Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-03-18
DAILY LEADER
SATURDAY, MAROH is, 1895.

The SPrHRg FIOOds--.OuF COInmunies
items Cut an.
Almost the sole topic Of the brief tell
graphic dispatches which we print th
morning is the Spring freshets which hav
inundated Central New York and Penn
sylVsnia. These foods have completed
cut off all communication between Cle7e
land and the East. No Eastern ps
papers were received yesterday, and tn
destruction of telegraph lines, in vsrlou
parts of the country, has almost entirely
interrupted the transmission of dispatches
of any kind. This fact will sufficient,
explain to our readers the brevity of ou
telegraphic news this morning.
For details in regard to the Aood, we re
fer our readers to our telegraphic columns
It seems to have extended over the greatel
portion of Central and Southern New
York. In that section it was undoubtedly
caused by the sudden melting of the snow
which had fallen 10 an almost unprece
dented depth during the past winter
Throughout all that region telegraph wirel
are down, culverts washed away and al
railway travel temporarily suspended
The food hiss also done much damage in
the oil regions We printed yesterday
special dispatch from Mesdville, giving
q graphic account of the state of affairs
there, and a dispatch from Franklin this
morning gives further details. All travel
on the Atlantic and Great Western Rail-
way is discontinued for the present. The
total loss to tho country, from the inter
ruption oftrsde and travel, and the destruc-
tiOn of property, will be vast. We hope,
however, that the effects Of the foods upon
trade, and upon the transmission of news
will prove to be of very short duration.
Abuses In the Sanitary Commission.
We publish on our local page this morn
ing communication, signed &c" in ref
erence to alleged grave abuses in the ap-
preparation of sanitary stores and supplies
by officers, to the exclusion of private SOL
diers. The gentleman who furnishes the
communication is one upon whose state
ments We piece every reliance, and who
would make no charge which be was not
we'll satisfied was based on fact. The very
existence of sny suspicious of abuse in the
disposition made of the supplies furnished
by the Sanitary Commission is sufficient
ground for investigation and inquiry-for
an institution whose objects are SO noble
and elevated as those of this great organ
ization, should be, like Cassr's wife, not
only pure, but above suspicion. Therefore,
without desiring to indorse the charges
made by our correspondent, which impli-
cate not only the agents of the grandest
benevolent enterprise that the world has
ever known, but also the gallant officers of
our Union armies, we wenevertheless feel itour
1uty to give them publication. Ifabuses ex-
st, they should beinvestigsted and correct
ID; if they do not exist, the fact should be
made clear to the world, and the bsneful |
removed.
We cannot however, agree with our cor
in desiring, in any contingent
y, to do away with the Sanitary Commits
ion, an institution which has reflected
honor upon the United States as Chris
ian and benevolent nation, which has
been of incsIculable service to our armies,
md which is still indispensable to their
comfort and efficiency.