Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-04-11
TOWNS SWEPT AWAY.
Immense Damage Caused by the
Rising of the Mississippi.
A Large Section of Adjacent
Country Under Water.

great rise in the Mississippi has bean tol-
lowed 10y the giving way OF levees in many
places, causing an immense amount Of dam
age. Particulars Of the disaster are given
in dispatches from various places as follows:
The town Of Skipwith, in ISsaquena
County. eight miles north " VIcksburg.
Miss, was swept out OF sight by the waters
from big cravasSe at the ~out
end 81 Lake Washington. The Gre
vase widened 10 Coz feet the upper end II
which was about 800 yards below the central
portion of the town, through which the wild
waters were rushing at n velocity Of from
SIX 10 eight miles per hour blowing
out an immense cavity wherever
an obstruction was presented. The centre
OF the break reached great depth. The main
current from the break cour>ed diagonally
through the town. where everything SEEMED
10 give way before it Fences and
0uthouses and many residences and
buaneSs houses were undermined and
washed away Il fields and SwaupS
far to the rear of the town site Only one
residence remained. The water WAS from
four 10 ten feet deep in the stores. aud all eN-
cept the stone buildings were gone. Efforts
TO rescue stocks Of goods proved futile and
dangerous and IN consequence We're aOan-
doned.
On some Of the plantations along the
course of the flood many negroes
until they awakened the following morning
to find their houses flooded and their
beds standing a foot deep in water. The
water from this break went in "A northeast
erly direction into the lower end Of Lake
Washington and Steele Bayou which filled
up at the rate of three inches Der hour until
1t had begun 10 spread through the swamp.
As soon as the news of the disaster reached
Captain h yder, engineer in charge of the Gov
eminent fleet at Greenvile. he ordered the
Government steamer Emma Elbrldge 10 take
a large quarter boat IL Skipwith 70 aid It's
citizens. From Wilson's Point he ordered the
little steamer Metare to take u barge and
hold itself in readiness to serve the people of
the distressed section. Skipwlth had pOpu-
latiOn OF 1000
A New Orleans Pcdyme's VicksburS
special says: The latest returns from the
Mississippi leveeS report no change, except
that the water Is steadily advancing south
ward from Skipwith Crevasse, and tho towns
of Mayersvllle, Filters and Hayes are being
surrounded and must go under IN n short
time. The steamer Evergreen is in from
a second trip to Steele Bayou, going fer
as the drift would admit in exploring the an
Jacent plantations III skifs. Her officers re-
port that they found no suffering, that cattle
and other stock had been removed, and the
people were safe
A Memphis despatch says: Fresh reports
of destruction by the flood i'll the Mississippi
are constantly coming in. The loss Of
property will be enormous. In every direc-
ton, over miles and miles of territory, houses
have been washed from their foundations,
fences thrown down, barns and the contents
destroyed. The condition of the people back
of the river is worse than those on the banks,
as they cannot be readily reached, and the
worst will not be known till the food sub
sides
AT Laconia Circle the distress is the
worst, *OOO people being still there with little
means OF subsistence. The Government boat
Titan, despatched 10y order of Major Leach
Of the United States Engineers left this port
tor LaCOnIa, having i'll tow barge laden with
provisions. In the meantime the citizens of
Helena, Ark. chartered the steamer Combs
and despatched her to the scene laden with
flour, meal and meat, and large amount
Of money was placed in the hands Of Captain
E. d. Pillow
In the surrounding country the situation
can hardly be lma2ln ell. The water Is pour
ing through the GREY asses with a current Sd
strong that it sweeps away houses, fences
and every thing that comes i'll its way. The
crevasses are constantly widening and the
whole levee is crumbllng away"
At one O'Clock In the afternoon the pro-
lection levee in the rear of Greenville, Miss,
which had so far kept the water about the
city ia check, gave way. y great volume
of water rushed in on the lower part OF the
town which is principally inhabited by col
Ored people. heavy storm was raging at
the time.
The food came with such speed that the
people could hardly save their household
goods before the water was fron two 10
three feet deep in their houses. Although
the people were prepared for the worst, as
the small protection levee had never been con-
sidered secure, the excitement was great
among all classes.
The people in the houses where the water
came too high were promptly taken to higher
ground. In some places they mad 70 wade
through the water in order 70 get 70 the
reScuerS
The levee at Austin, Tenn, also gave way.
The whole village was submerged and the
crevasse was more than four hundred feet
wide with a torrent rushing throuEh it, tho
roar of which could be heard for three miles.
Vessels dared not approach the sluce"ay
from the river for fear OF being drawn into
the current.
When the levee broke the inhabitants or
the village 800 in number, were sleeping.
They fed from their homes terror stricken
and ran TO the high ground more than mile
away. They did not stop 70 gather up their
clothing, but crazei with fear flew before the
rushing food. None were drowned, but
many will suffer from exposure.
The steamer Rosa Lee left Memphis 70 re-
lieve the refugees. All the houses in the VII
lage have been swept away and the stock
drowned.