The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-08
GREAT FLOOD IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER,
THREATENED OVERFLOW OF
TOWNS AND CITIES.

| AL Previous Records arc Broken
Destruction, Suffering and Death
| in the Flooded Observation-Disclosures
Spots in Danger OF Being Swept
Away.
New ORLEANS, La, March 3O.-In
the next few days tho greater part OF
the YazoO Delta, tho fertile lands
along the Mississippi, and containing
population OF l50,O persons, will be
under water after tho most desperate
light ever made against tho mighty
river. The Yazoo Delta levecs were
supposed to bo tho strongest and best
in the rivor, having resisted numerous
Hoods. For the past few weeks 10000
men have hoen at work on them. The
State Of Mississippi lent tho people all
the assistance in itspOwer, and sent the
penltcntiary convicts to the l9vees TO
help hold them, and the Illinois Cen
tral and other railroads gave their aid
also.
Up to Sunday 1t was buliovcd that
the ievccs could be hold, but on Sunday
lhc first break occurred 1T Dcrrti I'D
plantation, seven miles below Green
vile. Yesterday followed Il second
break u, Porths hire. Last night and
to-day two more arc nearly oppus t.
Arkansas City, at Mound and Stops
Lanuipy. These CrcvaSses are now each
from 900 to 1000 feet wide, and pour
ing II stream nearly rs large as the
Hudson into tao Tazoo delta. The
water from the three crcvasscs have
met in one volume, and arc now pour
ing over plantation after plantation
and emptying into the Sunflower and
4aZOO rivers.
The inhabitants are fleeing for their
lives, leaving all behind. Cattle, horses
and other live stock are drowning by
the thousands, and honscs and barns arc
being washed away like driftwood 1t
Is estimated that fully 1000 people
arc already homeless and at the mercy
OF charity. The waters have already
reached fifteen miles inland, and the
destruction OF hundreds Of more farm
houses is inevitable.
Harvey Kiermer and two sons, who
att 'mptru to save some stock, had
tholr boat overturned and were drown
ed. 1T is also reported that Mrs. John
Marshall and son, who were alone
in Il hut two miles from the break
were unable to escape and were
drowned.
Tho historic plantations OF Jefferson
Davis and his brother. Joseph Davis,
SIX miles below Wick sburg, are doomed
t. become sea Of water aud drstruc-
zion. SiXty-two miles be low Vicks-
ourg, is the historic plantation OF Gen
eral Iachariab Taylor. With tn,
threatened rise Of three more feet it
goods are being removed and the
stock driven to places OF safety. The
little church upon the plantation, in
which Jr II Davis WAS married to Cen
eral Tayior's daughter, is threatened
with destruction. The water has sur.
rounded it to the depth Of two feet.
JACKSON, March 30-From the great
Iazuo delta comes wall of distress
nnd the cry Of "thc levees have
broken" is heard throughout our val
ley Of the Nile. Three fresh breaks
have been reported today and through
these immense volumes Of water are
carrying destruction to thousands Of
happy homes and devastating as fertile
territory as is to be found on the
globe. So far no loss Of life except 10
dcmcstic animals has been reported,
but it may be by moi ming, as the great
n ounGs Of Garth which protect thr
nOurishmg cities Of Grccnvillc, Rose
daic, StuuUvillc, ArcOia, Friar's Point,
Rolling EDrk and Others are water
soak. d, mushy and liable TO give way
at any mGmcht.
The four b: caks that have occurred
have II mdCd, or will IL ,Od before re ;,cn-
ny tn 4sZoo, perhaps Il week hence,
the countj'a If Bolivar, Washington,
Snarkcy, IaZiO and portions % otncr-
in which are comprised the finest cot
ton farms N tie world. In this over
flowed strict, the State has lcas"d d
~ "a,
ncr COED, ablc-podicd cunvic's she was
pro pairing TO make another crop Of
cotton ANDY corn, The latter being in
.iuc condition. The greatest cohcr,u is
for the city OF Grronviiic, which,
situated as II is, in the ioiiow Of 4,
crrsc, nj formed by tie bend OF the
river and surrounded by it on two
SIDES would be wiped out Oi exist nee
sh0u u !. break occur in the immcdiat,
vicinity. The streets OF the city are
IL 'e"t below the summit Of the lcvcc,
20 that 81 break once fOrm' d, thrrc
would be no way of stopping Lne Ma.
CARA, and every house in the place
would be swept from itsf0undations and
the rcmaing inhabitants hurled into
eternity. Fearing such q catastrophe,
tHose who could have migrated to the
nils, but thousands still remain.
nv ~ SohS oCCuifcu lOuaY are
both above and below Greenville, II
and rs miles above, so that the water
will pass to the rear OF the city. The
streams on the delta all low from the
river and down the opposite side Of the
valley. Tho topographyiof the country
is level but eloping cast, away from
the river for 40 miles in some places to
the Yazoo, and it is down this stream
tho overflow water must go to again
reach the Miss issippi. Is or 100 miles
south Of where it had left it.. Thousands
Of people, white and black, still line
tho lcvces and arc making q desperate
effort to hold what remains. 1t is a
life and death struggle and for this rca,
son there is no rest night or day. The
question has been asked today, docs
IT pay to maintain tho great leveC
system and old farmers declare it does
not. that life and business were more
certain 40 years ago when no one cx
pectcd anything but an overflow and
| n e fNI,,,,rh IN.,1,