Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1874 — The Inundation at the South—An Appeal for Aid. [ARTICLE]

The Inundation at the South—An Appeal for Aid.

To the People of the United States: The undersigned citizens of the Delta of the Mississippi, now so disastrously deluged with the flood-waters, would respectfully beg to make the following- statements and renewed appeal for your helping hand in this unequaled calamity. We know full well your charities, your liberalities in this and in former calamities to our own city, and other cities afflicted by pestilence and by Are, and we would render you on behalf of a grateful people their blessings and their thanks.

But we are compelled by the sad facts to represent to you the vast magnitude of the S resent affliction, passing by many-fold any isaster that has befallen the people of this continent. And we regret to have to state that its extent is not yet ascertained, but known to be expanding. While the river has receded somewhat along the whole flooded front this has been at the expense of the flooded area. The relief apparent to strangers is only delusion. The Delta floods increase as the river falls by pouring more water on the land; and their duration must continue for some two months to come. Most of the lands will be unfit for crops too late for cultivation this year. What then is to be done with and for the 140,000 people driven out by the waters, and with no supplies of any kind whatever?

We would append a statement of the population of various counties and parishes and specify all the localities but for the length it would give this statement and appeal. Suffice it, that the total amounts to 140,000 people to be subsisted and transported, sheltered, housed and supplied with utensils for household uses and implements for farming and planting for the next four months, and many much longer. The enumerations in the New Orleans papers up to the 26th ult., and derived from our knowledge, gave an estimate of the people flooded: LOUISIANA 14.000 SQUARE MILES UNDER WATER. “ Sugar producers In the parishes below Red River 25,000 Cotton producers on Washita and Black River 5..............-......... 11,600 Cotton producers in nine parishes with 75,000 people above Red River, half under „ water -.. 37,500 MISSISSIPPI 5,000 SQJUARB miles. On Big Black 5,000, Bayou Pierre 1,000, Cole's Greek 500, St. Catharine 500, Buffalo and Homochitto 2,000 9,000 Coahome County (Hushpuchana and Sunflower! 5,500 Bolivar Comity (Williams’ Bayou and Bayou Failah, and along Mississippi River) 5,000 Washington and Isaqnena Connties (Steel's Bayon, Sunflower, Yazoo and Mississippi Rivers) 10,000 ARKANSAS 7,000 SQUARE MILES. Desha County (on Mississippi, Arkansas and Bartholomew) .... 4,000 Chicot Connty (on same, Bmuf River, and Bayon Hacoa) 6,000 Arkansas 6,000 Phillips 10,000 Crittenden 3,000 Mississippi 2,400 MISSOURI 5,000 SQUARE MILES. Four front connties 8,000 Total 143,500 We do not believe this contains an exaggeration. Many of these items, and especially from Arkansas and Missouri, are probably far too small. Such a vast population will consume in provisions alone, without a single luxury or medicine, (25,000 worth per day. Their clothing, shelter and medical attendance —for most of them aro homeless—will add nearly half as much; and their transportation to shelter and to places where they can go to work and attempt to make corn, together with supplies of utensils and implements, will add another (10,000. Thus we reach an aggregate of over (40,000 per day that has to be supplied if we would avoid or arrest the famine now actually prevailing and the pestilence which will come if the people return to their desolatedhomes in midsummer, July and August, when the waters will subside. These people (over areas extended 600 miles north and south, and thirty to seventy-five miles wide) in their escape from the floods, such as are so fortunate, fall upon the nearest population, on either side, and at once devour the scanty means of the upland dwellers; thus extending the area of want till the whole story is appalling beyond our ability to express or describe. And this calamity cannot be alleviated at a moment. All the homeless will have to be provided for during the next four months, till corn can be raised for partial alleviation, and the other half fora longer period, to end — God kßows when; for no crops can be raised in thy autumn and winter. And now, good people of the Northern, Western and Eastern States, you who live In homes, and have shelter, clothing, food and moderate prosperity, we appeal to you in the name of our suffering people, colored and white, to come at ouce to the rescue with open hands. Call vour public meetings in cities, towns and villages, and in the country neighborhoods; appoint your active men and women to make collections in money and clothing and in provisions where that is practicable. In yonr churches let appeals be made, and a collection be taken on every alternate Sabbath for the next three or four months. Masons, Odd Fellows and other organizations, if ever in your history you poured out your charities, let them be extended now. The noble example of our impoverished people in New Orleans, surrounded by this scene of desolation, is worthy of all imitation. The salaried people, the clerks, the sewing women, and even the poor car-drivers, all so scantily paid, have resolved to divide their salaries and live on half rations during this wall of the homeless and starving. To railway and express companies all over . the land we appeal to publish your offers to transport without charge all the supplies contributed. The Mayors of New Orleans, Natchez, Vicksburg, Memphis, and other towns on the Mississippi will be safe and proper repositories of all contributions. Submitted by Caleb G. Forshey, Civil Eng'r, Gov. P. O. Herbert, Gov. John MrEhkry, G. W. Mouse, Civil Engineer, Gov. J. Madison Wells, All life-long citizens of Delta. With approval of Hon. L. M. Wiltz, Mayor of New Orleans. And we are authorized to add the earnest co-operation of the delegations in the House of ItepresenUUses amLUie Senate from the States involved In the inundation. Washington City, May 4,1874.