Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1882-03-22
SOUTHERN FLOODS.

CAPT. j. NJ. Lee OF tho United States army,
who was ordered to Mississippi to report on the
necessities OF the sufferers by overflow, re
turned to Memphis last week. He says the
destitution has not been half stated. Tho isvee
between Memphis and Arkansas City was broken
In forty places, and at some points the Mis-
sssippi was fifty miles wide. His first es, innate
made TO the Secretary Of War, that 360, 900
rations would be required to feed the $4,000
needy in the State Of Mississippi, will he says,
fall short, az the destitute will probabl, be
double tho number first estimated. Capt Leo
will telegraph Secretary Lincoln and await
further instructions here. Capt. Lee
said 10 n reporter mo idea OF the true cond-
ton OF the country overflowed can be imagined
without being seen. From point twenty miles
below Memphis, where the first break IN tho
levee occurred, the entire country is ono vast
sea OF water. The people all through this sub
merged rtgton are utterly destitute sn1 in q
starving condition. Their stock has been
drowned, and they are living In gln-houses and
stables, lofts and the upper stories OF cab
ms Hundreds are subsisting ON parrhed
corn. Many have been temporarily relieved by
the distribution OF Government rations but
others could not be reached, and their suffer-
Ing is very great All published reports have
fallen far short OF giving an idea of the dam
age that has been done or the destitution pre-
vsilng."
John McElyen, OF Desha county, Ark, had a
thrilling adventure and narrow escape. Tho
story OF his escape, narrated in his own words,
is as follows;
al lived near what is known as Cypress bend,
in Desha county. / had o cabin situated on an
elevation which had never been oyeriiowed,
and l thought never would be. Some days
ago the Mississippi began to RISE and stopped
my children from gong TO school, fearing that
they would get drowned in the bayous with
which that country abounds. l had several
head of cattle further down the river, and I
brought them home for q like reason. My
wife got very uneasy, and suggested that we
had better go 10 Arkansas City or to Little Rock,
as she felt in her bones that there would be q
big Hood. i laughed at her fears but IL wasn't
long hefore had hettar have followed her I'd
vice, for in short time the rising water cut of
communication in every direction. One pight
over week ago, we went to bed oppressed with
dread, though still thought the water would
fall. ! had secured q dug-out, and intended to
make an effort to reach Arkansas City with nv
family, unless there was a change by the next
morning. 1t began raining early in tho even
ing, and by the time night set in the rain was
coming down in torrents. think il was about
10 O'Clock when my wife cried out: Jack. the
house il giving awayr And sure enough il
was The cabin slowly went TO pieces, water
pouring in at every crevice, while my wife and
children shreked and cried. Looking out, you
could see nothing but wide expanse Of water,
and knew that we would all be ;:gu,iei in q
short tune, and so l took the bed-cord
Of an old fashioned bedstead and tied some
OF the logs which had fallen in from ore
end of the cabin together, and ON this raft
placed my family, taking only few quilts, and
leaving everything else. With ience-rail,
which had been intended for frewood, |
pushed out through the opening in the house,
and the next moment We foaisd away. I
have been IN good many perlous scrapes,
How we escaped, how we got tangled in the tree
tops, how we were picked up late the next day
not far from Arkansas City, / can hardly tell
1t is enough to know that we all ara saved but
lost everything cattle, horses. farming tools
l escaped, ana expect 10 go irum nvio so's,~
tops. have had an experience of floods that'n
last me lifetime"