Republican Herald

The Upper Mississippi and Ohio Rivers were falling rapidly, May 22. Opposite New Orleans the water had subsided a few inches, and it was supposed that all danger of an inundation had passed away for the year. This rise of the waters has undoubtedly done much damage to property, and its devastations must excite a rather melancholy emotion. There are occasionally inconveniences want of comfort, when there is no apprehension of real danger in the case, into a cause of mirth. No one can read the annexed letter, to the editor of a St. Louis paper, without smiling at its wit. It will be observed that Cairo is situated at the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, on the Illinois side. The site is very low, but the advantages of the position were deemed in speculation time to be so great, that an attempt was made, chiefly with English capital, under the direction of Mr. Holbrook, to establish a city there.—Bost. Courier.

Cairo, May 10, 1840. Dear Mr. Editor: “My sufferings is intolerable." and I can refrain no longer. Here am I in this confounded city of Cairo, with the whole broad community i.e. called the Mississippi river running ten feet over my devoted head. Our hotel is a perfect cold water establishment, and the way there is plenty of the "pure element" in these diggings is with a perfect rush. The Cairo Bank, upon which we all built our hopes and houses, after having been for some time making daily deposits in the Mississippi river has at length fallen through, like all the rest of our Illinois speculations, and left us poor wretches, not exactly high and dry, (would that we were) but buried "full five fathoms deep," and debarred from all intercourse, except with the cat-fish, buffalo, and such scaly characters. I beg you to sympathize with us, and send us the Evening Gazette to comfort us in our misfortunes. Real estate in Cairo has emphatically fallen—and so low that you couldn't find it with a twenty foot pole. Oh, dear Mr. Editor, although I'm very wet, yet I'm very dry—and if you could manage to get my friend of the bar to send some of his "spirits" to this "vasty deep," you will confer a lasting obligation upon yours, &c. &c. THE GREAT DROWNED OUT.