Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-07-22
The Flood in France.

THE full extent of the terrible disaster
which has overwhelmed several of the
southern departments of France is only
now beginning to be fully realized The
whole wide basin of the Garonne is sub
merged, and the smiling valley turned into
vast sheet of water. Towns and villages
have been swept away, while the destruc-
ton OF human life has been something APP
palling. So suddenly and Unexpectedly
did this deluge burst upon the doomed
districts that hundreds met their death at
their own firesides by the sudden inroad
OF the destroying torrents Some 10000
people have been made homeless by these
| floods, which in their extent and the
amount of damage done are without ex-
ample in the history of France Whole
villages have been swept away, or lie
buried beneath the water, the farm-houses
have disappeared, and the crops been
swept from the face of the country. Where
few weeks ago all was smiling promise
OF plenty is now sad waste of wide-ex-
tending waters. Nor do the floods prom
Use soon to subside. On the contrary the
waters appear to be rising, and snow and
rain fall in the desolated districts as if to
complete the scenes Of horror that have
been there enacted. Not even the terrible
devastations caused by the floods in 1885
can be compared in the suffering and loss
they occasioned with the plague of waters
that so Unexpectedly has fallen upon
France in this present year. The materi-
al losses are immense With praise
worthy promptness the French Assembly
voted 5000 francs for the immediate re-
lief of the sufferers, and the appeal made
to the charity of the French peo-
pie was answered with characters
tic generosity. Still these outside aids can
but soften the force of the crushing disas-
ter that has fallen on the people Of the in
undated districts. They are completely
ruined, and when the waters have sub
sided must proceed to build up their for
tunes as best they can. One quarter of
the town of Toulouse was almost COM
pletely destroyed. Over 600 houses of the
Faubourg st. Cyprien were swept away,
as were the manufactures established on
the rivers bank Five of the bridges
were carried off and the railway lines COM
pletely intercepted The most narrowing
scenes were presented in the quarter in
habited by the workingmen. More than
800 cOrpses had been discovered in the in
undated quarters and hundreds were
wounded by the crumbling buildings. In
many cases the soldiers met their death
while endeavoring to succor the people.
But, great as the loss of life is known to
have been, those supposed to be buried
beneath the ruins of the fallen houses will
it is feared, vastly outnumber the corpses
already discovered. Until the water sub
sides 1t will be impossible fully to esti-
mate the loss of life that has occurred
There is good reason to believe that it has
been terrible. Three villages are known
to have been destroyed, with their inhab-
itants. They were swept absolutely away,
and nothing remains to mark that they
had ever existed. Under these distressing
condition the authorities, civil and mill
tary, display most praisewolthy energy
and devotion, but the suffering is too wide
spread to admit Of more than partial relief.
Cor. ". 7. Herald.