The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-18

rate and waiting their doom Each PLAN
tation from Rosedale southwark TO Vicks-
purg' several hundred miles, presents the
same scene OF ruir-fences, cabins and
cottages washed away and floating amid
the debris
There are scattered through the delta 500
prosperous towns, 100 of which are sub
merged; and we saw inhabitants on house
'ops' on RATS, and on all manner of floats,
many OF them without food. Last Mon
Gay the Flower Lake levee near Tunica,
MISS, gave way under the tremendous
pressure of water and the current rushed
through the creVasse with a roaring sound
lhdl can only be compared to that of Nj
agara Falls. Near Roseda.e, Miss, 1
saw two-room log cabin floating across
the track OF the Mississippi Valley rail-
road' where few days before trains were
numbering over Nearly every negro
capln at Rosedale shows a hastily con-
structed window in the roof where the oc-
cupants lately made their escape from the
MOOD. On the 9th inst. terrific storm
swept over Greenville with cyclonic fury.
taxing large piles of drift and floating
CABINS about, as toys in a tub. A large
cotlon-seed house filled with colored refu-
gees was blown from its foundation and
noated around half its length across the
rdliroao slde-track, going down with a
mighty splash into the water four or five
1eet deep. The negroes poured out like
~
ed -
AL o'clock on the night of March 3Oth.
when the Sunny Wild planta ton levee
gave way, messengers were sent at break
neck speed to warn all people living in the
low places to seek points Of safety for
themselves and stock
church and plantation bells began toll
ing for miles around. The shouting of
men voices above the roaring of the high
"lhd tnen raging was Plainly heard, and
scene of wild excitement prevailed.
negro was seen making for the levee with
cur pup under one arm, ragged Quilt
under the other, and leading a calf bv the
ears. When asked why he did not throw
the dog down and try to carry more of his
plumber, he said I'D ruther see dis calf
drown dan de pup"
Inc merchants at Rosedale are not at
tempting to keep their stores open with
the exception of two Chinese merchants
VINO have their stock, or what the water
saw MT to leave them, in the garrets, and
all customers enter from the roof over
the front gallery through an aperture
from the gable
Near Estelle, railroad station. was
found a man with his wife and three chill
dren camping on the top of cabin that
was at an angle of nearly 45 degrees. The
water was eleven feet deep for miles
around. They were absolutely without
1000 OF any kind and had no boat The
cabin had been deserted for a long time
When ne moved into it when the water
rose, and had he not been discovered
there is little doubt that the whole family
would soon have persisted of hunger
AL Helena l witnessed a sad and touch
ing scene. A rescuing steamer that had
pllde its way for miles in the country
through the inundated cotton fields and
farms, came up and anchored on one of
the DTinClnal
lot of freight, consisting of cats, horses,
dogs, chickens, women, children and
household and kitchen furniture. On the
upper deck was an interesting little girl
OF or years, holding her pet cat in one
arm and cage with her canary in her
hand. A handsome lad held pet lamb
under his arm, with the other clasping the
natter which secured his pretty Shetland
pony Another boy was holding to his
bicycle.
At Arkopols we saw a long string of
boats crossing corn field, driving a large
herd of stock in four feet of water pre-
senting most unique spectacle. The
question is what win become of the thous-
ands of refugees sheltered in the towns
from Memphis to Vicksburg. There is a
gloomy prospect of the waters going down
in time To make a crop, even If there
were implements and stock left TO make
IL with. A fear is entertained by the large
planters that the gaps in the levees may
not be closed in time to avert the drown
ing out of the crop by the June rise AS
every day goes by the situation increases
in gravity and possibly for months after
the waters recede, want and poverty, if
not actual starvation, will stare the peo-
pie in the face. The supreme test of the
leVees south of Vicksburg is fast APP
preaching and the people of Louisiana
keenly realize the gravity of the situation.
The volume of water coming down ex-
ceeds all previous records. 1t would be
miraculous if Louisiana should escape al
together from disaster after the misfor-
tunes suffered by Mississippi and Arkan-
sas, and with so much water to fight
and with the prolonged strain which will
be kept up fully four weeks longer.
The leYees are simply earthen embank-
ments built near the banks Of the river,
and there are many destructive agencies
which have to be provided against. There
are musk-rats which bore into the en-
mankments and make their homes there
Then there are the "raw-fish, which also
delight in cutting into the levees. Now
and then an alligator will burrow into
these earthworks. There is the wash of
the waves against the levees caused by
the winds and sloughing off of the inner
slope of the leVees from satura ton when
the water In the river rises to nearly the
tops Of the levee. 1t often happens that
under the surface of the ground on which
the leNeeS are Duill lneEe are uSCdyeu anu
covered up trunks of trees which form
subterranean channels for the water to
percolate under the levees. The slopes of
the levees on the river side are at an
angle somewhat fat so that the earth can
be easily sodded, and the. material will
not be washed by the waves.
The water is creeping up inch by inch
at New. Orleans, and every man is con-
scious that the surface of the water Is
several feet above his head.
Put the Wires Underground.
Editor Morning News: I notice in to-