The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-22
PLENTY OF WATER YET.
RICE PLANTERS FEARFUL OF
ANOTHER FRESHET.

the south Carolina hlVerS-OnIy OL
Fatality Reported So Far.
Appearances are very deceptive from tn
city looking across the river, even with
glass, at the rice fields on the Carolina side
They have the appearances of being fire,
from water, but the contrary is true as
visit to the fields yesterday Afternoon
proved. A few squares on the hig her GROUND
near the banks are out of water, but there
is not a rice field from the Charleston bridge
10 the sea except Mills and Taylor's, at the
head of Hutchinson's Island, that is not
partially submerged, and the greater part
of them will have water on tEem for week
longer, it is thought.
The freshet dam is broken in three places
and it is believed by planters that last Tues
days rise of 20 feet at Augusta will be equal
TO % feet rise at any other time, as the
country above is full of water, and the
water will not be dissipated in the same
way. The % feet rise is expected here next
Wednesday. 1t was learned yesterday that
Rutledges banks are broken. and this will
let in the water on some of the fields that
are expected to have the waters in the
bitches by Tuesday. II is said that Mr.
Rutledge's banks cannot possibly be repaired
by the time the 26-feet rise reaches here.
THE WATER FALLING.
There is nothing more deceptive than
look at the Carolina fields from the balco-
MES on the Bay. While the rice shows, the
water does not, and to add TO the illusion,
the squares nearer the bank are high and
out of water, hiding the dividing line be-
tween the water and the dry land, or rather
the unsubmerged land, for there is no such
thing as dry land along the river.
The water is gradually receding from the
fields below. and it is thought that the two
Screven plantations will be out of water
this morning, and that by Monday night
at the latest, it viii be off of all the fields as
far up the river as Rutledge's place. Argyle
island and Enslow island are still deep under
water. and are likely to be for the next ten
days or two weeks. All the crops on these
islands are lost except a very small acreage
OF early rice.
There appears to be no hope of planters
escaping the 26-feet rise If there had been
any doubt before, the fact that a break has
occurred in the Beach hill bank has dis
PEELED the doubt; in fact, it is expected that
the 26-feet rise will give bigger river than
the 2S-feet rise as the waters will not cross
the country to the Ogeechee and New rivers
as they did earlier in the week.
ALONG BACK RIVER
A trip along Back river from the cut off
to the foot of Hutchinson Island and back
was made yesterday by a MORNING NEWS
The planters were not doing any
thing in the rice fields. There is nothing
they can do for the present, except to visit
their fields and note the progress of the wa
ters fall, and to speculate upon the possible
damage, which cannot be estimated, as the
losses are not uniform. All who stacked
their rice find il heating badly, and the rice
Z baV craf from ha ST .lyq Ia
tion of it will be what is known as NOW
burn rice" that will not command very
good prices. In some of the fields the
shocked rice is ruined, for it h0ated and
turned over, and being thoroughly saturated
is sprouting badly. Some of the rice thus
damaged was examined, and sprouts
half as long as ones finger have grown out.
This will be good feed for the rice birds
and ducks, if they come early. The young
rice which was not wholly submerged, in
some instances will come out and MAKE a
fair yield. This is where the water will not
remain on the plant but few days, but the
rice fields farther up the river will not fare
so well.
THE UP RIVER PLANTERS.
In fact, as one goes up the river the dam
age is found to increase until in the extreme
upriver plantations the loss is total. 1t is
said that 100 acres of the $50 on Lynah's
place was threshed. Mr.. King has saved So
acres, and hopes to save 20 acres more, out
of an acreage of 260 acres. HIS renters
lose 100 acres on Argyle island, for
which crop Nj. King furnished
the seed rice Il Is thought
that Mr.. Joseph Manigault will save about
three-fourths OF his crop of $50 acres. God
frey Blake has saved fifty acres 50 far, and
expects to save a great deal of his young
rice. He has $50 acres planted. Mr.. Rut-
ledge's loss Will be very heavy. His planta-
tion is very high and has always withstood
the freshets, but this one was We de-
structive to his crop. From Mr. Haskells
place down the losses diminish as they in
crease above his plantation
AS this is the third successive year that
the Argyle island and Euslow island crops
have been destroyed, it is very doubtful If
planters will risk planting on the islands
another season. The banks on Enslow
island are cut to pieces, and it will require
a large Outlay of money to put them in con-
dition for planting.
Yesterday the colored reuters were NOV
ing back into their cabins on the Carolina
side, although their houses are not damp,
but wet, ana the water is up to the steps of
their cabins. IL they escape sickness by
such haste, IL will he remarkable, for the
dwellings are not fit for habitation in their
present condition.
THE ONLY FATALITY REPORTED.
The only fatality reported so far is the
drowning of a white man named Mott, near
Hennis' crossroads, in South Carolina. Mr..
Mott and a lady and one or Two others were
In small boat going to a neighbours In
some way the boat was upset. Mr.. Mott,
being a god swimmer, tried to save his
companion, but be sank Immediately and was
drowned. The body was recovered. When
Mr.. Motifs body was recovered an hour
aiterward, a piece of the woman's dress was
found strongly grasped in thu mans hand.
A Hardeeville letter to the MORNING
NEWS says that between the Charleston
and Savannah railway and the Savannah
river the whole county is sea of water
The farmers have lost their corn, peas,
potatoes, cotton, hogs, cattle, and in some
instances the flood has washed through
their dwellings.
The small bridges on the New river cause
way have been washed away and the bridge
across the river was afOat Thursday. DR..
Paul Pritchard was there with q force OF
hands trying to secure the bridge with
ropes. The mail carrier has not been able
to pass this point since Tuesday. Down
tho river ali the rice places have lost heavily.
and at the Baynard place the entire rice
crop has boon swept away.
NAMING THE FREsuETs.
Railroad men aud people living in the
of the Sautee river, South Carolina,
have decided to name the recent FIRE het in
honor of President Cleveland and the great
river overflow Of 1883 will be known in his
tory as tine Cleveland freshet in contradis-
tinctinu TO the Sherman freshat of 1Si5