The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-06-23

ground would in a few hours have wa
ter in them. The cause of this rapid
rise was attributed to the fact that
many of the bridges which had been
lifted from their places had fioated
against and almost entirely choked up
the culvert under the railroad bed of
the Morgan road. A party of young
men worked some time in removing
these bridges, and when they were re-
moved, the water having more outlet,
the decline in tho rise was very soon
noticed.
About eleven o'clock on Wednesday
morning the culvert, recently placed
through the levee just above the mouth
of Bayou Rapides, gave way,-a break
of five or six feet being washed out on
each side, which was a help and relief
to the people in the suburbs, as ra-
pid decrease in the water in Town was
at once noticeable. Right here we
enter our protest that this culvert is
too small-only between four and FIVE
feet in width. 10 properly drain that
portion of Town which is so often sub
ject t, inundation from the heavy rains
of winter, culvert at least ten or
twelve feet in width should be placed
where the present inefficient one is To-
Gated Like the colored troops who
fought nobly when this cruel war was
over" the culvert did "noble work.
after it broke.
The damage is, of course, incalcula-
bic, more particularly as regards the
crops. In the Town and country,
where fences will need repairing and
bridges will have to be replaced and
rebuilt, no correct estimate can be had
Of the loss to our people. In Alexan-
dria every foot and wagon bridge, with
few exceptions, were washed up and
carried away, as was also the entire
cite road" on Lee street, which road
had been but recently put in
thorough repair by the present author
tiles of the Town. The rebuilding of
this road and the replacing of the
washed-up bridges will entail great
expense on the Town.
All mail facilities were closed, none
being received here from Tuesday un-
til Monday morning, the trains were
prevented from coming and going, the
telegraph wires were down most of the
time, and in short we were cut off du-
ring this period from the outside world.
Bridges were washed away on the rail
road crossings, aud whole sections of
railroad track and ties misplaced, and
drawn great distances away.
The railroad bridge across Bayou
Rapides was damaged to the extent Of
$4,000, and other serious losses near
Lecomte and Lamourie are also re-
ported.
As to the crops the better informed
are of the opinion that the corn is a
serious if not total loss cotton in
the highlands was not hurt so much as
that in the lowlands, where the water
stood for few days afterward, and
will, very probably, pan out a half
crop; cane, naturally a water plant,
was not hurt at all.
Those who resided here during the
overflow of 1867, do not agree in their
opinions as to whether the water last
week was higher than on the above
occasion-some assert it was four inches
lower than in that year, while others
declare it was as many inches higher.
We are inclined to the belief, if our
memory serves US rightly, that the lat
ter are correct. 1t will be remember
ed that during that year the water
breaking above Town came from the
back to the front Of the Town.
We are safe when we say that not a
plantation or farm in the Parish es-
capped injury, for they were all partly
if not wholly overaowed.
The water commenced to run off as
soon as the rain stopped; the river
commenced falling about one hour af-
ter the rain ceased. Thursday morn
ing found most of the streets dry, the
water having run off during the night
by way of the Young ditch or canal,
and the culvert on Bayou Rapides,
near Kerrigan's. Then the river was
falling-all fears dispelled-and a nat
ural state of mind took possession Of
all. All danger was Ger, and we