The Hawaiian gazette., 1875-08-04
The Great Flood i'm France.
THREE THOUSAND HOUSES DowN-sIxTr MILLIONS o.
DOLLARS IN PROPERTY LOST.

THREE THOUSAND HOUSES DowN-sIxTT MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN PROPERTY LOST.
Prom the London Post June 81
The geographical position Of France, although in
many respects highly favored, is such ms to entail
upon large districts Of the country liability to be
suddenly deluged by the overflow of flooded rivers.
] At Toulouse such foundations have occurred every
twenty years-or, at least, 1915. 1885 and ls55-a-
though never before to the extent present.
or with the caanitous consequences life and pro-
perty which we called upon to record. In
1856 the whole valley Of the Rhoue. was visited in
similar manner. The streets Of Lyons we're for many
days traversed by boats and only and cattle,
but bridges, churches, houses even whole villages
were swept away, and great numbers Of people were
either drowned or buried amid fallen ruins. But
when compared with the humiliation which has now,
hope subsidized, all others sink into comparative
insignifcanee. week goto-day. our correspondent
tells US, the River Garonne Toulouse was unusu-
ally high, but no serious danger was apprehended,
and precautionary measures were taken. On
Wednesday the waters rapidly, and by ten O'Clock
in the morning they had reached the level of the
food at 1855. At two O'Clock two arches of bridge
and twenty houses swept away, and the floating
swimming baths and lavatores were torn from there
moOrings and hurried down the torrent. At five the
water overlooked the parapet which protects the popu
lOus quarter of St. Cypran six it feet deep
in the streets, and before this quarter cut of
from the rest Of the town. the three bridges of CON-
municatiOn being destroyed. All night the crash Of
falling houses and
THE CRIES AND sHRIEKs OF SUFFERERS
We're heard. On Thursday the food began to abate,
and the Water had fallen six feet by the evening. In
the town of Toulouse alone, it is said, 900 persons
have perished and 90 600 are left destitute Nearly
5000 houses have fallen, and the destruction of pro-
perty is roughly estimated from sI2 900 900 ster
ing. The whole valley of the Garonne is said to re-
semble vast lake, covered with fragments of the |
ruins of the town, well with wreck brought down
from higher districts, and dotted with corpses some
Of them wearing she costume of places twenty leagues
away.
Although it is upon this particular district that
the calamity has fallen with the greatest force, yet
THE EIGHBoRrNG DEPARTMENTS
Have also been terrible sufferers In Aude the crops
have been extensively destroyed. At Bagneres de
BgOrre the AdOur has carried away bridges and
cottages. At yerdun (Ariege) than fifty houses
have fallen, and many persons have been drowned.
In Tarn-et-GarOnn crops have persisted; and at
|
only three houses four hundred are left standing
The railway between Bordeaux and Toulouse, is cut
dozen places, and the whole country is submerged.
The power Of the surrounding districts to assist the
reatest sufferers is crippled by their own losses,
nd the communication with distant parts of the
ountry is greatly impeded. 1t is doubtful whether
he description of what has actually happened will
nclude even the greater part of the calamity, AS
be waters recede surface saturated with moisture
will be exposed and this surface will be with
be cOrpses of and animals in every stage of
decomposition. Exposed to the exhal atoms hence
rising there will be large population reduced to
bsoute want-dependent upon charity for all the
ecessaries Of life, destitute alike of Clothes of food
shelter, and Of employment. To communities thus
tuated disease with footsteps that neither
ardy uncertain, and it is only by the prompt
tnd energetic aid from external that the in
labtants of Toulouse be saved from greater
lis IL such be possible, than those which have already
befallen them.