Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-11
MILLIONS IN Loss,
THOUSANDS DRIVEN
|NPATH OF FLOODS.
Rivers in Three States at
Highest Stages Leave
Trail of Disaster.
BY the Associated Press

| BY the Associated Press.
| ATLANTA, Ga, December 11.-Sev-
/ eral thousand persons were homeless
| today and many more out of en-
ployment as a result of flooded rivers
| IN Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.
| railroad schedules, particularly in
lower Alabama, and Mississippi were
demoralized and property loss was
beginning to be estimated in millions.
Rivers in the three states had
reached their highest stages in many
years as a result of the heavy rains
Of the first part of the week, but
generally were receding today.
Hnttiesburg. Miss, Isolated.
Hattiesburg, Miss. was the only city
| isolated by the waters. although a
score of others were partly cut off.
Hattiesburg, Meridian, Enterprise and
Basis City. Miss; Card, Phoenix CITY
Selma, Prattville and Wetumpta. Ala,
and West Point and Columbus, Ga,
had suffered severe damage from par
tai inundation. 1t was estimated
| that 2.5G0 persons. Chi
were homeless as result of floods
around Hattiesburg and Meridian.
The refugees at Hatt.e,ba4s were
housed during the night in the court
house, schoolhouses and other public
buildings. Relief parties in skiffs were
busy all night rescuing people from then
fering among the poorer classes was
experienced, and this was Increased by
the coolest weather that has been eX-
perIenced here this winter. rescue
skif with nine negroes in it overturned,
three being drowned.
The rescue work of the flood victims
was conducted by Mayor Batson and
Sheriff HARRISON. The refugees were
brought in wagons to the courthouse
where they were fed by the Salvation
Army.
Hundreds of other residents of the
flooded sections were forced to flee,
but the loss of life was remarkably
small. Two trainmen lost their lives
Wednesday in Mississippi in wrecks
due to washouts, and two women and
soldier were drowned Tuesday night
near Atlanta when an automobile
went over damaged bridge. Later
reports were expected to add slightly
to this total, as many were known
to be marooned and suffering from
cold and hunger.
Houses Swept Away.
Houses We're swept away in West
Point, Ga, by high waters that over
flowed part of the town. The flood
gallons was rushed by the Red Cross
from Atlanta. Relief work was being
pushed there today. Many persons
| were stranded around Montgomery
ana DOatS were Delng used Tor their
| rescue.
! Five lives are known to have been
| lost-two white farmers and three
negroes.
One hundred and fifteen negro con-
victs and fifteen white guards are
marooned at convict camp No. 4; ten
| miles northeast of Montgomery. w. ID.
| Nesbit and c. r. Rogers, officials of
the state convict department. who
/ set out late yesterday afternoon in
a small motor launch in an effort to
reach camp No. 4, spent the night in
an abandoned hut and returned to the
| ,ity today. without having reached
| the prisoners. The foods are the
worst since 1885. The loss to crops
and live stock will be very large.
! The industrial center around Colum-
bus. Ga. was paralyzed today. and it
was said it would be nearly week
{ before the big cotton mills there and
on the Alabama side could resume
! operations. Street ears stopped yes
| terday in Columbus, and until last
current. The Chattahoochee at Co
lumbus reached fifty-three feet. Great
dams had been built yesterday to pro-
! tect cotton mills and other industries
| there.
Paper Misses First Issue Since 1928.
; gas shortage caused the Enquirer
| Sun to announce it would not publish
!
| established. in 1928. as it was one of
! the few southern publications that
| managed to issue during the latter
! lays of the civil war. Early today,
| however. enough gas was obtained to
! start publication.
| In Mississippi the Leaf river had
overlooked bottom lands, rendering
| hundreds homeless, and it was re-
, ported that hundreds of head Of live
stock had persisted near Laurel Wa
ter at Basic City was reported flowing
| above the top of the railroad station
| md severe damage was done at En-
| erprise.
i High waters continued around At
ANITA, and convicts and volunteers work.
! ed Wednesday night and today building
bikes to protect the city water works
/ The Chattahoochee, normally a small
! river at it's head waters, above Atlanta,
had become a raging flood and was near
" two miles wide where it passed the
| city pumping station. Creeks in this
! section also were flooded, and dam
age to roads. bridges and culverts in
| Fulton and Cobb counties was estimated
| 1T more than $780, 200.
| Car Floors Flooded.
| MACON, Ca, December 11.-South-
ern passenger train No. arrived here
| after running for a quarter of a mile
through five feet of water at DANES
Ferry Water covered the floor OF
every car, frightening passengers.