The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1892-04-15
FIFTY LIVES LOST.
Appalling Loss of Life and Property In
Miseissippi-Horror and Horror Re
ported from Lesndcs and Clay Counties

COLUMBUS, MISS, April f0.-The last
few days have been the mos distressing
this section has ever experienced.
Wednesday morning the Ton1bigbee
river, already full, began rising rapidly.
BY Thursday morning all the lowlands
were submerged, the river having risen
fourteen feet that night. It continued
to rise all that day, and by Friday morn
ing it was seven feet higher than was
ever known before. Black and Luxa-
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
teennegroes 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 and creeks rose so rapidly
that great number of people were
aroused from their slum Der 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 food was
known the city government had a great
tix,er
parties began their labors of mercy.
Hundreds were saved and brought to
the city, and are now being cared for by
the citizens.
There are no less than 900 homeless
negroes here now being sheltered and
fed by the city and county jointly. The
less has been 80 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 hit1 to appeal TO the Federal
government for aid.
Great damage has been done the road
beds and trestling of the Mobile & Ohio
and Georgia Facifc roads. The latter
road has five miles of track washed away
between here and Waverly, and there
are several washouts on the Mobile &
Ohio between here and Artesia. This
road has run no trains here since Wed
nesday. For tive days the Georgia Pa
cific did nothing, but it got q 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
swift current and overturned and three
occupants were drowned. Messrs. Bald
with and Jebnson and four of the negroes
succeeded in reaching trees and were
rescued at midnight, after being In
their pefilous positions for six hours
Later infortt1a tion Will doubtless show
greater loss of life and property al
along the banks of the Bigbee.
The waters have receded six feet,
having fallen since yesterday morning.
WEST Po1NT, Miss, April 1o.-E'locd
disasters multiply as news budgets got
in by skiff from various sections of the
county. Mr.. George Grimes, large
farther fieaf this city; who has lived fer
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
deep. They betook themselves to trees,
and in little while the water stood
above their cabins. A family by the
name of Cock, 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 we're washed away
during the night. Every bridge In the
county is gone and the railroads washed
up, so it is impossible to know yet the
full extent of the damage donej 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.
The winds of yesterday worked still
greater damage to telegraph wires.
GRENADA, MISS, April s.-The water
has fallen six feet here in the last day,
but Grenada is still cut off from the
world. The damage from the high
water is almost incalculable. Thousands
of panels OF fence are gone, and thou
sands of acres of crops washed up.
Hundreds of head of stock are drowned.
1t will be almost impossible for the
farmers to replace their fences in time
to make crop. Buffalo gnats in myriad
numbers will succeed the overflow