The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-21
THE FLOODS RECEDING.
THE WORK OF DEVASTATION
ABOUT COMPLETE.

Rice Planters Hoping that Their Losses
VIII Not Be as Heavy as it Was at
First Thought They Would Be-The
Freshet on the Carolina Side-The
Country East of the Great Swamp
under Water, and the Crops on New
River Ruined-The Charleston and
Savannah Washouts Repaired and
Trains Running Again.
The river was falling very rapidly yester-
day and most of the rice fields were out of
water on the Carolina shore, opposite the
city and on this side OF the freshet bank.
The volume of water that went across the
country into New river and Broad river on
tie Carolina side and into the Ogeecheo on
the Georgia side, did much to lessen the
damages to the planters close by.
Mr. Mitchell King says the water came in
on his place from the rear and the Savannah
river drained it about as fast as it ran in,
which shows that a great body of water
was distributed northward, and when it
overflowed the rice fields it drained hack
into the Savannah river and ran out to sea
very rapidly. 1t is very fortunate that at
the most critical point of the flood there
were no easterlv winds to back up the waters,
expected. As a result the losses in the lower
Savannah river from the flood have been
most disastrous on Ens!ow Island aud Ar
gyle Island.
SOME RICE TO BE SAVED.
In fact planters expect TO meet with much
better luck in saving their rice than at first
anticipated, for the waters which rose upon
some of the rice fields receded with the
tides. aud as the Savannah river was lower
Of bp n
directed across the country to New river
aad Broad river and that which opened into
Back river the banks withstood the freSaet
beyond expectation.
1t is to- early to attempt any estimate
of the loss by heating and rains. Planters
who have portion of their crop stacked on
knobs and on the canal banks, were ex-
aiming the ricks yesterday, and opening
them to give them sunlight and air. The
waters have receded from the fields, and
the young rice does not appear to he
materially injured in many places where 1t
was thought that it would be ruined, and in
many of the fields some of the old rice can
be harvested. Shocks not hauled in appear
to be IN better condition than the stacked
rice.
WORK AT A sTANDsTILL.
The sloppy condition of the fields that
have escaped total inundatlon will prevent
work before Monday, except that which Is
now being done in overhauling the stacked
rice Ali rice on the stubbe is ruined, the
rains doing as much damage as the freshet.
One planter said last night: THE water is
off my place, and that is a | care TO say
now. We have to wait Il few days to take
our bearings, and see if what is left is
worth saving" This appears to be the
situation with all the plaa except Mills
q Taylor at the head Of Hutchinson's
Island, whose fields were only partially
submerged by the tides, and tho planta- |
ttons below the city on the Carolina side,
some Of which escaped altogether.
THE FLOOD ON THE CAROLINA SIDE.
Mr.. Charles II. Williams of Hardeeville |
). c., arrived in the city yesterday and |
brought the first news that has been re-
ceived from that section in five days. The |
water from the Savannah river has over
flowed nearly the entire country from the
Great swamp eastward. Roads are impassa-
bic, the pine barrenS are a sea of yellow
water, and many people have not been cut
OF their houses Tor several days.
Mr.. William johnson, who keeps a store
at Levy's crossroads, about eight miles from
this city, on tho old Charleston turnpike |
managed to get 70 Hardesville yesterday
morning. He informed Mr. Williams that |
the freshet swept over everything and that |
1t was up 10 his store when he |
ieftf The water was over the |
Conner place, the Pritchard place |
and Estills upper place, and the rice ricks |
were floating about in the squares. There |
has been no malsconnectio with Bluffton |
and other places on May river for several |
days. Nothing is known Of the damage
done III that section, though it probably
amounts 10 but little except the washing of |
the roals and injury to bridges by the local
floods, May river not being within the
radius affected by The great freshet. Mr.
Williams said that he saved about 125 acres
of
ON THE c. & S. RAILWAY.
The water at the Charleston and Savan-
nah railway bridge across the Savannah
river was falling rapidly yesterday, aud
was about two feet lower than the day be-
fore. The tresties on both sides of the bridge
are in good order, and all the
breaks, excepting one between Har-
deeyi lie and Ferrebeeville, have been
repaired. The remaining breaks would
also have been repaired, but by soma mis-
hap pile-drlver toppled over into the water
and work had to be suspended until another
pile driver could be secured. IL arrived
yesterday, and ii was expected that by last
nigh the entire line would again be ready
Tor travel Crews of trains were under or
ders to hold themselves IN readiness TO go
out at short notice. Passengers and the
mails were transferred yesterday at the
trestleS. Train No rs left here ON time at
o:S3 O'Clock last night and all trains will
leave hereafter on schedule time.
NO HIGHER THAN AT SPRING TIDE.
Capt. H. NJ. c. Smith, superintendent of
the Propeller Tow Boat Company, a gen
tleman well acquainted with matters relat-
ing to the river, stated yesterday that at
no time during the present fresnet has the
water along the river front been higher
than it is at a usual high spring tide If
that is so, and there is no reason to doubt
1t, 1t would appear that the dam at the
cross-tides Is at least part OF the cause of
the damage done to the rice planters, by
backing the water up and forcing it over
, the plantations above and near that point,
and on the South Carolina mainland.