The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-12-07
AN INSATIATE RIVER.
HOW THE MISSISSIPPI SOMETIMES
EATS UP REAL ESTATE.

Captain King of Greenville Tells How
the Father of Waters Swallowed Several
Thousand Dollars Worth of His Property
In One Night.
"No use talking, the Mississippi river ID
the most contrary thing on earth,' re.
marked Captain S. II. King Of Grcenville,
Miss. "During the civil war, it will be
remembered, there was a double bend,
much in the shape Of the letter S, Of the
river at Vicksburg. General Grant, yot
know, wanted to change the course Of the
river by cutting q channel through De
Soto peninsula, thus cutting off the upper
bend and causing the river to flow straight
across below Vicksburg and leaving the
town high and dry. Grant could then
have sent his gunboats by Vicksburg and
escaped the Smelling from tho upper bat
teries Of the Confcderates north Of the
town. He put General McClernand and
several thousand men to work at cutting
this channel across the peninsula In front
Of the town, and they worked for some
time, Notwithstanding the harassment
from the lower batteries Of the enemy.
But tho contrary river wouldn't show the
least desire of accepting such an artificial
channel anyway. The plan was finally
abandoned and Grants gunboats had to
make the run before both the upper and
lower batteries. But in 1876 the Missis.
sippi river, Of its own accord, cut its way
across De Soto peninsula below Vicks
burg, but farther up than Grants artificial
channel was started. De Soto peninsula
Is now Do Soto island, and the body Of
water in front of Vicksburg is now known
as Centennial lake, taking the name from
the year that the Centennial was held at
Philadelphia. This Is only ono of many
instances showing how the Mississippi re
fuses to submit to the dictation of civil
engineers and how it follows lite own stub
born course, winding and washing Ito
way here and there at its own will.
"By the way, tho Mississippi washed
several thousand dollars out Of my pocket
In one night about 10 years ago. At that
time I owned a row of houses which began
almost three blocks away from the river
in G~reenyille, Miss. One day q govern.
ment engineer said to me, The river will
some time wash away its bank here, and
your buildings will tumble in
"Well, I laughed at him. The bank
was 70 feet high, and, besides, tho river
was quito low. One morning I awoke to
learn that there had been a big cave In of
the river bank tho night before, and thot
o couple Of my buildings had been carried
away. I Joined the crowd Of people that
rushed to the river bank to see this de-
struction, and, I tell you, 1 never aP'
preoiated the terrible power OF the Father
Of Waters until I witnessed this scene.
While 1 was standing there talking with
friends another big slice Of land, a block
In width, crumbled away and fell into the
river, carrying with it several more of my
buildings. You al imagine how felt,
because I had been drawing an income OF
81, 900 a month in rentals from my build.
ings. Now over half Of them were a mass
Of debris floating down the river, and my
real estate was only so much dirt In tbs
bottom Of the channel.
Gas stood there watching my build
ings and ground slip away into the river
q citizen approached me and said, Cap
tain, I'll give you $1,000 for the remain
der Of your property
mo, LII not tAke Aees taan SS'ooo'
said 1.
"The words had no more than left my
tongue when there was another cave IN,
and two more of my lots and buildings
tumbled into the greedy river. The citizen
| then remarked to me, Captain, I'll give
you 81, 900 for your property now.'
81 refused to entertain this proposition,
| which, Of course, was q pure speculation,
as no human agency could stop the cave
in. Pretty soon another one of my lots
and its building went into the river, and
my speculative friend then offered me $500
for the remainder of my property. By this
| time I had concluded to trust to u and
stand all losses, and I refused to sell at
any price. I now had one lot and one
building left. During the excitement an
old colored woman came up and said to
me:
"'See beah, cap'n, will ye give me dem
brick what's in dat cellar under yer
house9'
at told her she could have tho brick. ]
had q pile Of new brick In the cellar under
my only remaining house. The old col.
ored woman gave her husband % cents
to hire O team and wagon to haul away
the brick. Now, upon my word Of honor,
what I am now going to say is true.
| While the old colored man was gone for q
| wagon another cave in occurred, and my
last house and lot, brick and cellar and
all, tumbled into the river. The cave In
came so suddenly that the crowd of people
| standing on the bank had to flee for their
lives. After the excitement had somewhat
subsidized the old colored woman exclaimed:
CLAWS O. massyl Dere's my brick In
de bottom O. de ribber, an I done los my
quatah.'
"Of course, while the old woman was
| out 25 cents, I was out another $1,000.
| During this series Of cave ms that day
efforts were being made to place a long
frame store building on rollers and move
Ii to O place Of safety. But before the
building could be raised 1t began to tilt,
and the men were compelled to desert 1t.
Soon the store building slid into the river
and went kerchug to the bottom OF the
channel, as completely out Of sight as If 1t
had been the only pebble on the beach,
"In my opinion the Mississippi river Is
all right-when it doesn't come my way. !
built O nice residence in Greenyille several
years ago and had q beautiful flower be.
decked lawn between the house and the
river, which was q block away. That lawn
has long since been swallowed by the 70.
racious nav Of the Mississippi, and today
- -zztl~.1 - rt.,lc IN tho nlOn Of q hank