The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-03-25
|sis Of DEsoLATIoS'
\ 1000 District Is Very Ex-
tensiye.
PICK Up REFUGEES
rsem Are Negroes-V"st
= - Low Country May
Re-, BE Overlooked

~ Tenn. Marcn f>o u"
I. even in words however force
g additions existing in the Mis-
s.lIey during this present disas-
A visit only to the distressed
.,ves one fuE realization OF
.s,,rs. both actual and imminent
,.tr,nt the people. Tho placid MAJ
m. great river has been aroused
,.sed into action as If to revenge It,
ma prosperity of the people. not
I i. immediate banks but at some
!, both sides. ominous in its
II force. dreadful in the disaster 1t
~ .,,,, miles above Memphis the i'm
q, Il the deluge becomes apparent.
MN and dismal indeed stood houses on
A,nt surrounded by water. De-
avellings, gin houses. stores, cribs
nm, now given over to me FURY oil
IA stand awfully picturesque but
~. rathetic. At scarce any place
- The high bluffs of Fort Pillow. Full
Randolph. on the Tennessee side.
landings made where the stage
,n,chss actual ground. Inhabitants
|. M in skiffs TO carry passengers or
..l,e the mail or 10 take off such sup
.p sent. In many places the levee
..noletely submerged, while in Others
m. above the water lust enough to
M muddy and precarious foothold
{, 4. detected cattle The animals seem
,,s,rstand the seriousness of the situa-
Y. Mass are loaded on the boats by
~, ,helr feet tied together. Denied the
~ thelr limbs, they give full vent to
~ lung force. $500
M ina cattle are being loaded the
n" Al ths stage plank are surrounded by
m, np,aining panic stricken and i'm
atxrt refugees.
M sysry landing from one TO a dozen
napssrs, nearly all negroes, come fran
i6,ly en- board. Sixty per cent OF them
rscM to have no personal effects or bag
I'm md seemed to care very little more
a. that they had ESCAPED destruction.
hasaed as the negro is with his improvi-
gL happy go-lucky disposition. he is con-
tied under the immediate supervision.
an md protection of the white man. re-
edss Of time. place Or circumstance.
4 y due here to state that all the boat
lbs out Of Memphis have done nobly their
nil share OF the charity work of rescuing
u uriurtunates, and IN the transportation
4 be afflicted refugees have lost money.
ik negroes and many whites never think
uyhine except that the boats are their
tnren and saviors, and take 1t for grant
\ bat they can get deliverance without
n thought OF consequent obligation. This
Illustrated by an episode which occurred
turing the first panic of the flood and as
MATED by one of the boat clerks. At enc
&the landings white man embarked, ac-
uuDanied by his wife and eight cnidren.
NJ man was fairly well clad. the woinan
ID children slovenly. slatternly and half
hryed None of the children wore shoes.
n man deposited his children Oh the up
p deck and stalked into the cabin. lie
va drink al the bar and then ate good
4pT He bought cigar at the bar and
smoking II complacently on the deck
m be was approached by the clerk. who
~ 10 deep disgust, witnessed the wrett h i
itsct Of his family. Where are you CO.
y" said be to the man. TO Memphis. t.
" he reply. got any money to pay the
aa d all these people," asked the CLERK,
NJ nid tho man, Il aln't got nothin'
nNh' We'll, see here" scornfully re-
pa Tie clerk; what kind of man are
M' You bought drink that cost YOU Is
au lnen you got supper, then you spent
nsnu for cigar" Never paid but .
oaslor the seegar." said the man. Meier
ana said the clerk, you ought to DC
unnamed Of yourself. Why, your children
s Nv no shoes and here you are buying
gan ana cigars and not providing ;or
aeM you are daisy" We'll. nisto- -
np'ea NE man, 81 bin feelin' pretty bad
.u .soaeht as how drink would sortor
ssalen me up" What are you going
~. 49, wen you get TO Momphis?" askei . @
soin' TO git the relief committee
maa me to Kansas. Say, mister, do YOU
" ctl" ava lam s'"'eS III la"
avg 80 II goes Some whites and many
s ," are taking advantages of the of .
Sa.lsa the relief committee, and are
zig 70 Memphis as a city of refuge
~ money, sans goods, sans cverythiar
aTery and appetite. These portions
A. aHansas and Tennessee now flood af-
w. nave never known such disaster
N ana the suffering and hardship
MI ,,a.er' comparatively. for the reason
n h me I'LL of apprehension the PEG.
r,,ss 'e oeen lighting the water with an
n,o,, oorh OF despair. without thought
l,a,.. s'on against the worst that could
IN ~, some Of the finest plantations
INV 'nlno the State levecs. but tempo
III, M,es were built and maintained
nrs,s aa aay with unceasiug effort until
vi NAT s,r was made to the angry waters
TIM , 'ns in their agony the victims
n. nu are awed by the defeanlng roar
midi nsh'y torrent surges through the
ih ... widening crcvasses.
I. M 49, vast range of low country on
I'd H. Ss side between the big river
iA,t Me - francis river. II is though,
ia rivs. "ater will flow into the 81, Fran
rr,meF bottom and be carried off nv that
a pure ~, bul every idea Is so far based
as ola.,, injury as within the memory oil
iaovn ~ settler such flood was never
Il s,n, sore With breaks in Arkapsa;
! no ,au Uaci' Nodena and Laniar's, there
,r,mpls,,hs how this vast quantity OF
Il Mil ING water Is to be carried off
!s.y MIA IKE an uninterrupted course Of
N sn,al Ms TO the west and great fears
lie Intss,1a'hed for the people living In
o. @, ror whom the boats can not sue
hiou ans 1t is now that death, desc
tpene :, obstruction will follow III,
ur dey.,ne aeluge. and that time alone
hr Ia icy ,he disaster which viii fol