The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-03
THE FLOODS In THE SOUTH.
Loss of Life and Damage to Property in
Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.
A Whole Ward of Chattanooga Under Water
and 5000 People HomelesS-The Losses
Promise to Reach Into the Millions.

MONTGOMERY, Ala, April "A special to the
Advertiser states that the Warrior, Coosa and
Tallapoosa rivers are falling. Thousands OF
horses, mules, cattle and hogs have been swept
away. Corn, cotton-seed and provisions in
reach of The flood were destroyed, and planters
in the overlooked region have difficulty in start
ing. The relief boat brought large number of
people who had been in peril and without food
for two or three days. On farm employing
State convicts, the water flooded the quarters
The President of the Board of Inspectors made
his way with boats to the imperiled place and
the convicts got off in safety. So far the re-
ports of drowning in various portions of the
State foot up nine persons, all colored but one
Four of these were women and three children in
cabin the Cahiba river, the building float
ing off with them. Railroad communication is
intact to New Orleans, via Mobile, and with
New York and the East via Macon. There is
no communication south by the Louisville &
Nashville, or to Atlanta and Selma by the West
eTn railroads. The officers hope to work
through by making transfers to day or to-mor
row. The water is two feet deep at the Union
Depot and from there to the Alabama river
bridge of the South g. North road is an almost
continuous sheet of water Trains from Mobile
and Macon arrive and depart at points half
mile or more from the depot.
A special from Opelika says that johnson
Bridges engineer Of the construction train
which went down on the Tallapoosa river, died
after his leg was amputated. Six hands on the
same train had already died or been drowned.
Selma has no connection with the outside
| world by rail The food throughout the State
| is unprecedented, reaching here six feet above
| the highest mark ever known. The ice factory
water-works, soap works, and gas works, cleo
! tric-light works. fertilizer works, iron foun
dries. oil-mills. railroad shops and freight de-
4 n n 10 r. vail orr
| yards and brickyards, all have several feet of
| water In them In most of them the damage
| will be confined to machinery. The only illumi-
nation In the city is by candles and oils. Viewed
! from the dome of the Capitol, the highest point
| in the city, is lake of water to the north and
| west fully ten miles square.
| Specials to the Advertiser from Rome Ga,
place the loss there at 81, 100000. At Selma the
| gas-works are submerged and the city is in dark
| ness. A steamboat reached there to-day with
| $50 rescued negroes. Nine negroes were
| drowned on one plantation. The Warrior river
| falls slowly, and great damage is reported all
| along its banks, especially in horses and mules
and corn. Distress is reported from all the
overfowed sections. The loss of life and prop
| erty cannot yet be conjectured. Actual meas
nrement makes the food five feet and nine
| inches higher than any record of the Alabama
| river.
| CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, April "A colored
man was drowned at 10 A. NJ Both gas-works
are inundated, and there will be gas to night.
The water-works are also under water. The
| supply in the reservoirs will be exhausted in
| twenty four hours. Tho river is fifty-one feet
| and rising. The water at A. NJ. reached Mar
ket and Eighth streets Business is entirely
| suspended. Relief committees have been organ
lied and homes and goods supplied to all the
needy The damage to the railroads is great; no
trains running, and none are expected to
move before Sunday. The Geographic commu-
ncation is cut off in many direction. The rivers
above are slowly falling
There is no improvement in the condition of
affairs here tonight The flooded territory has
| been largely increased to-day, and at P. NJ the
| river stood at fifty-two feet and is rising an
inch an hour The river has been falling all
| day at Loudon. DAYTON and Charleston. and it is
| expected to reach its maximum at this point be-
| fore morning No gas and no electric lights, no
water In the reservoirs and the river still rising,
| is the situation to night. 1t is estimated that
| 5000 people are homeless in this city, though
| they all have comfortable temporary quarters
| and relief committees supplying the me-
| cessities of ife The Fifth ward is completely
| under water and hundreds of craft of every de-
scription passing to and fro from Market
street railroad crossing to Lookout mountain and
| Missionary Ridge. The water now stands foot
| deep in the union passenger depot, and has en-
| tered the lower floors of the Read House and
| houses on Market street. The express com
| panies have moved to higher quarters and at
| this writing the water lacks eleven inches of en
tering the Times counting groom, which is about
the average height of all the stores on Market
street A colored man and a white child were
| drowned to-day. The city is policed tonight by
| the military All the railroads the Chatta-
nooga side of the river under water, in some
places ten feet. Heavy washouts have occurred
| on the Cincinnati Southern and Western q At
| lantic roads.