The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-10-22
Relief for the Sufferers by the Late
Flood.
To the People Of Virginia:

Flood.
TO the People Of Virginia:
While the streams were still swollen with
the waters Of the flood which so recently
deyasted the larger portion OF our State, the
General Assembly received message from
the Governor informing them that several
donations ofmoney had been placed in his
hands TO be appropriated to the relief OF
the sufferers, and suggesting the propriety
of taking some action to further the ends
OF charity TO our fellow-citizens.
The undersigned were then appointed Il
committee TO consider what measures might
be devised in the premises. They had
scarcely assumed their duties when the
hearts Of the people, already sore and bleed
ing from their recent Affections, were
stricken with overwhelming anguish by the
announcement Of the death Of Gen. Lee.
While the corpse Of her best beloved son
aav cold upon her bosom, the State could
not bethink her for the time Of the bereave-
ments of her children, and all other tasks
were laid aside, all other griess forgotten,
that we might commune and mourn to-
eether in our common sorrow, and do honor
TO our Industrious dead.
But now that we have laid our great citi-
zen to hrs final rest, we cannot ignore our
duty to the living; we must give ear to the
pleading voices OF distress which coIne to
lis from the regions which were ravagsd by
the deyouring element. 1t needs NC wards
TO engraye forever upon the minds Of those
who witnessed it the terrible picture of
wreck, and woe, and want that was pre-
sented in the track of the turt,id waters.
Throughout that wide and fertile section
which lies between the Potomac and the
James, and from the .k.lleghanies, where
the floods were gath cred to the BAY in
which they precipitated their muddy cur
rents laden with the spells of wealth and
industry, t.iaro was a scene of ruin which
would lave warmed the coolest heart to
pity a..aa Wrested aid from the hardest hand.
All fait without suggestion the crying need
fyr relief. We only asked ourselves what
nian Of general relief can we recommend
5or adoption. To the treasury OF the State
we could not turn. The want was SO great
and so widespread, the State itself so poor,
that the little she might have contributed
would have crippled her still more than she
is, and Welded but little beneht IN tne VIDE
distribution. Without perpleXlng our
selves, then, to devise schemes which we
could not execute, we resolved at once to
fnrn to that resource to which the cry OF
feeble want has never been uttered IN
vain-we resolved to appeal to the people
of Virginia themselves.
To YOU, then, people of Virginia, we
bring our appeal to give WnaS you can 70
relieve your unfortunate and needy ore.
thren. Sharing as you do In the glory OF
that long succession of achievements which
have made our State memorable, and her
sons honored, amongst all the nations OF
the earth. Sharing, too, in that series OF
misfortunes which have tried us with
sterner tests. and united US with even closer
ties, shall we not turn with one ne accord or
from the sepulchre of our dead chief to eX-
ercise toward each chose tender sympathles
and enlarged q larities OF which ne was 80
bright and be, autiful an exemplar
Long ard dire us is the catalogue Oh our
calamit les. this he's been attended WILL
NOR physical suffering than any shaI es y,
,,,efeI our State. War and colIagg :as VI
never swept with u single bloWtso VIDE an
area-neyer involved at once SO many peo-
S,le and the memory Of the oldest lnhaDl-
fanf recaDs no precedent to thus sudden
dejupe. The high-water marks OF oIhef
Savs were buried deep under the water,
md history itseIfis at fault in searching the
mast for its equal. We must go back at
feast a century to find the memorials OF a
flood which can be named IN colnpalso.;L
To those who reside upon or near Tue
water courses which traverse the state from
the mountains to the sea it were useless 70
recall the narrowing spectacle which met
their ewes when the streams oyerleapt eheit
aceustoned channels, and, swelling IN Vo,
iume With every pulse of the tide, dslugeu
at once the growing crops and swept away
the garnered fruits and the cosby ssfuGsu,u'
of years Of culture and toll. Mills, LOCKS,
bridges, fences, barns, manufacturing estaD,
iishments, were dasaeh TO pieces or hur ced
away in the fury Of the currents ana
dwellings, with their inmates, were often
times caught up AMI lost together.
What adds with tenfold effect to the dis
astrous consequences OF the flood was the
unusual rapidity with which the streams
arose, and the narrow region OF country to
which the rains which preceded it were,
confined. In the more eastern portions or
the State there was little If any rain. In
the mountainous regions the very gates OF
Heaven seemed opened. and the torrents,
quickly accommodating, rushed in heavy
waves down the valleys into the loWiands,
giving no warning OF their coming until y
was too late to escape them. Thus II was 9 9
and exceptional that IN miller asts seua
crnrss q manufactures the implements or
products OF his nanufactory, q storekeeper,
his merchandise, or . family its househei I.
goods. Thus, In many cases, the family
was cut off or surrounded before u was
,oused from Its siuInberss Thus they were s''