Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-13
RIVERS RECEDING.
A MOAE HOPEFUL VIEW OF THE
OUTLOOK.
Claim that the Overflow May BE
After All a Benef1t - Increased
Crops Probable - Starving Cattle
Slaughtered and SOId-The Cum
berIand Still High.


berland Still High.
New ORLEANS, March 1.-THE Vicks-
burg Herald says: ''The situation OF the
people of the valley is bad enough without
having it exaggerated. The great seusa-
tions that have been printed and pictured
of the situation have, in our opinion, done
great harm. Where crevasses have occurred
the land, or the greater portion of 1t, is for
the time being lost. There are very many
persons of the valley uninjured as
vet. We have no doubt fair
crops will be raised in almost all portions of
the valley. While the people in many
places are Inconvenience and losing some
dreadful plight as has been described, as
there are two months before cotton time is
past, and the water is almost sure to sub
side in time to raise 'crops."
LITTLE Rock, ARK March 1.-The
water is reported falling in the overtlowed
districts, but the stories of suffering con-
tinue to come in and the number of desti-
tute are constantly increasing.
MARKsVLLE, La, March 1.-THE Re
that carry so much dread with them? Do
they not enrich the land, and are not
heavier crops madeupon them? We incline
to the opinion that in point of fact the in
undations are benefcial.''
MEMPHIS, March 1.-THE river here fell
one inch to-day, and now marks 35 feet 10
inches on the gauge, and two inches below
the highest point reached this season.
Twenty thousand ratious for the Tennessee
ufrvn6 L 80
will be distributed Monday. Captain
j. NJ. Lee, the army officer appointed
by the Secretary of War to ascertain the
condition Of affairs on the Mississippi re-
turned tonight at 10 O'Clock from Arkansas
City on the steamer Dean Adams. In an
interview with the Western Associated Press
reporter Captain Lee said no idea
of the true condition of the country
overfowed can be imagined without
its being seen. From point twenty miles
below Memphis, where the first broken
levee occurred, the entire country is one
vast sea Of water. The people all through
this submerged region are utterly destitute
and in a starving condition, their
stock having been drowned. They
are living in gin houses, stables,
lofts and the upper stories of cabins
Hundreds are subsisting on parched corn.
Many have been temporarily relieved by the
others could not be reached and their suf.
fering is very great. The levee along the
river front is broken In forty different places
between Memphis and Arkansas City
At some points the river is forty
miles wide. Ali published reports
have fallen far short OF giving
an idea of the damage that has been done
or the destitutiOn prevailing. His first esti-
mate made to the Secretary of War that
$360,00O would be required to feed the
eighteen thousand needy In the State of
Mississippi, will, he says, fall short, as the
destitute probably will be double the num-
Der first estimated. Captain Lee will tele-
graph Secretary Lincoln and await further
instructions here.
NEW ORLEANS, March 12-The river re-
mains stationary at ten inches below the
rise of 1874. The only levee news to-day
was the report of the successful closing OF
the break in the Hermitage levee, in st.
Charles parish, near Red Church. The
break was caused by the rice in the fume.
It is now stated that many plantations in
West Baton Rouge parish are protected by
the back levees, which will prevent an over
flow from the POlnte Coupee crevasse.
The weather day was partly cloudy and
warmer. The wind was gustY and varied
from southeast to southwest. Nothing new
was heard from the levees The river
being at 6 a. m. nine inches, at noon eight
inches, and at 6 p. m. six inches below the
high water mark of 1874.
MEMPHIS, TENN, March IA special
from Helena, Ark, says: "The river has
fallen an inch, but the overflow in
the city has risen an inch. A care
full watch is being kept on the levee,
and every effort is being put forth to
make assurance doualy sure. The relief
committee have their hands full and are do
ing good work. Rations for $50 persons
were issued yesterday. These do not in
clude applicants who are supplied by the
Marshal as special commissioner. Many
colored persons are coming In from the lower
districts, and from the outlook now labor will
be scarce on the plantations when the time
for making crops comes. Intelligence
from Clarendon, fifty miles from here,
give a gloomy picture of the sit
uatiOn there. Little or no busi-
ness is being done there, and the water
In some places is six ieet deep in the streets.
The Board of Health announced yesterday
that starving cattle had been killed and sold
In the market, and passed resolutions call
ing on the city authorities to prohibit such
sales as being dangerous to the health OF
the CITY,"
NASHVILLE, TENN, March 12-The river
has risen two inches within the past twenty
four hours, with a mark Of forty-six feet
on the gauge. 1t is believed that the river
will begin to decline tomorrow unless rain
should prevail tonight, The river is falling
fast at the head of navigation, andt is welve
inches lower at Carthage, one hundred and
fifty miles above Nashville.