The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-15
All Of the Surrounding Country Has Also
Been Inundated.
The PROSPECTS ARB FOR ANOTHER RAIN.
Town Crowded with Refugees Reported
the People Are Making the Best Of It--A Body
Recovered Near Bastrop.

wharton, Texas, April 14.--wharton, ex-
Dept for one section tvrctor's addition)
IL under water. The town Is divided IN
four parts by caney creek. which Joins
the river. flowing through four streets.
Beyond the depot is solid sheet Of water
az far rs the eye can reach. All the land
for eight miles around the western part
OF Wharton is under water. Cattle were
removed from the high ridge OF land which
rises an island OF about a quarter Of >
mile in extent. and they had TO swim In
water about sixty feet from the depot.
1t is the general opinion that the high
graded enibankment OF the railroad saved
the town. as it checked the advance OF
Caney. The water is stlil so high that
1t is impossible TO walk on the washed
out cuIvert. SO freight and passengers
Will continue to be transferred. The river
seems 10 be. on standstiil. but Caney
rose four inches last night. and Is still
slowly rising.
The last few days have been rare
source OF enjoyment, about dozen barges
are ahOat on Caney, filled with joyous
freight OF merry lads and lassies. The
energies of young America have also
turned many dime by rowing passengers
across the water
The people of Wharton are determined
to look on the bright side and are resolved
to at once repair all damage done by the
flood. With all the water over the coun-
ty there is only one death reported, that
of Ben Mathis (not William Wallace)
which took place yesterday. Quite a
number Of families have abandoned their
homes, and the hotels and high places in
town are crowded.
All kind OF reports are coming In and
excitement is high; business aud work oil
all kind Is suspended, and the people
en- masse can be found closely watching
the river. Old settlers arc surrounded by
interested crowds iisiening to tales OF
bygone rises, especially the one OF o.
Just thirty-one years ago. The present
rise will furnish the century's record
with the highest water mark in thu
memory OF Whartons oldest nhabitant.
AT noon today it Is cloudy and seems to
promise heavy rain before night. The
Post is In great demand, and wac brought
across the washed out culvert by the
young circulator, r. r. Linn. aud a..
trihuted sometime before the mail could
be transferred, Great anxiety is felt as
TO whether the river Will iise or fall The
next few hours will tell the story. The
negro refugees housed In tho cotton gins
are happy and content and view the loss
Of their property with the proverblai
philosophy of their race The whole
negro settlement beyond the depot Is COM
pletely submerged aud deserted
The relief crew who went 10 the as
sistanoe OF William Lanpert yesterday
found his home under water but he re-
fused to abandon It. said he was not
efraid, and the crew were obliged to leave
fim; no tidings have been heard from
him since. Matagorda county. wherein
is situated the new townste OF Van
Week, has been spared the general fato
of this part Of the Colorado territory, and
has escaped the fate of Wharton--evea
the eastern part OF Wharton has bees
more fortunate.