The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-10-14
THE FLOODS In FRANCE.
GREAT LOSS OF LIFE AND PROP
ERTY.
THE SOUTH AGAIN INUNDATED.

Herald furnishes the following full particu
lars Of the storms that swept over the south
of France in September: A terrible series
of foundations have burst over France,
carrying with them indescribable misery
and ruin. The disaster at Toulouse arose
from the sudden melting of the snow. The
later floods have been brought about by
some Of the most tremendous and awful
storms which have been heard of on the
European continent within living memory.
For eight nights and a day deluge of rain
poured INCREASINGLY down upon the south of
France, and il still continues, partially. in
many places, accompanied by thunder and
lightning. Day after day, night after night.
the storm ragged on with astonishing fury aud
seemed to lash the earth in its wrath. The
rivers, swollen beyond all precedent by the
tempest, overtiowed their banks suddenly
in sll directions, and the valley of the Allier
was drowned by the waters. Wherever
there was a hillock or a slight descent, the
mass of waters roared and surged down it
with
THE IMPETUosITY OF A CATARACT.
The streets Of villages and small towns
were filled with rapid and uncontrollable
currents, dragging strong men and cattle,
houses and goods away in their whirlpools
and eddies. Small rivers, which might have
been spanned by a stones throw from
child, suddenly increased TO mile in width.
covering the cottages and farms upon their
banks with water, and sapping their founds-
tions and wbirling them away in fragments
The destruction of property is enormous; it
is estimated at s, 100000 francs for the Valley
of the Allier alone; az 25, ,000 coo francs, or
3, ,000, 600, for Herault, the Gard, and the
L. Zere; and the number OF houses alone
thrown down by the foods already mounts
up to 400. No less than 100 lives have been
latest
we're drowned at St Gilman. The damage
done to the magnificent Abbey OF Font
froid will require $4,000 10 repair il. The
flood burst suddenly upon the monks st
prayer, and scene of frightfnl horror en-
sued. Father Francois, one of the COM
munity, had his skull fractured, and was
killed on the spot. Another monk had one
of his eyes put out. The fathers might
have saved themselves by taking refuge on
the high altar, but they would have pre-
ferred to die rather than to comInit sacrilege.
A greater part of the harvest OF the rich
south lands has been spoiled and now lies
RoTTING BENEATH THE WATERS.
which are covered with tall trees, rooted up
by the storm, and pieces of furniture fioated
away from ruined homesteads. All the
hamlet OF st. Germain des Posses has disap-
peared beneath the flood. The districts of
vesses, Schsrmeil and Hoterive have shared
the same fate. Between Clairmont and
Brioud railway communication has been
interrupted at several points, and many
bridges have been carried away, notably that
between Lembron and Breuil and that of
Arassac- spectator caught in the storm,
who found refuge up iD high tree, counted
the number of the wooden beams of the
houses borne past him in the angry rush of
the waters of the Allier. There were 2O3,
and many of them struck the tree to which
he cluDg with the force of battering rams
During eleven long hours, the poor fellow,
whose name is Argeret, held fast to the
branches of the tree; then it was struck by
lightning, but he, fortunately, remained un-
injured and contrived to float away to land
on part OF the split trunk. Near Brassac,
also, peasant, named Tsrbe, was saved by
his cow. He mounted upon her back and
she swan to land with him. For several
days there has been no communication be-
tween Clairmont and Brioud, and goods
train stands in the middle OF the Plain of
Lavaur, unable to proceed. As Issoire the
market place was suddenly
DROWNED BY INNUMERABLE TORRENTS
descending upon it. The fcod rushed down
with such violence and precipitation that it
struck men suddenly down in their or
dinsry occupations and hurled them into
eternity. Thus grazier was counting ten
notes of 900 francs each, which he had just
received for his sheep and oxen, when the
waters smote him from behind, dashed the
money from his grasp, and bore him fiercely
away. In the mountains of the department
of Puy-de-Dome great numbers OF cattle |
have been drowned, and the bodies Of oxen
and horses were dashed about like balls by |
the furious water. Day and night boats are |
out trying to save the unfOrtunate The |
foundations have been most terrible In |
the very heart of the south country. hitherto |
only remarkable for its delightful climate;
and the departments of the Aude and the |
Tarn have suffered greatly, The trim, !
pretty town OF Montpelier, hitherto known
as the healthiest place in France, has not es-
capped. It was on the night of Monday last
that the rain began to fall there with such
persistence that it seemed as though there
was one mass of water between the sky and
the earth. All the drains were burst in a
few moments, and the water rushing
through the pipes, sapped the fsundations
of houses and threw them down. But here
the loss of property has been chiefly con-
fined to the lower part of the town, and only
one death is reported. Palavas, village
situated near Montpelier, on the banks of
the Lee. was, for thirty-six hours, in
SITUATION OF TERRIBLE DANGER,
and the villagers suddenly found themselves
on an island. cut off from help or provis-
ions, and likely to starve unless the waters
had abated. At last one brave fellow con-
triyed to reach the church steeple, and
sounded the teesin Justify that suec9r
reached them from the neighborhood. lt
was not Easy, however. to release them, be,
cause when the waters partially retired all
the fields around had been converted into a
sea of mud, which could neither be passed
in safety by man or beast. At Pezsnas the
lishtning did great mischief, and sthunder-
bolt struck one house where eight people
were assembled praying; their lives wore all
saved, but one of them has lost his
reason and became a hopeless idiot.
The plain of Lezignan Cebe and Castelnauu,
with its rich vineyard and orchards, is all
under water. On the other side OF the
Herault. in tbs canton ci Florensac, the case
is no better, rfhe overflow of the Orb has
occssioned Shocking disasters and presum-
ably much .oss of life, Not only the peas,