The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-03-04
. MONROE, LOUISIANA, SATURDAY.. MARCH 4, 1882. -

[ONROE, LOUISIANA, S
gradually rose to this office, where it
measured Is inches above water, and
measured %! inches. At the railroad
there was IS! inches of bank in front
of Gersen's store, 10 inches.
The overflow now covered Washing
ton street and lots on it, to within three
squares of the river; DeSiard street to
Hail street, and on the lower limit
of Harris Addition was up to Sixth
street. At Bry's mill, the river water
(levied out) was above the bank. At
Mrs, Carson's, above town, and Mr..
I4ayton's, below, the front gates could
not be opened with dry feet. The
whole of the depot was under water,
and the Cemetery submerged about
three feet. The river, confined by the
bank and levees, stood at FIVE feet
above the overflow, and at over fifty
two feet above low water, allowing ten
feet for low water. The river road was
swimming ut Layton's lower corner,
and above near Gerspach's mill. Boats
came and went from O'Keiiey's store,
in rear, along the Bastrop road, to Mrs.
Richardson's residence on the DeSiard,
or landed ut the Mcclure place, Mt the
front gate. On Bristle Ridge only q
few little knolls were out, and the peo
pie living there had all left. Stock were
standing knee-deep in water on the
highest ground, and feeding on the
bushes and branches of trees. Pargoud's
yard was two feet under water, and in
his quarter, in front of which the river
broke the levee, the water was four
n >fH III, ~
! washed down, the negroes going to the
gin-house. Down the Catalpa lane,
between his fields, tho current ran too
swift for boat, and was nearly swim
ming to a horse.
Below Pargoud's we have no intelli-
gence OF tho water. but know the dam
age done by the flood has been as great
AS that done here. On BOeuf river, in
which direction the waste waters here
have gone, the overflow must be disas-
| trous beyond all comparison, as that
section of country was filled with stock ,
nearly all of which has doubtless been
drowned.
81 rHF: SCENE IN MoNRoE.
At Bry's mill nearly fifty boats were
built for tho overflow and. others were
made all oyer town. The sea beyond
/ AAf0 oAAllso ~ 40 NOLAN-A4 "4AAA VANS VI
all kinds, filled with people going in
every direction-somc fleeing from
home, with the boat carrying their
poultry, their bedding, cats, dogs, pots,
&C.; others going out to see the waste
and ruin, Or with gun, in hand to Kill
the deer gathered on the dry places
All conversation tended to one topic
and that topic was water-hOw much
it had risen, who was under, how i
looked, what this or that one had saved
etc, etc.
The stock had gathered at first fa1
back. As the water came in, SO die
the stock. Cows without calves, anC
calves without mothers, filled one.
ears with lowing and bleating,. anC
bells of every tone jinglcd in strange
discord all over town. On one vacant
square we counted fifty head OF stock
/ Eurous horse would burst through ar
? tenclosure-the open places being grazeC
down even with the grountl-or clinl
the courthouse steps and help himself
q Horses ran at will, their owners indif
ferent to their fate. Mr.. Rob't Endom
on Bristle Ridge, got his mules out
but three swan back. These he PLACED
; two in the crib and one in his fam
silly room.
The sound of firearms of people WIN
were hunting in the fields just belov
town., was at times like skirmish fire
Frogs came to town that never saw tn
, lights of the city, and croaked in choru
, to the music of the piano above thei
heads. And the people, listless an'
powerless, stood OH the, corners, o
: gathered at the water's edge, wher
: Fsome would linger for hours togethe
2 and watch the water, or discuss tn
e incidents arising out of the overflow.
Business came almost to stand-stil
3 8 Half the town trying to make out tina
! they had business, was only watchin
the other half do nothing. The onl
l sound of the hammer was hamme
+ driving nails into a boat. There wcr
: no laborers ut work, carpenters turne
boat-builders, brick masons lost thei
$ brick yards, and all the industries, i
short, came to Il halt.
r Wood, so plentiful in dry weather
F.. suddenly assumed n value unltnow
u before, and even the cook was ready
;. for once, to make one stick answer ff
II two.
These are only minor matters, ma
u rated to impress upon the reader, b
;. familiar THINGS. tho real character