The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-05-28
ARKANSAS FLOODS.

the ArE1n1n1 l5Arer below A-AttAe norh-
Goteenmsnt Boata Going 70 the hespus
81 4he reopiH-some 81 the Finest Coz.
tom Land in tli4 World urder water.
LITTLE Rock, Ark, May 2o.--The
dood situation throughout this section
continues 70 grow more critlcals and
though no danger to the city Of Little
Rock on this side 81 the river is pos
sible, yet the inhabltan Is Of Argenta
North Little Roclr) hmvc great cause 20
feel uneasy. The Arkansas river has
passed the great rise Of 1914 by more
than q foot Il became stationary tllis
afternoon and will commence fall-
ing before tomorrow morning. The first
heavy loss from the Aood occurred here
last night and to-day By the caving
in Of the north bank of the fiFef . few
hundred yards east of ne wagon
bridge. As the result Of the cNyes the
mills OF the Elite Lumber Co, estimate
ed value SIS, 900, fell with crash and
swept away, striking the lower bridge
with tremendous force, and soon after
ward cave-in occurred at the Little
Rock Cooperage Co.'S property and a
portion Of the works and 6,000 titaves
were carried away The eooperage
companys loss win run up into the
thousands, as the balance Of the plant
went down to-day. Several portions
of the town across the river are under
water, and people in large numbers are
deserting their homes and fleeing for
their lives.
Great distress prevails at Redfeld,
twenty miles from Little Rock. A NUM-
Der of white and colored people, men,
women and children, are standing upon
the river bank, exposed to the rain and
wind and the raging waters that are
rapidly creeping toward them. The
banks are treacherous, and huge blocks
are falling hourly into the stream.
| Standing close to the shore, late yesteF-
day afternoon, five persons were hurled
into the Arkansas river by the caving
of the bank and were carried down the
stream, never: to. he seen alive by their
friends. Alate report last night placed
the number drowned at twenty-five
The steamer Annie B. Adams was
sent to the rescue.
A report reached here this morning
that Richard Hudgins and family were
surrendered by water at their home
on Old river and were in great danger.
| What is known as the Wattersica bayou
and Plum bayou country is all under
water. The finest cotton farms in the
world are located in this section.
The Knapp place, at Toltec, is over
flowed, and the water coming from the
break over the Hudgins place on Old
river. Col Steele wires that three
fourths Of his place iscovered.
Late reports received here tonight
state that twenty-five persons weTv
drowned at Redfeld to-day.
From a private source it is learned
that the levees at Reeds Landing and
near the mouth of the Old river have
given way, and the whole of the Old
river 1owlands are under water. This
will destroy the crops on Col. Steele's,
Col. Little's, DIR. Robinson's, Mr.. Penn
berton's, Mr. Cross and Bob Clarlx's
plantations, and many others in the
southeast part of this county, the finest
cotton lands of the county. Many oi
the negro tenants are leaving and com
ing to this city. It is reported that the
tenants ON Col. Zeb Wards place ars
compelled togo about in boats to mill
the cows.
The secretary Of war telegraphed fol
the government boats at Little Rock tC
{ go to the rescue of farm hands below
the city.
Passengers arriving in the city on to
nights north-bound ''cannon-ball' re
port exciting scenes on the Iron Noun
+'in, between Fulton and Texarkana
For seven miles or more the entire coun
try is under water, caused by the over
flow from the Red river. South of Ful
ton, for several miles, the water is Al
high as the telegraph wires, and a
many localities theipoles and wires ar
entirely under water. The bridg
across Red river is considered safe. vi
to late hour this evening the waite
was fully feet from the track A pas
senger on the train had heard. while Il
Texarl1ana, that the structure acros
Red river was liable to go at any me
. ment These reports were corroborat
. ed by other passengers. just as the trar
approached the bridge the frightene
traveller leaped from the platform an
went head foremost down the embanl
ment. When last seen he was strug
Cling in the water.
The city of Little Rock, for the frs
time on record, is threatened with
: water famine. At 8 o'clock the suppl
/ was shut off from the city.