The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-05-09

Devastated Area.
NEW ORLEANS, La.-Approxi-
mately $500 square miles, equal to
the combined area Of the state Of Della
ware and Rhode Island, are inundated,
and probably $4,000 persons either
are homeless or residing in Hooded
homes, according to official estimates
based on reports from the Hooded
areas in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mis-
sissippi.
Approximately $4,000 persons are
affected above Ferriday from flood
waters from the Mississippi river, Red,
Black, Little Tensas and Ouchita riv-
ers, it was estimated today.
About 100000 acres, half OF which
are cultivatable, will be overrun, it
was estimated, and the damage to
crops, highways and fertile lands will
run into millions of dollars.
All of Condordia parish AZ, SIS
acres, 100000 planted in cotton-is in
undated.
An area of about 100000 acres in
Catahoula parish is affected.
The flood has rushed into Tensas
county where there are 10000 acres
of cotton.
Harrisonburg, La, far west of the
river but yet in the food zone, con-
tinues to present the most serious
problem. Food is the crying need of
the thousands of residents and several
thousand refugees who fed to that
town or were brought there by their
rescuers. Stocks of local merchants
have become exhausted.
Old men and women and children
upon their arrival at Harrisonburg all
ready showed the effects of under
nourishment as the back waters OF the
rivers had been creeping into their
homes for many days before they de-
cided to fee
Water 60 Miles From River.
With crevasse and backwaters from
the Mississippi and its tributaries con-
tinuing to sperad its destruction in
eleven parishes of Louisiana relief
problems have been augmented as the
floods invade territory far removed
from the spillways in the embank-
ments of the great river.
Points in Rapides and Avoyelles
parishes, sixty miles distant from the
Mississippi river reports that water
coming through the crevasse at Fer
ridav has Joined with backwaters of
the Red river basin and are encroach-
ing upon rich farm lands in that terri
tory.
In southern Louisiana, where the
river has spread through a crevasse
in St Bernard parish, refugees were
brought to the outskirts of New Or
leans where better shelter, medical at
tention and food can be given them.
Relief camps established in the flood
zone have in many instances been
abandoned as the result OF the spread
ing of the waters.
In central western Mississippi re-
newed efforts are going forward to
rescue the marooned in the Yazoo ba-
sin, where a stretch of land covering
LOO square miles is a mighty lake.
Relief bodies are being taxed to capac-
ity to provide for the refugees, who
continue to pour in at the isolated
high spots and larger towns. Food,
shelter. clothing and medical supplies
must be supplied for 1880 OF these
in that devastated area, it is estimated.
Scores of towns and villages in Ar
kansas, Mississippi and Louisiana are
covered with water to a depth III some
instances of 20 feet, while many other
large communities have encrcled
themselves in hastily constructed enl-
bankments which they hope will hold
the water out, in the meantime beng
isolated from the world with the ex-
ception OF communication by boats.
Among those from whom the flood
is taking a heavy toll in addition to
planters are operators of saw mill
plants and railroads. Much valuable
lumber has been washed away and the
roadbeds of the rail lines are seriously
affected.
The fight to hold the Ievee lines is
costing thousands of dollars day. In
the Third Mississippi levee district
alone no less than ten thousand men
were engaged in the fight to hold the
swollen river in its channel, the 1000
employed by the government in this
district being reinforced by more than
six thousand civilians who volunteer
ed
Rescued in Exhausted Condition
From a Tree Top.
Beardstown, Ill-Mourned for sew
lives in the flood which has held this
city III us SlIp lOl l@C WNSAo ~
Dodds and ]. L. Lower, jr., were res
cued from a tree top in which they
chung four hours after their boat cap
sized They were nearly exhausted
from exposure.
The men were on their way to the
Lower farm to rescue some chickens
when their boat tipped over and dis
appeared in the water which covers
the Coal creek drainage district as a
result of break in the district levee:
When the boat capsized Doods and
Lower were able to swim to tree
which was sticking out of the water
As the hours passed and they did not
return relatives gave them up Tor lost
and their supposed death was reported
throughout the little city.
The evacuation of Beardstown con-
tinues. Trains which still crept. out OF
the city over submerged tracks car
ried many inhabitants who are quitting
the town until after the flood.
MAIL CLERK TRAVELLED