The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-03-20
DEATH AND DEVASTATION
HUNDREDS OF PERSONS HAVE PER
ISHED IN WESTERN FLOODS.

Waters of the Mississippi and Tributary
Streams Still Rising o # Acres
Submerged-Levees Patrolled Hourly by
Armed Men Ready to Shoot Any Miscre-
ant Who Attempts to Cut EmbanEinents.
Memphis, Tenn, March ia further
half inch rise in the Mississippi means
devastation of property. and probably
a loss of life unequalled in the flood
history of this section. The rise is
threatened because rain is still falling.
Seventeen persons are reported
drowned fifty miles below Caruthers-
vile, Mo.
A stretch of country from point
seventy miles north of Memphis to
point fifty miles south of this city Is
submerged in places to depth Of ten
feet. The fertile valleys of Tennessee
and Arkansas are completely mum
dated and many lives have been lost,
much stock has been drowned, fencing
and dwellings have been swept away
and the inha bitants are destitute and
homeless.
Reports from tributary streams show
rains and rapidly rising rivers, foods
from which will soon be emptied into
the Mississippi, adding to the danger
when hurled against the already weak
ened levees. The levees are patrolled
hourly by armed and desperate men,
provided with sandbags to strengthen
weak places or to close theatened crew
asses and rifles to shoot down any mis-
creant who would venture to cut the
embankment and allow the water on
his plantation to find vent into the low
lands of his neighbor
| The floods now partake of the nature
of deluge. AS far as the eye can see
| nothing but water meets the gaze.
| Six hundred people were rescued yes
terday on the Arkansas side Of the riv-
| er and taken to Memphis, but there are
| flood districts so situated that relief
| boats cannot reach the stricken ones.
| On Island No. 80 one hundred suffer-
ers and considerable live stock were
rescued by the steamer Itasca. Neith-
er man nor beast had tasted food for
over twenty-four hours. Human beings
and helpless brutes are huddled togeth-
| er awaiting assistance all along the
Iron Mountain and Kansas City, Fort
Scott and Gulf tracks.
| Five hundred people were forced to
flee from the foods in Dyer and Obion
counties, Tennessee.
/ The steamer City of Osceola arrived
from above this afternoon and reported
the towns Of Ashport and Gold Dust
entirely submerged The vessel
brought sixty refugees rescued from
| the water.
There We're four additional cases Of
| drowning across from Memphis to-day,
/ two men, woman and her infant.
| Gavin, Ark, March 19.-For many
! miles the country is flooded and the
| water is up to the Iron Mountain
| tracks. Hundreds of section hands are
striving to keep it back. At every sta
tion the negroes are gathering waiting
| to be taken away
The list of fatalities is said to be long.
William Cartright and William Cox
working on Judge Hodges farm, at
Rosebud Island, lost their lives Thurs
day by the upsetting of a "dug-out.''
Jake Carly and Charles Barkley were
drowned at Gavin. A colored woman
/ just arrived from below reports the
1 death Of six persons.
A mountain Of household goods is pill
ed UP at every railroad station. Whites
and negroes beg for help from every
train crew. Houses along the road are
submerged to the roofs. Cattle stand
In the fields with only heads above the
water. Corpses of hogs and cows are
washed up by the water.