The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-14
VAST INLAND SEA.

Scenes In the Water-COvered District-A Col
ored Mans Terrible Experience.
Special Indians polis Journal
MEMPHIS. Tenn. April 1S.-East Missis-
sippi has been tie scene of one of the most
appalling floods in the United States within
the last week and the world beyond that
State knows little of the destruction of
property aud the loss of life that the
rise in the Tombigbee river has en-
tailed. This river rises In north
Alabama and winds it's way south, touch
ing Columbus and forming junction with
the Alabama q few milcs above Mobile
bay. The river. having it's origin in the
mountains OF north Alabama, is fed by
dozen quick-rising mountain streams that
for the last seven days have been filling it.
until now, above Columbus, it has assumed
the proportions of an inland sea.
Near Columbus the loss of life has been
terrible. Saturday night hundreds of
negro families in the bottoms went to bed
feeling secure. but before morning they
were aroused by rush of waters. Those
near the uplands got away to q place of
safety by climbing hills. but those living
In the lower lands found escape was cut
off and they clsmbered to the tops of their
rickety huts in hope that in a few hours
the waters would subside. The rain
poured down in torrents all of Sunday, and
the water bound prisoners saw that their
only hope of escape was by boats that they
thought their landlords would send to
bring them to dry land. The landowners,
however. did not appreciate the dire neces-
sity of the poor wretehes until many houses
had been swept away and their occupants
drowned.
A letter was received here tonight from
one of the sufferers. and his story. told in
simple negro dialect. Is most pathetic.
The cattle. say 8 he. took to the high places,
and. for sustenance, began to devour the
branches of trees. Chickens flew to
the tree-tops. and remained there for
three days. until. weak from starya-
ton, they fell into the water. He
says that no estimate can be made
of the number of lives lost. but makes q
rough guess that from Saturday until Tues
day night zoo negroes have persisted. Seth
Jones's case is like dozens of others. This
negro lay in his hut with q wife and four
children Sunday morning. when the water
tempted to escape with his children, but all
avenues were cut of. He and his family
sought the roof of the house and watched
the water making its way up to them. AS
the current grew swifter the house began
TO tremble. and In few moments the Iogs
began to float away. one from the other.
Jones took up one of his children-his wife
and the other three were drowned before
his eyes. He held on to log. and in at
tempting TO place his child OF it the little
one fell and sank into the water. He alone
escaped after floating around for several
hours.
The eigbt-feet rise of this morning will
be increased within the next twelve hours.
for there has been q steady down-pour Of
rain in north Alabama and Mississippi all
day. The Mississippi river here Is almost
at a standstill within q foot of the danger
line. The weakest point is at Helena. Ark,
but all is safe there according to late re-
ports. Levees along the river
are in good condition and plant
ers along the river have no very
grave fears that this will be such n flood
as that of 1852 or 1882 On the Arkansas
side of the Mississippi river at Council
the banks. and has flooded ten thousand
acres of land. over half of which has been
planted in corn. About two Thousand acres
of cotton has been submerged. One planter
went over his entire plantation III . skitt