The San Francisco call., 1899-07-09

@osQSsQSsEt5SO6t0cS0 81 ~ ost~'os'-os'''6s'-'ot'
vices from Richmond, Fort Bend Coun-
ty, received here this evening, states
that the work of distributing the
20. 600 Government ratiOns, which ar
rived here last night from Fort Sam
Houston. was carried on all day and
will be continued all night, in order to
relieve the terrible pangs of hundreds
of refugees who are being constantly
brought into the stricken town from
the outlying inundated districts.
The distribution of supplies is In
charge of State Ranger Captain l.. +.
SEEKER and two privates. Many OF the
people who We're supplied with rations
to-day had been wholly without food
for three days. In their weakened
condition they could hardly stand and
some of them had to be lifted into the
boats.
Governor Sayers was notified to-day
that the 10000 rations at Richmond
will not be sufficient to relieve the SUI
fering at that place and that further
aid is necessary.
Some remarkable incidents occurred
during the great rise of Brazos. henry
Leffort. a well-to-do white planter, Nv
ing in the bottoms east of Custer. Bra
zoria County, was at home with his
family when his house was swept
away. The place had been SURROUNDED
bv water before they were aware OF
their danger.
The house was a two-story structure,
and as it was carried down stream, Mr.
Leffort. wife and children made their
vav to the bedroom, a second floor
room. by crawling through hole cut
with a hatchet. The building was car
ried down stream over two miles, In
tact and in an upright position, and
finally lodged against two large cot
tonwood trees, where 1T has Wlthstood
the ravages of the flood UP TO this time.
Mr.. Leffort and family were rescued
to-day When found he and his fam
lily were living on the roof of the house,
making the best of the situation. BY
diving he had managed to obtain pro-
visions from the first floor and they
had not suffered for food
Numerous other incidents of an
equally remarkable nature are related
by reliable parties. Thomas B. ORA
vert. an experienced and prominent cot
ton man, arrived here this afternoon
from a four days trip through the
flooded region. He made careful in
vestigation of the results of the inun-
dation on the cotton crop, and he says
that in his opinion the loss will amount
to fully so per cent of the cotton yield
in Central and South Texas. The corn
crop loss is about so per cent. Mr.. Dra-
vert stated that the extent of the de-
vastation cannot be imagined. A visit
to the stricken region is necessary in
order to fully realize the direful effects
of the terrible food.
Colonel L. NJ. Oppenheimer, an ex-
tensive tobacco planter Of Montgomery
County, was here to-day. He estimates
that the heavy rains and high waters
have caused a loss of from 80 to so per
cent of the tobacco crop. The several
hundred leased State penitentiary con-
victs who We're employed on sugar cane
plantations in Fort Bend County that
are now covered to a depth of several
feet of water were removed to higher
ground before the great rise came. Nc
information was received to-day from
the Harlem penitentiary farm, which is
under water.
Governor Sayers received a telegram
this afternoon from County Judge E. P
Curry of Washington County, stating
that there are about 1000 destitute peo-
pie in that county.
A telegram was received from S. R
Blake of Belleville, Austin County, stat
ing that the people of that town have
fed 1000 people in the past three days
and that the donations are exhausted
The same telegram states that there
are 1900 destitute people gathered at q
point north of Sealy.
George D. Neal of Navasota notified
the Governor that there are 800 flood
sufferers at that place in absolute need
These are only a few of the many
kilograms received telling of destitu-
tion and hunger.
The Governor is directing the dis
tribution of money and supplies
Among the cash contributions received
by him to-day were the following:
From the Mayor of Boston, Mass.
s3S00; from the NJ. and T. Railway
$1,000; from the National Enameling
and Stamping Company of New York
City, $1,000; from the Hamilton Brown
Shoe Company of St. Louis, $500. Sew
eral thousand dollars were received
from the Mayors of Texas cities. Near
ly 10000 of the Government rations
which arrived at Richmond last night
have been exhausted, and at the pres
ent rate all Of the 10000 rations will be
given out by tomorrow night
Refugees are coming to Richmond In
boats from all neighborhood communi-
ties, and in another day several
thousand will be congregated there de-
pendent wholly on charity.