The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1861-02-22
Terrible Inundation in Holland.

A correspondent: Of the London Only
Mems, writing from Rotterdam, on tie
10th Of January, describes a terrible inun>
da,ion which had occurred in Holland:
In The beginning of January it was OBJ
served that the vast accumulation Il snow
in this district was causing the rising Of
the river to a dangerous extent. With
anxiety and dread the Inhabitants watched
the daily increase of the invading waters,
now laden with immense masses Of i've,
ard streuuousIy eXerted themse,es TO
strengthen the resistance offered by those
artificial barriers, by which alone Holland
il preserved from total aub'ner-iOn. But
still the flood rose, and The ice masses
formed then selves, a, j. we're, into hugh
battcring rams, pressing with irresistible
strength against the bikes aud dams. The
sound Of the church bell, clear and omi
mons in Abe frosty air, kept telling the sad
tale of Imminent danger, AVID warning all
who could labor to aid in the good cause,
aud those who conld not prepare for the
worst Higher and higher rose the wa'ers,
and soon the surface of the ponderous
shifting ice mass stood within half ari,lch
Of the dixie level Good God A.! shotlt5 II
rise that half inch higher, their cottages,
their cattle, their provisions, their all
would Become a prey to the unsparing
havoc Fhen roso TO heaven many
prayer for aeip--for mercy! a last
suigine out in the dixie directed the anxi.
Gus gaze of all TO one spot-for the waters
were pressing hard upon it. With the
strength and energy of despair they tried
70 stay the progress of the flood as it
sought ngress from i,snarrow channel into
their fields and dwellings, Xsrxes as well
tried to bind the ocean 10 chains.
Suddenly the dixie yielded, and the
waters poured ,hrough--,he ice masses
and the flood rose above it, ard swept on
their terrific course, submerging fields,
barns, cottages, drowning the cattle, &c
s.roying nil. The aged and the sick, the
women and the children, sought a refuge
10 their atrics, where, benumbed with cold,
without bedding, clothes, fire or provisions
they hal 10 pass days Of inexpreSsible
7crror-of horrible starvation. For long
time 1t was impossible to approach them,
and it is feared that many cottage has
BEEN swept away in the flood and its in
haoitants frozen 20 death on its ice masses.
One family OF seven persons was rescued
from the attic in which they had sought
shelter, 50 thoroughly exhausted 10y cold
and hunger they could not even answer
the questions Of their deliverers. A poor
mother with her infant. to which sac bad
given Premature birth, was lying in bee!
IN the bleak attic 81 her homeIy dwelling
while her husband, from an aperture in
the roof, sought, by cries and signals, to
attract the attention of few brave men,
who, ut the imminent risk of their lives,
were eub,ocks in order to rescue some Ct
their 2erishing felow-creatures from de-
structiou. They went to the poor fellows
help, descended into the attic through the
aperture in he roof, through which they
returned, bringing with them the mother
and her babe 1t was time. for he waters
hal already risen to within two inches Of
her bed.
As | write, fresh intelligence arrives
from the inundated districts deta ling adj
di,ionaI scenes Of vre.cbedness-people
dying from hunger and cold; their houses
cut away by tie ice, as corn is moved
down by the harsester's scy,he; church
~hich stood handse4s OF years swept down
IS a puff Of wind sweeps down house OF
cards; and the prospect IS even yet more
fearful. Holland has often suffered much
from inuudations, but never within the
memory OF living man las an inHadatl0n
been accompanied with SO much distress
and destructiOn- with so much hcartrend
eripg grief aud despair.