Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-24
They Are Still Enjoying Life.

A LII over this embryotic metropolis hung the
odor of frying bacon, while the air was
blue with the smoke of dozen fires made by
burning fence rails. Men and women sat fiat
on the ground with their backs against. the
huts and their limbs spread half way across the
narrow street. 1t was only by keeping sharp
lookout that frequent falls did not occur from
stumbling over these indolent natives. There
were at least 80 mongrel ours barking and snap
ping at each other on the place.
Four rods further down the street l5-year-
old darkey was running butcher shop He was
squatted on the hard-baked ground in the sun,
with the remains of one solitary hog. cut into
fve-pound chunks and laid out on pieces of
bagging beside him.
In his right hand he clutched a heavy club
with which he belabored the yellow dogs that
came round. On pole above his head were
the head and hams of the deceased animal.
Considering the circumstances the price of
pork was reasonable. Ten cents pound with
out regard to fat or choice cuts. Some of the
colored children were more comfortably attired
than great many white children in the North.
The planters were supplying nearly all of the
refugees with food. and the storekeepers who
still carried on business took the risk of fur
nishing the remainder. There were two cases
of sickness in this strange community. One
pneumonia, contracted by cold from exposure
and the other OF an old woman who was suffer
ing from similar cause.
It VIII be Dry Hereafter.
THE greatest calamity that will befall the
town Of Skipwith will be its position here
after. AS one of its residents remarked, it will
be the dryest place in the Mississippi Valley.
The water from the break has swept hundreds
of tons of sand and gravel into the town, cov-
ering the lots and filling up the main street.
The Government Engineer, Captain Arthur
Hider a big-hearted Southern gentleman, has
done excellent work in behalf of these refu-
gees. He caused quarter boat to be placed
outside the levee at Skipwith for the accomo-
dation of the colored people and 20 or 80
families now make their home under its wide
roof. Captain Hider, seeing the need of
shelter for the rest of the unfortunates, re-
quested that the Government issue tents and
on the day of your correspondents arrival
word was telegraphed from Memphis that the
tents we're on their way. The country back of
Skipwith, in Issaquenna county. is totally sub
is practically l6 miles wide. One gentleman, a
representative of one of the mercantile firms
at Skipwith. estimated that 100 families in this
section would require assistance before the
water fell sufficiently to permit of cotton
planting
Between Skipwith and Vicksburg, on the
west bank of the river, occurred the great
break at Pecan Grove. La. The river here has
made breach in the levee a mile and a half
course but the natural drainage Of this great
volume of water into Bayou, Mason, Tenesaw
and Washita rivers carries it off very rapidly,
but only to pour it back into the Mississippi
through the Red river. The colored people on
a section of country of 900 square miles in
Louisiana.are living on false floors on the
levees. No severe suffering has been reported.