Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-02-08
Without Food or Clothing, Flood Victims in Dire Dis
 tress, Says Col. Cross.
MANY NEGROES AT
 AT STARVATION POINT
Several Lives Lost in PcndletOn Sec tiOu, Where lpVepS Afford Only Ground for Thousands Driven
 From Their Homes.

marOoned in that section of southeast Arkansas of which PendletOn might be called the centre, and they are all gathered on the tops of the sections of levee which have not yet crumpled into the roaring waters.
 They are all in need of food, and unless something is done for them within the next day or two, there will undoubtedly be heavy loss of life. particularly as most of them have been on the levee, short of food, poor ly clad and exposed to all the ele- ments, since the levee at Pedlcton broke before the floodwaters on Fri day last.
 Such is the substance of the story brought to Pine Bluff last evening by Col. J. c. Cross. owner of big plan- taton al Pendleton. and one of the best known men in all southeast Arr kansas.
 Col Cross came up the river on the Lightwood, leaving that vessel about Youngstown with Jos. c. Meyer, and coming into Pine Bluff by auto. The Lightwood was moving slowly up the river toward Pine Bluff, impeded by the heavy current, and is due to arr rive today. taf
 Col. Cross told graphic story of the experiences of the flood sufferers in the Pendleton section. as we'll as of the condition generally prevailing all along the river. from Cummins to the mouth of the Mississippi.
 Vast Sea of Water.
 "It is virtually one vast sea of wa ter" he said, from the state farm all the way to the Mississippi. At Cummins, the levee is broken in one strip more than mile long, and all the buildings are gone except two or three at the lower end of the farm. The levee is holding only 150 feet from these buildings, and 1t is gradu- ally crumbling,. so that they will eventually go, also, it is feared. sii
 Tn the Pendleton section, however, the conditions are worse than at any other point along the river. We have had no means of communication, no beats or trains, no telegraph or tele- phone wires, and have been cut of from the outside worli. Our negroes are at the point of starvation, having subsisted SO far on the supplies the white planters have been able to fur nish. l had about 200 hogs on, my place, and my boys are furnishing hog meat to the refugees, as we'll as other food supplies. The boys have just sent up a big order to Pine Bluff for more supplies. and we are doing all we can.
 We people at Pendlston believe we should get little help from Pine Bluff people, especially as learn . flood relief fund is being raised here. We do not want to appear selfish, but we certainly need help as badly as any other section, and we consider Pine Bluff our center, as we do all our trading here. I am sure when the people of Pine Blum learn of our very critical condition, they will respond generously to our appeal"
 Negroes Lose Everything.
 Col Cross stated that most of the negro men were at work on the le-. wees, trying to hold them against the water, when the break occurred. When the levee did break, the negroes sought to save their own individual property. but they were too late. The flood waters overlook them and they had all they could do to seek places of safety for themselves and their families.
 There were several lives lost In the Pendleton section, negroes and white men alike, but the greatest dane ger is among the refugees gathered on the river, who have come for miles around. The levees are wet, and are. unsafe places of refuge, at this time. with such strong current, and with water on all sides to keep them sat- urated and soft, and likely to sink into the river at any time.
 Among the settlements besides Pen-i dleton which are submerged are Wat son, Pea Ridge and ''Negrotown," ac7 cording to Col. Cross, who said plan- tations are under water which all, ways heretofore have been high and dry. His own plantation never before. was submerged, yet this flood has covered it with water of considerable depth. Col Cross has about 4OOas acres of cultivated and high-value0 cotton land submerged, and said that in the immediate Pendleton country 10000 acres of hieh-grade cotton lAN6l has been transformed into veritabie' lake. s#Ss.. Hss tcontinusa on pags ks