Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-05

crevasse above the town is still slowly
creeping toward the caves OF the sub
merged buildings, and il storm should
fall upon the stricken town no power
on earth could save it from being wiped
OFF the map.
Bolivar county is an ocean. Scarcely
a spot Of ground large enough for COW
TO stand upon rises above the overflow
except along the levees, and these are
crowded with wrtched, homeless, refu-
gees, their starving cattle and their
piles of household goods. OF d popu-
latiOn of over 700, probably no more
than a half hundred remain IN their
homes. The flood sufferers from the
outlying country brought in by brave
citizens at the risk of their own lives,
are now crowded in the second hoors
of the substantial houses that dety the
overflow. The Court House, that STANDS
on the highest point in town, Is the
refuge for at least score OF tamllleS'
white and black, and the depot or the
Y. & NJ. V. R. r. is crowded to suffo-
cation with families who have no nome
but such as charity now bestows upon
them. Many colored families are now
being cared for by the white citizens
of Rosedale, but it is doubtful If the
generosity can continue for any great
length of time.
The white people of the town are in
fair way to run out Of provisions them
selves. and if the crops cannot be plant
ed. as now seems very probable, the
whole country will need helping hand.
Bolivar county is one OF the banner
cOtton-grOwing sections OF the Delta
and the loss would be severely felt IN
the Memphis and New Orleans markets
The breaks in the levees at Dennis
Landing and at Sunny Wild, have rap
idlv overhowed all of Bolivar county
not heretofore inundated by the break
at EastOn. and the scenes at this writ
inc throughout the whole country are
of suffering. Those who fel most keenly
the present horrors of the situation are
the negroes. but the planters are doing
all in their power 10 care for and teed
their tenants. Still there are hundreds
who must trust to Providence and the
svmpathv of those who have little 10
share. A littla while ago this was the
fairest land in the South. The mowers
that blossomed in the little town OF
Rosedale rivaled in beauty ana ira
GRANGE the roses that bloomed IN the
Garden of Eden. No words can con-
vev an accurate conception OF the
horror of the calamity that has befallen
a gallant and generous people.
Tonight the water in ROsedale IS
from ; to 90 feet deep. and probably
will go several inches higher. Through
ont the whole town the confusion, de-
struction Of property and discomfort
are almost indescribable. The effect
of the water as il rolled into the town
can we'll be described in the language
of the 2-year-old baby of prominent
citizen who looked out the window
and repeated for several minutes:
Cod Almighty! What rain.
The people who haven't gone 10
Memphis and other points above over
aow are arranging to stay in the
eocond story of the houses. On the
levee. in gin houses, in the court house
and in every conceivable place ABOVE
water. are crowded the unfortunate ne
proes. who have been brought IN from
tbe county back Of the levees by re-
lief boats. ,...
The crew Of one OF the rellei oodl9
saw scenes that they will not forget IN
a lifetime. Many houses were IN wafer
to the caves and the roofs were covered
Inv men. women and children, niue
babies. chickens. hogs, dogs, household
goods-crowdad together in awful con-
The loss of human life has been
wonderfully small from the leyees ten
miles back. but it is feared that the
neople still further from the front have
not been so fortunate and that many
have found watery graves.
The break at Sunny Wild is from
400 10 1000 feet wide, and is still
widening rapidly and dlscharelhs dI
orormous volume of water. 1t surges
and rolls like breakers on the ocean
shore. The deafening roar can be
heard for two miles
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