Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-15


81. LOUIS, March I4-General Beckwith.
of the commissary department, who has
charge Of the distribution of government
rations from this city to the flooded Districts
on the lower Mississippi river, has received
the following dispatch from Captain J. S.
Lands, dated Memphis:
Gust arrived here. Found Pemiscot coun-
ty, Mo-, in distressing condition, being
almost entirely submerged and about 1900
people entirely destitute. Supplies sent
to Gayoso are being carefully distributed
and will last until about March 25th More
should be sent there, for the people will be
in just as bad . condition when the water
goes down. The government, to prevent
starvation, should care for them at least until
May LIST. About fifty people are destitute at
Hathaway, Tenn, $50 at Tiptonville, 200 at
Hales Point, Tenn, $50 at Bayfield, Poin,,
and 1900 in the vicinity of Uscecla, Ark
all destitute aud badly in want. At OseeoIa
some stores have been received, but not suffi-
cfent.S
General Beckwith has received the follow
ing from Captain Lee, dated Memphis:
81 returned here Saturday night. My dis
patch of the 9th instant falls short of the fear
full restitution and magnitude of the overflow
II an additional appropriation is made $780,
600 rations OF meal and meat should be sent
here as soon as possible, in large install
ments, for the State of Mississippi. This
in addition to any rations that may not yet
be sent from the first appropriation. The
restitution is general and increasing :
there are 5000 destitute in Bolivar county
alone. Ny estimate will carry the sufferers
through to the 10th of April, and possibly
the Good may subside by that time so the
sufferers can begin work"
Captain Lee has been directed by General
Beckwith to take charge of the little steamer
A"ita. which left here yesterday, and pro-
coed at once on the mission designated for
her, to-wit: The picking up of parties of
destitute people in the flooded districts and
taking them to dry land and shelter, where
they can be fed in comfort and health.
General Beckwith has sent instructions to
have the government steamer General Bar
nard, the toWboat Coal Cliff, and barges now
being employed by the engineer corps at
Keokuk, Ia, sent here at once. These vessels
will be loaded Immediately on their arrival
with government rations and sent down the
river to distribute supplies to the food suf-
ferers. Secretary Lincoln telegraphs General
Beckwith that il he has not boats enough at
his command more will be provided. The
secretary has also ordered the largest steamer
at Little Rock to proceed at once to Memphis
and report to Captain Land. Captain Lee
will take the little steamer Anita, on her ar
rival at Memphis, and go up the Yazoo and
Sunfower rivers to distributs supplies and
render what assistance he can TO- those in
need. Ten thousand rations have been sent
to Columbus, KY, and the same amount will
be sent to Shavneetown, Ill, tomorrow
John Cain, livestock dealer of this city,
just returned from down the river, says be
was informed that when the levee at River
ton broke, a barge, upon which some sixty |
persons had taken refuge, was swept through |
the crevasse by the raging current, and up |
to the time he passed that point there had |
been no tidings of it. The belief was that |
if the barge escaped destruction the |
people upon it were starving, but |
the greater fear was that the barge |
had been dashed against the trees in |
The swamp, broken to pieces and those upon
it drowned. There some doubts about |
here. No such occurrence has been previously
reported, and it is thought that had 80 many
people been lost in the manner stated the fact
would have been sent out either from River
ON or some adjacent point.
Dispatches from the Globe Democrats river
dated New Madrid, received to-
hight, contains nothing of Importance. They
note the same desolation, destruction and
suffering as mentioned in previous dis
patches, however, and say that nearly
has been SWEPT away not
,nly along the river banks, but for
niles inland. Jim Bayou, a small
rillage in Mississippi county, Mo, is under
vater, and the inhabitants are suffering for
God. There is little to eat nearer than New
Madrid, where government rations have
'een sent, but they can only be obtained
y going for them thirty miles in dug
uts New Madrid is also nearly submerged,
ut the people there are getting along fairly
Eell. About 500 persons are being fed there.
Vim. Dawson, representative OF the county
n the legislature, is State commissioner
here, and he says he has received Is, 900 ra-
ions, which are being distributed to the
Ieedy. Three thousand rations have been sent
o Gayoso, in Pemiscot county, and more will
e forwarded as they are received from ST.
ersons in New Madrid county and 1900 IN
'emiscot will require aid. They not
My require it now, but they will have to be
ed until they can raise something to eat
)unklin county is also suffering severely,
nd food will have to be sent there to keep
ne people from starving.
Secretary Lincoln telegrapted General
K ckwith suggesting that two or more officers
ow at Memphis be sent to Louisiana at
nee, and directing that they visit all the
laces along the river, from Pitchers Point
, the mouth of Red river, thence up that :
ream and the Black river and along
he line of the Trinity, and make a
borough examination of affairs and report | '
him. Another officer is to go from Delta, |
ear Vicksburg, to Monroe and other places '
llssd, on a like mission, and obtain all the :
lformation possible. The secretary says
lat if more officers are required for the {
ork he will detail them on receiving advices
that effect.