The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-14
CONDITIONS AT SAN FELIPE.
A REVIEW OF THE INCIDENTS OF
THE LATE FLOOD.
Negroes Who Had Sought Refuge on
the Mound Refused to
Leave It.

San Felipe. Texas. July l3.-First, lei
the situation at San Felipe be fully ex.
planned. There has been naturally, more
or less confusion. not TO say misstate-
ments. in the mass OF reports from the
Brazos overlooked districts San Felipe
has both local habitation and name. "
| yet nearly all OF the news from here fol-
the past week has been credited to Sealy,
! which Is high and dry, Ave miles from the
Brazos. San Felipe Is right on the river,
though the old town proper is above the
damaged district.
AS soon as the disasters OF the food
were realized, the San Felipe town corpo-
ration. which is the Oldest municipal cor
poration perhaps in Texas. met and In a
systematic, business way went to work
to meet as much as possible the exigencies
OF the situation. One hundred and fifty
dollars were appropriated and Dr. ]. S.
Davidson, W. l.. Gray and II. Dittert
made the executive committee to receive
and apply the money and relief contribu-
tons. This committee took in charge the
care of the sufferers from Mill Creek seven
miles up the Brazos. down TO the Pitts
farm, three miles below here assigning
the Mill Creek section to Bellville and the
bottoms below the Pitts place 10 sealy. the
tenants and farmers of this location do
ing their trading, for the most part, with
the merchants of Sealy. The San Felipe
district, taking in both sides of the river
In Waller county. as well as Austin coun-
ty-mostly in Waller county, however,
was estimated at about 1000 in need OF
help Mill Creek and above, in the Bell
Vile district, about two-thrds tbs num-
Der; southeast Of Sealy, one-third of this
estimate. Wallis is south and, with gener-
Gus help, is caring for her own stricken
ones. With the $3.50 appropriated by the
town council of San Felipe, relief is being
given In Offering work TO the refugees IN
improving the cemetery and repairing the
corporation bridges and streets. Besides
this, 1900 government retions were re-
ceived at Sealy. two thirds OF which were
prorated to San Felipe; $500 in money, a
carload of supplies from Greenville, and
two sacks of -four and clothing from
Sealy to San Felipe.
The Mound" OF refugees on DR.. Ross
plantation in Waller county, is one and
a half miles from San Felipe, six and half
miles from Sealy and thirteen miles from
Brookshire. For days Dr.. Ross and his
family gave of their home supplies 10 the
panic-stricken rabble huddled there in
helplessness and horror DR.. Davidson, DR..
Ross sonin-law. made daily trips to the
Mound in boats hastily built for the pur
pose and furnished their wants in CLOTH |
ing, food and medicine.
They refused to leave the mound OF
sand, partly through fear of the raging
torrents around them. partly because they
would not trust their household stuff-what |
little they had-guarded there 10 the care
Of their neghbors. and because darkias |
with them could have camp meeting SER
'ices and chant Psalms about Pharoah |
and the Red sea. AS TO aid going there |
from Brookshire or any other source than |
San Felipe, all statements tending to make
his impression are suppostitious.
Mr. Joseph Cleft of Pattison sent sack |
Of meal to two of his tenants of the San |
iy Holmes" place, leased by him. one |
mile below the Mound. who had fled there,
and Post correspondent. with two COM
panons, day or two after visited here
from Brookshire. carrying a sack of flour
and some bacon. the rations OF a Brazos
raftsman, who few days before the flood
had purchased these provisions ut Brook
shire for his own use. aud. learning of the
visit TO the Mound told them 10
take his grub along and give to the poor
devils.
Among the sealy visitors who came
daily to look at the turbulent waters from
The banks whore in days gone by stood the
old capitol of San Feline de Austin, was
kodak owner, who wanted to 30 and take
'iews of the Mound. but his wife was
with him and she was not willing for him
o take the chances of becoming drift
wood or catfish bait
The people here are not envlous for any
honors that may be extracted from these
ad surroundings, hut simply and in a
luiet, orderly way are trying to help the
stricken, relieve distress and give work
10 refugees as the best means of stable as
iistance. DR.. Davidson, OF his own graz
uity, has been visiting the sick con- !
tantly, furnishing them medicine. and n
mas lust ordered and received from Bren-
iam twenty-five ounces OF quinlne
The river is going down slowly and the
tench is nauseous Merchants of Houston E
ave been advised OF the nearly imme-
late want of suitable seeds for replant- \,
ms the waste places. 1t is much dreaded '.
hat foul water and decaying vegetation. !
nth gases generated in the stagnant Q
fud and pools by the hot sun, Will breed p
Iisease. {