The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1900-04-24
THE FEARFUL FLOOD.
BUSINESS ON LOWER MISSlSSIpPI
PARALNIcD
Na'il" Drowning. Cropa Ruined. Railroads
Devastated and Houses and Lumber
Floating Into tho Sea


Floating Into tho Sea
New Orleans, April 2O-,Thc food
Is now considered to hnvo reached
tho proportions Of Il gcncral calamity.
No less than five hundred water
bound travellers arc unable to rcturn
home.
Partial returns of tho damage run
into the millions The streams arc
still rising and rains continue. Tho
tic up Oh the railroads is complotc
The Illinois central, Yazoo & Missis
sippi Valley and Now Orleans &
Northeastern have been unable to
move trains since Monday. The
East Louisiana and Mobile 81 Ohio
are paralS zcd. Business is at Il
standstill on account Of lack Of mails.
New Orleans, April 2O.-Advices
from Pearlington say tho Poar river
has 'eachel tho highest mark f CO
1874 Today hetimbor booms com.
mencod breaking up and thousands
Of dollars worth OF timber floatod to
sea. All business on tho river is at
n standstill. The saw mills had to
discontinue operations. The water
has reached tho first floors of all
tho stores along the river.
Every bridge from Pearlington to
Logtown has beon swept away and
the water in tho public roads is deep
enough to swim IL horse. proplo
living on tho Louisiana slde were
forced to abandon thoir homes and
iloe to tho Mississippi side for safety
Hundreds of head Of cattle and hogs
arc drowned. Deer and other gamo
are swimming across tho rivcr at
every available point. All farms and
gardens will have to be rcplantcd.
Meridian, NTiss--Tho flood situu-
ton is growing worse with ovory re-
port. Tho town Of Hickory is in a
distressing condition. Aspccial says
it is completely surrounded. The
waters arc rising as the result Of Il
henvy rainfall last night. Hundreds
Of head Of cattle are drowned and all
fences swept away. Tho town of
Enterprise and the surrounding coun-
try arc devastated, tho waters having
been swelled last night six miles
above town by tho giving way of the
Wanita cotton mill dam, enclosing
100 acres Of water averaging dol tn
Of 10 fcot. Buildings in tho path Of
the waters wero swept from their
foundations and lost
In the Chunky rivor swamp mum
Dor Of lives arc lOSt--hOW many is,
unknown, but supposed to be many.
The property damaged is incalcu-
liable. A two foot riso Of tho waters
around Meridian was noted this morn
ing
Jackson, Miss, April 2O.--Thc
flood situation during tho past twelve
hours has shown no improvement
and railroad traffic is still badly Grip
plod by washouts and missing bridges
and it is feared tho worst is yet to
come. Tho partial schedule on the
Illinois Central road has boon sus.
pended on account Of track trouble at
Camel Back, south Of jackson, and
no trains will got through before late
tonight. : heavy rain fell last night
and Tho situation in jackson is grow
ing very serious. A largo section of
the southern part Of tho city is being
flooded by tho back water Of tho
town creek and numerous families
aro compelled to move from thoir
homes, tho household goods being
carried out in boats TO tho oact of
here, Pearl river spreads over tho
country for distance Of six miles
and tho waters are now lupping the
flooring of tho railroad and wagon
bridges on the roads into Rankin
County. The stage Of the river is
tho highest over known and tho water
continues to rise at rapid rate.
The Illinois Central ran ont its
first train this morning since last
Monday, but cannot use it's own
tracks, tho :rains being run over tho
Yazoo Il Mississippi Valley road.