The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-04-16
TOWNS SWEPT AWAY.
Immense Damage Caused by the
Rising of tue Mississippi.
A Large Section Of Adjacent
Country Under Water.

A great risei in the Mississippi has been fol-
lowed by 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 Of Vicksburg,
Miss, was swept out Of sight by the waters
from big cravasse at the sout }
end of Lake Washington. The Gre
vase widened to 6O0 feet, the upper end of
which was about 800 yards below the central
por rtion of the town, through which the wild
waters were rushing at O velocity Of from
six to eight miles per hour, plowing
out an immense cavity wherever
an obstruction was presented The centre
OF the break reached a great depth. The main
current from the break coursed diagonally
through the town, where everything seemed
to give way before it. Fences and
outhouses and many residences and
business houses were undermined, and
washed away to fields and swamps
far to the rear Of the town site. Only one
residence remained. The water was from
four to ten feet deep in the stores, and all ex-
cept the stone buildings were gone. Efforts
to rescue stocks OF goods proved futile and
NNA6S@SeSJ
doned.
On some Of the plantations along the
course Of the food many negroes
were not apprised of the disaster
until they awakened tho following morning
to find their houses flooded and their
beds standing foot deep in water. The
water from this break went in q northeast,
erly direction into the lower end Of Lake
Washington and Steele Bayou, which filed
up at the rate of three inches per hour until
1t had begun to spread through the swamp. q
As soon as the news Of the disaster reached
Captain Hyder, engineer in charge of the Gov
ernment fleet at Greenville, he ordered the
Government steamer Emma Elbridge to take
a large quarter boat to Skipwith to aid its
citizens From Wilson's Point he ordered the
little steamer Metare to take a barge and
hold itself in readiness to serve the people OF
the distressed section. Skipwith had popu-
lation of 1000.
A New Orleans Pcaytnes Vicksburg
special says: 'The latest returns from the
Mississippi levees report no change, except
ward from Skipwith Crevasse, and the towns
Of Mayersville, Filters and Hayes are being
surrounded, and must 60 under In q short
time. The steamer Evergreen Is in from
a second trip to Steele Bayou, going as far
as the drift would admit in exploring the adj
jacent plantations in skiffs. 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 in 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 1000 people being still there with little
means of subsistence. The Government boat
Titan, despatched by order of Major Leach,
Of the United States Engineers, left this port
for Laconia, having in tow barge laden with
provisions. In the meantime the citizens Of
Helena, Ark, chartered ths steamer Combs
aud despatched hento the scene laden with {
-four, meal, and meat, and a large amount
Of money was placed III the hands Of Captain
E. D. Pillow.
I'm the surrounding country the situation
can hardly be imagin 3D. The water is pour
ing through the crev asses with current sos
strong that it sweeps away houses, fencesJ
and everything that comes in its way. The
crevasses are constantly widening and the
whole levee is crumbling away"
At one o'clock In the afternoon the pro
lection levee in the rear Of Greenvt!e, Mlss.,
which had so far kept the water about the +
city Ia check, gave way. A great volume
of water rushed in on the lower part OK tnS
town. which Is principally inhabited by coz
ored people. Aheavy storm was raging az
the time.
The food came with such speed that tns
neople could hardly save their household
epoods before the water was from two 70
three feet deep In their houses. Although
the neopIe were prepared for tho worst, az
the small protection levee had never been con-
sidered secure, the excitement was greaI
among all classes
The people in the houses where the water
came too hieh were promptly taken to h1gner
Ground. In some places they had to WADE
fhrough the water in order to get TO tne
rescuers. Z.
The levee at Austin, Tenn, also gave way.
The whole village was submerged ana tn2
creyasse was more than four nunarea y -: ~
wide. with a torrent rushing through IL I5e
roar of which could be heard for three mllee.
Vessels dared not approach tho sluceway
from the river for fear Of being drawn mOo
the current. ,...., ~
When the levee broke the inhabitants oI
the village. 500 in number, were Sleeping.
They fled from their homes terror stricken
and ran to the high ground more than mug
away. They did not stop to gather up eas
clothing. but crazed with fear flew perore Sn9
rushing flood. None were drowned ous
many will suffer from exposure. .o 49,
The steamer Rosa Lee left Memphis .
1;eva the refugees. All the houses in the 4lS
iaae have been swept away and the soock