Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-05
TIE FLOODS N TIE WEST.
Continued from First Page.
VENETIAN LIFE.
Pen Pictures of Scenes in the Submerged
District.

District.
Greenville, Miss, April An the
submerged district to-day was an
active one. All sorts Of crafs were
afoat. these propelled by the colored
population outrivaling all others in the
Ingenuity of the construction. One ola
uncle" with gray hair and heavy
beard, is the proud owner OF a boat
which he built during the night from
boards secured from old soap boxes, and
not a piece used is more than two feet
in length.
Many parties Of society ladies who
live in the aristocratic quarter OF the
south end of the city were made up
during the day, and they were taken
about the strets TO view the work done
BY the water. A trip along Broadway,
which has eight feet of water over the
old street car tracks. is an interesting
one. Some Of the houses which rest
upon the ground have the water in
above the levels of the lower windows,
and these are deserted by all except
dogs. chickens and geese, which are
perched on points Of vantage on the
roofs and tops Of the pOrches. Buggies
and carriages are placed high and dry
on front porches, while their places
have been taken By the skiffs and dug
outs which are tied at the back doors.
Nearly every house in the northern
part Of the city has a large tank con-
nected with it, which is used for catch
ing rain water, as cisterns are an i'm
possibility in the locality, owing TO the
seep-water at all periods of the year.
Many Of these have been toppled over,
and thy 20 floating down the streets.
Near the corner Of Shelby and Nelson
streets stand the colored Methodist and
Baptist churches, and where once knelt
the devout worshipers the water runs
three feet deep On Shelby street is
lOcatd the grocery store where most Of
the colored people do their trading.
Skifs are moored close to the entrance,
and the owners take turns in pushing
their craft up into the doorway and do
ing their marketing without Gisembark-
ing.
Not all Of the many people who were
stirring about the water are on pleasure
bent. as many of the boats are loaded
to the sides with household plunder
and live stock. which the owners are
moving to high land. Every time a
corner is approached the oarsman must
initiate the whistling Of a steamboat, to
warn the occupants Of other skiffs APP
preaching on side streets, so thickly Is
the water covered with craft Of every
description.
There are no deplorable sights, such
as might be expected. Instead Of view
ing the approach Of the water as a ca
lamity. the people seem 70 feel they
are enjoying a holiday. Occasionally
som sad-eyed individuals are seen seat
ed on high porches or roof projections
with all their earthly belongings ready
for moving, but invariably when asked
if in need Of assistance they brighten
I'D and say. mo. ! reckon not; guess l
can get along" The spirit Of merri-
ment seems TO have entered into all the
people. When a particularly light and
"tippy" craft is passing along the streets
it is greeted with ralliery, until one
wonders whether the town has been
suddenly submerged or II the people
are simply enjoying a water carnival.
Occasionally some negro in a dugout
passes along the streets, while behind
him he leads his favorite mule which
has TO swim hard or founder along with
its head out Of the water to keep up
with its owner The colored aristoc-
racy of Newtown turned out during the
day. and several boats were being pad
died about the streets by negro women,
dressed in jaunty yachting costumes
and adding color to the picturesqueness
of the scene.
There are about $50 miles Of track
washed away in the submerged terri