Sharp County record., 1907-01-18
Heavy Rains Cause Great Damage.

Heavy Rains Cause Great Damage
The heavy rains throughout Central
Arkansas recently, were the worst
known in many years. The worst
damage seems to have been done IN
the vicinity of Little Rock and Hot
Springs. The two cities are practical
ly isolated because of the many wash
puts on the railroads entering the two
cities. Many families in the bottom
lands have been driven from their
homes. Hundreds of head OF cattle,
hogs and live stock have been drowned
and reports are expected of loss of hui
man life. Fourche bottom, south OF
Little Rock, is filled with water and
water has backed up into number
of houses along the southern border
of the city.
No report has been received OF loss
of life as a result of the flood, but It
is feared in the southern part OF the
city that one or two negroes who live
near the Fourche river may have been
lost. One old negro lives alone on
an island at the junction of Fourche
creek and Fourche river and reports
are to the effect that when last seen
he was on top of his house with no
possibility of getting to the bank on
either side. Another negro was re-
ported to have been sighted in a tree
near this point. The stream at this
place is two or three miles wide and
is deep enough to hide all but the tops
Of trees. No attempt has been made
to cross in boats at any point other
than along the Iron Mountain right OF
way.
Both the Rock Island and the Iron
Mountain railroads have been badly
tied up as far as service into Little
Rock is concerned. Neither road at
tempted to run any freight trains.
The Iron Mountain was in worse con-
dition than the Rock Island, as its
lines in three out of the four direc-
tions in which they run were out OF
commission. Train service both north
and south on the main line was at a
standstill, owing to the washouts, and
the same condition prevailed on the
line between Little Rock and Pine
Bluff. The only branch of the Iron
Mountain on which there was train
service was the Fort Smith road,
and trains arrived and departed
over that line close to schedule time.
The first estimate of damage sus-
tained by Hot Springs has been re-
duced by later reports. 1t is believed
now that it will not exceed $4,000,
although this estimate may be in
creased when detailed reports are re-
ceived.
A report which has been in circula-
ton that the Gardner bridge across
Ouachita river, recently constructed
at cost of 100000, was washed away,
cannot be verified. There have also
been many reports of lives lost, but
they are untrue.
Nearly every business house on
Central avenue, the main thorough
fare of the city, has been damaged
from $4,000 to $4,000. The greatest
loss has been sustained by the street
car company. The tracks for a con-
siderable distance on Wilmington
avenue have been washed out and the
grandstand box seats at Wilmington
park have been washed away. Both
Wilmington and Government parks
have been badly torn up. Many trees
have been uprooted and washed away
in Government park.
No mails were received for several
days, on account of washouts.
Black river in the vicinity of Poca-
hontas is rising rapidly and record
breaking overflow is predicted by old
river men. All the mills along the
river have closed down and will not
resume work for three weeks If 1t
does not rain anymore. At least
twenty-five per cent of the cotton
along the river, which has not been
gathered, will be completely destroyed,
The tracks of the Frisco are washed
out and the local trains north from
Pocahontas are discontinued for the
present. The water is over the tracks
for. a distance of several hundred
Yards and it cannot be determined
lust how bad the washouts are.
Just how much damage has been
done to bridges and highways in the
section visited by the heavy rains, and
the swift rise of the rivers and
streams, is not accurately known, but
the money loss will be considerable.
Arkansas Prosperous In 1906.
The entire state of Arkansas en-