Huntsville gazette., 1892-04-16
FIFTY LIVES LOST.
Appalling Loss of Life and Property In
Mississippi-Horror and Horror Re-
ported from Lowndes and Clay Counties

bliSslsSippt-AOrrOr ana horror Ike
ported from Lowndes and Clay Counties
COLUMBUS, Miss, April 1O.-The last
few days have been the most distressing
this section has ever experienced.
Wednesday morning the Tombigbee
river, already full, began rising rapidly.
BY Thursday morning Ill the lowlands
were submerged, the river having risen
fourteen feet that night. 1t continued
to rise all that day, and by Friday morn
ing it was seven feet higher than was
palila creeks joined their waters with
the Bigbee, and Columbus was then
literally an island with five miles Of
water in every direction. There has
been great loss Of life, and an immense
amount CT property destroyed. Four
teen negroes were drowned within few
miles of this place. A low estimate
puts the loss at fifty in this county. Up
to this time no whites have been re-
ported drowned.
The flood has carried destruction in
all directions. Hundreds of homes have
been swept away, miles and miles of
fences destroyed, and the loss of mules
and cattle is fearful.
The river aud creeks rose so rapidly
that a great number OF people were
aroused from their slumber by the rush
of water through their houses, and OF
course could save nothing Of their
household effects.
As soon as the extent Of the flood was
known the city government had great
number Of boats made, and rescuing
parties began their labors Of mercy.
Hundreds were saved and brought to
tho city, and are now being cared for by
the citizens.
There are no less than 60 homeless
negroes here now being sheltered and
fed by the city and county jointly. The
loss has been so great, and the want so
extended, that the mayor of the city
and the president of the board of super
visors have telegraphed Hon. John AL
len, Congressman from this district,
asking him to appeal to tho Federal
government for aid.
Great damage has been done the road
beds and trestling Of the Mobile tG Ohio
and Georgia Pacific roads. The latter
road has five miles Of track washed away
between here and Waverly, and there
are several washouts on the Mobile 81
Ohio between here and Artesia. This
road has run no trains here since We'd
nesday. For two days the Georgia Pa
cifc did nothing, but it got train
through from Birmingham yesterday.
Several of the rescuing parties had
narrow escape. Col William Baldwin.
prominent attorney of This city, and
Mr. William johnson were out early
and continued their good work all day,
and in their eagerness to save they
overloaded their boat. After going a
short distance their boat was caught in
a swift current and erturned and three
occup pants were drowned. Messrs. Bald
win and johnson and four Of the negroes
succeeded in reaching trees and were
rescued at midnight, after being in
their perilous positions for six hours.
Later information will doubtless show
greater loss Of life and property all
along the banks Of the Bigbee.
The waters have receded six feet,
having fallen since yesterday morning.
WEST POINT, Miss, April 10.-~Flocd
disasters multiply as news budgets got
in by skiff from various sections Of the
county. Mr.. George Grimes, a large
Go HI oit hn hos fr
fifty years at his present place of resi-
| dence without ever suffering from over
flow, awoke one night to find the water
rapidly rising in the rooms of the lower
story of his house. The family i'm
mediately took refuge in the upper
story, and rescuers who went the next
day to transfer them to place of safety
rowed their boats back and forth
through the halls of the house. The
negroes on the plantation say that they
went to sleep in total ignorance Of the
danger, and so quietly did the water
enter that they stepped out Of bed in
the morning to find it several inches
deep. They betook themselves to trees,
and in little while the water stood
above their cabins. A family by the
name of Cook who lived on the banks
of the Tombigbee near here, is missing
and neither human, beast or house is to
be found where they formerly resided
1t is supposed they were washed away
during the night. Every bridge in the
county is gone and the railroad washed
up, so it is impossible to know yet the
full extent of the damage done; but the
accounts already in place it far be-
yond anything ever known in this
county. The banks of creeks are lined
with dead COWS and horses, and the crops
are completely ruined. West Point has
been a veritable island for several days.
| Tho winds Of yesterday worked still
greater damage to telegraph wires.
GRENADA, Miss, April 8.-The water
| has fallen six feet here in the last day,
| but Grenada is still cut of from the
world The damage from the high
water is almost incalculable. Thousands
| - 81 ~