Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-05-31

I Sd o. IoWA anu AbiHT1 anu uNk1 Ai'at
down the stream. carrying a pair OF
buzzards those scavengers who have
so much work 70 do after the floods
have receded II Is a terrible and a
melancholy sight
For those people who dwell al
ways within sight OF a hill or a rise
OF ground. the terribleness OF the
/ flood waters IN flat lands Is hard 10
understand After the levees ave
been broken. o. waters spread over
/ thousands and thousands Of acres.
and trees and RATS are the only re-
fuge OF the people and their stock
The suffering In the towns is grea
but n Is IN the inundated lowlanfs
away from the towns on the plania-
tlons. that one finds the real TRACE
dies
The Great Flood Of 1882.
This picture OF the Lower Missis-
ippi IN flood time. and the desoa-
ton OF the inundated flats. has rarely
been better done anywhere. II was
written by one who was on a dispatch
boat In the great foundations Of 1882.
Ascending on the left. a flood was
pouring In through and over the
levees on the Chandler plantation, the
most northern point IN Point Coupee
parish The water completely covered
/ the place. although the leyees had
given way but a short time before
The stock had been gathered in
large flatboat. the animals were hud-
died together waiting for a boat TO
tow them off On the right hand side
OF the river Is Turnbulls Island and
was pronounced one Of the most fer
tile In the state The water has
hitherto allowed Il 10 20 scot free
IN usual floods. but now broad sheets
OF water told us only where fields
were The top Of the protective lev
90 could D" seen here and there but
nearly an of 10 was submerged
Th" trees have put on a greener
foliage since the water has poured
TO-. and the woods look bright and
fresh. but this pleasant aspect 10 the
eve Is neutralized by the intermina-
BILE waste OF water. We pass mile
after mile. and Il is nothing but trees
standing up 10 their branches in the
water \ water-turkey now and again
rises and flies ahead into the long
avenue Of silence \ progue some
times Tits from the bushes on its
way out 10 the Mississippi, but the
sad faced paddlers never turn their
heads 20 look az our boat The puff
inc OF the boat is music In this gloom
which affects one most curiouslv II
Is not the gloom Of deep forests or
dark caverns. but peculiar kind OF
solemn silence and impressive awe
that holds one 10 It's recognition We
passed two negro families on a raft
tied mp In the willows this morning
They were evidently OF the well-to-do
class, as they had supply Of meal
Their RATS were about twenty feet
square. and I'm front Of an improyised
shelter earth had been placed. on
which they built their fire. -
on Thursday number were taken
out OF trees and off cabin roofs. many
vet remaining.
Handicap j. One of Years.
one does not appreciate the sight
of earth until he has travelled through
a flood ~ sea one does not expect
10 look for ~. but here, with flut-
tering leaves shadowy forest asles.
house tops barely visible. II il expect
ed. s graveyard II the mounds were
above water. would be appreciated.
The river here is known only be-
cause there is an opening In the trees /
and that is all. n Is In width from
Fort Adams on the left bank OF the
Mississippi 10 the bank Of Rapids
Parish. a distance OF about sixty
miles.
This then Is the gloom of the
water which comes up and floods 'he I
flat lands The story of suffering
and loss is told jn figures of millions
OF dollars. but that scarcely gets to
the heart OF n. The negro squatters
and small farmers IN outlying dis |
trirts, who must save everything by I
themselves. see nearly an they have /
carried away. and must wait for the
waters 10 reccde 20 start again. han I
dicapped FOR years After the waters
comes the pestilential mud and the
evidences of death The huzzards +
wheeling continually above the viii
low trees in the bottoms tell much OF
the story OF what the Mississippi has
done In its flood-tlme."