The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-06-22
HIGH WATER AND RUIN.
An Account of the Distress Caused by
the Overflow OF the Mississippi
River,
Shrevennrt La Inne Q lsa2

Shreveport. La, June 2. 1892.
| Dear Wilson, have just returned from 6
trip TO Shreveport and think description O.
| the same may Interest your readers, especial
| ly the farmers. l left Monroe on Saturday
18th and arrived at Shreveport 10 p. m. AS we
approached Red river | notice the frequent
stoppages made by the train, and learned on
inquiring that the water was rising rapidly
along the track on account OF a recent break
| on the levee several mi les above Shreveport,
and the officials expected q washout which
occurred on Sunday night, washing up the
track for several hundred yards, and rushing
| through at thirty miles per hour and to con-
siderable depth-making the road impossible
| iOr many weeks.
approach to the bridge had sunk several 1eet,
caused by the water washing out the stone
piers, next the bank. At eleven o'clock the
span went down and the embankment was
washed rapidly way; 1t will cause great de-
| lay IN repairing besides costing great amount
Of money.
The business of the city will be greatly in
Jured, and all seem depressed, as well they
may be. On account of the washout was
compelled TO return or TO get around the
washout. which Is sixteen miles from Shreve-
port 10 go distance of one hundred and
seventy-five miles by boat, but to give you a
description l would not attempt. hope, l
will never witness such sight again. Just
Imagine for one hundred miles down the ri7-
er and on an average fifteen miles from bank
to bank in width, comprising the finest cotton
plantations in the South-ell under water.
Houses. stables, barns. and everything swept
away. Sometimes you will see n small patch
Of corn not entirely out OF sight, few blades
showing above the water.
Most OF the people and stock have been re-
moved, but some are yet remaining huddled
together on the levee that still remain in
mules and hogs all standing along on a short
levee perhaps two or three feet high and
not more than three feet wide on top, crowd
Ing each other for standing room, and the
levee being washed away at each end. They
were waiting for n boat TO relieve them. No
one can realise such scene without witness
ing 1t.
After leaving the river we entered Loggy
Bayou thence up the stream into Lake Bris-
tlno into and up the Dorcheat TO the railroad
bridge to connect with the train. On the
whole rout nothing but desolation presented
itself.
The river above Shreveport for four hun.
dred miles has caused the same amount OF
damage; the whole Of the lands are covered
with water all the plantations have been
abandoned, and the negroes are focking into
the city.
Nothing will induce them 10 work. They
have been offered twenty-five cents per hour,
hut they refuse 10 work for that; they expect
The Government to feed them. AL the lands
from this place TO Vicksburgh are being GOV.
cred rapidly, caused by breaks in the levees
on the west side of the Mississippi river. No
breaks have yet taken place between Vicks-
burgh and Memphis, but the Yazoo river has
back ed up and covered thousands Of acres OF
land all In cultivation. Most OF the produc-
tive lands In Arkansas are now under water.
The general opinion OF the farmers is that
no crops can be made on the greater poi tion
of the land as none of 1t can be planted in
less than fifteen days, and that Is not pro-
babe, as all the rivers are rising or at stand,
but reports are that heavy rain has fallen
I'm Texas and Indian Territory, and that will
cause rise in Red river again. Heavy rains
are reported in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska
which will keep the Mississippi up for some
time. and 1t will be Inc possible to raise a crop
after the water fails. The last overflow we
had was in $50, but II was mostly gone on or
about the tenth Of June, 1t was at its highest
on May the IL t.. Crops were planted and
pretty good crops were made. Now 1t will be
at leust one month later than 1t was In that
year. H. T. T.