the
gross number, old and young, nj $500. In
dications point TO long continuance ~ the
0NflUUNs tlf luV~i iRi''t Ntf'b'r
10 hope for It's subsistence before Nay.
GOVERNOR CHURCHILL DRAWS GLOOMY PIC
TrRR.
CHICAGO, March "a special dispatch
from Little Rock, Ark, says: Governor
Churchill was found this morning IN his
private Office examining letters which had
been received from sufferers by the recent
floods, and debating dispatches in response
10 kilograms for immediate aid. 1.-THE cN-
tent Of the disaster can hardly be mea-
surcd.r he said. In answer 10 an inquiry,
"nnd feel greatly depressed over the sift-
alton. | received this morning number
oi letters from prominent persons In the
oycrilowed districts in Arkansas, who draw
gloomy and graphic picture Of the death
and suffering around them. am daily in
receipt ~ numerous kilograms appealing
for aid. The situation Is appalling. Asi-
Icy county reports 1000 persons on the
verge Of starvation, and ChicOt and
Desha have each ~ many IL not more.
Cross, Crittenden Miss, lee, ~. Francis.
Monroe. and Phillips counties have thou-
sands OF sufferers In destitute circum-
stances. should Judge that there are
nearly. II not fully, $4,000 persons needing
aid i'm the State to-day. They are tenants
and farmers Of small means, who have lost
their all by the overflow. Houses, farm
ing implements. stock, everything has
been swallowed up In The flood. To them
the outlook {. gloomy, for no matter how
industrious they may be-, they cannot get
employment, and have 10 be- fed at
public expense for time at least. !
fear that many will die Of actual
starvation. Relief boards are busy diatri-
buting rniIous at all available points
throughout the overlooked districts. The
work il going on ~ rapidly ~ could be eN-
pectcd, hut the trouble Il that there are so
many needy that Il will he almost impossi-
bic to supply their wants In time 10 prevent
suffering. II not actual starvation. Judge
Mangum. whom appointed commissioner
If the relief fund, IL working zcalously.
lie has appointed sub-agcnts for NIL the
counties and Il conducting his work eili-
GENTLY. 4 considerable quantity Of IA
lions have been distributed. hardly
think the amount voted viii be sufficient.
Congressman Ross Is u the opinion that
nm equally large quantity VIII he needed.
IL will he many weeks before the sufferers
will be able 10 help themselves, aud the
threatening aspect Of the weather indicates
that the worst has not yet come. II may
be- that the generous people OF the whole
country will be appealed TO Tor AID. No
one without experience Of such disasters
can form any correct conception on The
present trouble
ARKANSAS SET BACK TEN YEARS.
General u. McRac, Assistant Secretary
OF state, said to-day that the overflow had
set Arkansas back ten years. II would De
impossible. he thought, to raise crops ON
the oyertlowcd lands this year. other than
cotton, and that could not be done unless
the waters subsidized shortly and allowed
the ground to dry out somewhat IN time lol
spring planting. Experience demonstrate
that cOru will not grow on land immediate
/ w succeeding an overflow, and thus thou'
sands Of acres will be- rendered wholly
worthless unless the water reccdcS lnd
giyes the planters IN opportunity 10 plant
| the lands in cotton.
/ General Mcllac also said that the effect
of the overflow would be 10 drive hun
drcds Of people from the state; That th'
/ colorcd people In the overlooked district
were already beginning 10 migrate to Ten
nrssee aud Missouri in large numbers, nnt
I that others would follow whenever lhej
/ could get boats 10 take them away.
THE CUMBERLAND RIVER RISING AdAiN.
CfXcrNNArI, March "a special dispaicl
10 the Iimes-Siar from Nashville says ih'
/ Cumberland river ro4c five feet lasl might
and continues rising with alarming rapid
~. and that there Is every prosper %
repetition Of the January floods.
LEyEE GIVES WAY.
NEW ORLEANS, March 81 Gi>paicl
from Alexandria, la, says the leYec gaN
way this morning at Z O'Clock.