Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-07-14
MANY ARE STARVING.
FEARFUL CONDITIONS CAUSED
6Y TEXAS FLOODS.
People ofthe Braxo. Valley Face peoth
by Famine and Flood-Fully Three
Hundred Negroes orc Known to
Have Pcrished.

The total number of lives known to
have been lost in the Brazos and Colo
RADIO river floods, that are spread over a
great area of central and southern Texas,
IS fully 3OO. There are unauthenticated
reports of many more cases of drowning.
Nearly all of the victims were negroes,
who refused to heed the warning of the
Impending overflow and seek higher
ground.
In Ruriescn County a party of twenty
two water-bpund negro men, women and
children were rescued from tree tops.
where they had been stationed for two
days. They We're in IL furnished condition.
The water is subsiding along the upper
source OF the BRACES, but is still rising
near the gulf. 1t is now many feet above
the highest water mark ever known. In
Waller County there is great d%cstitution
among the sufferers and appeals have
been sent to the mayors of all the larger
cities of the State for aid in the way of
clothing and food. Through railroad traf.
tic on ali the principal roads of the State
is still suspended. Gov. Savers received
a telegram signed by Il committee of citi-
zens of Fulshcar, Fort Send County. say
ing that thousands of people in that coun-
~ u ~ lIlS illll tilDDUGlIuE LOT lIlIsl(Nll-
ate aid.
twenty-five counties are submerged to
q greater or less extent. and thousands of
acres of cotton lands are under water.
The loss of cotton Weld is estimated at
from 15.0oO to 10000 bales in each coun-
tE. enta,ling II monetary loss of fully $751;
ooO,OoD. 1t is estimated that the damage
to other Property, including loss of live
stock. will approximate $1,OOO,UDO max
ing Il total due to the floods of S15,OOO,-
600.
Terrible stories of dcStitution and dis
tress. of hunger and death. to come i'll
from the il"od-swcpt belt. In the BrnZos
river bottom near Brookshirc. Il station on
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway,
th!rty-eight miles from Houston, comes
an appalling account. The meagcr dis
patches received from there state that in
the Erazu> bottom men. women and chill
dren are lodged in trees and are dying
from hunger and exhaustion. Hundreds
of people. mostly negroes. are the victims.
Around Brookshirc people are hudhled
like sheep on little knobs and in other
places of temporary safety.
n report received at Fort Worth by tel
-ephonc from south Texas Hood points
gives additional appalling accounts of the
disaster frausht by the unprecedented
flooding of the Rrazos river. Fully 300
lives have been lost near Sealcy, at IL
point called The Mound. The spot is a
small upland entirely surrounded by the
raging waters. extending three or four
miles i'll all directions. On this spot were
congregated 300 negroes. The waters
seemed To he closing in on them, With no
avenue OF escape. On another small
match If pnty1 1,,e h, x1,. ,;,.,. ..-.,
Brookshirc. was another bunch of 400
negroes. who were in danger of being
swept away. The situation. the dispatches
say. is trightful and people are panic
stricken and unable to lena the unfor.,,-
nate ones siccor of any kind. From indi-
cations the loss of life will reach 800. un-
less imprisoned negroes are given assist
-ancc.
Reports received from Calvert and
Brookshire, 100 miles down the river
from Calvert. portray IA fearful state of
desolat!on and suffering. particularly
among the plantation negroes hemncd in
by the raging torrents. The river is seven
feet higher than ever before. and the LASH
ing. leaping waters cover an eNpanSe of
more than five miles. Plantations along
the river. near Hearnc, are all under waf-
er and crops practically ruined. 1t has
rained continuously for eight days
throughout the flooded districts. the glcnt-
est rainfall since 1912. when IL similar dis
astcr befcll the people along the Brazos
river and hundreds were drowned.
Tho War Department has granted the
request of the Governor of Texas for aid
for food sufferers. Such Government
boats as are available will he placed at
the disposition of the Governor. and the
ratlons asked will he issued ut once.