The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1885-05-02
A ttxAs otLuaf

iisseg naiaa swen ths streams W Tef.
ffafs, whffh t#HsH std HstHe w aaH
AfsaHd uaiHstuie iialidiHas washed
AWsf, win fhsif inmHtss sHd utnf
iisss issi fhs feftiaHs woft N sefaf.
ias The sHHsssfs FARTHER rissstsf ~.
rseted.
Onstsvilif, Tft, Apfl 9l 4 most
disastrous food has prevailed In ihls city
All day About three O'Clock yesterday
morning The citizens were awakened by
loud cries ior help, tho shr.li sound ~
lhe alarm whistle and tho sound oi rush
lnq waters, The rain had been falling w
torrents all night, and Pecan Creek,
which runs through tho eastern portion It
The town, had risen 10 an alarming oS
tonL Many families living IN that vicinity
were awakened to nnd themselves sur.
rounded by water and many houses were
oVerthfown aud washed down the stream
Help was promptly on hand. Ropes
were thrown out, aud every possible
means used TO assist the sufferers, but
the Intense darkness retarded the labor.
ors. Many persons had taken refuge IN
trees when they found that II was lmpOs.
sible 70 wade through the torrents, and
the air was tllled with the shrirks Of
women and children. In several instances
mothers, with thclL babes In their arms,
remained clngng to limbs for hours, un.
III they were rescued, more dead than
alive, when day broke the banks for
great distance were strcwn with debris
OF every description. While this was
golng,pn the scene on Elm Creek, west
Of tho city, was equally horrible.
This mOrnlag word was brought
that several families had been caught by
the water, were lodged In trees and
would be drowned, unless assistance
was rendered Several responded to the
call, and when they reached the scene
the spectacle was truly appalling. Men,
women and children were discovered,
some swimming and some clinging 10
trees. Several RATS and boats were pro-
cured and launched but were broken TO
pieces or sunk by the force Of the cur
rent. In one Instance negro sue.
ceedcd In getting woman aud
her two children Into boat,
when II upset aud the fran
tic mother saw her children sink ~
rise no more. Several new boats were
constructed, aud after five or six hours
labor they succeeded In rosculng the ma.
j0rity OF the sufferers. II IL impossible
TO estimate the damage which Is done TO
property. II is rumored that many fam.
illcs above and below here are In great
distress aud that many lives are lost.
Rosculng parties loft here, but have
not returned. A telephone mes.
sage has been received from
st. Joe, above here, which
stated that the force Of the food had not
reached there, aud repetition OF to.day's
horrors Is feared there tonight. Old
residents say that this Is The most dlsas.
trous food that has ever visited this por-
tion OF the State, and the water was two
feet higher than II was twenty seven
years ago, when there was great loss Of
life aud property. All the bridges In the
city were washed away and those In the
eastern portion are entirely cut
OF from the business part. The
railroad bridges In the corporate
limits were considerably damaged, and
had 10 be repaired before the train left
this morning. No mail was received here
to-day. The rain has continued during
the entire day, but up TO the present
I time the water has risen yesy-.ttA1s. The
scene Is the most heartrcndIng aud dis
trcsslng ever witnessed In this city, and
the waters carry death and destruction In
their rcslstlcss currents.