The New York herald., 1876-03-13
THE FLOODS IN EUROPE.


Times
The expectations entertained about the Danube
regulation" proving cincacious remedy against In.
undatons, which the lower lying portions Of Vienna
threatened with almost every year when the snow
begins melt and the ice move have been falsned
already the FIRST year after the opening OF the new
river bed, and since yesterday the lower portions OF
the three most exposed suburbs
LEoPoLDsrADr, RossAU AND ERDBERG-
well the whole aluvial districts below Vienna arc
flooded just they have been periodically before the
Danube regulation
THE WEATHER IN WINTER
But Il must be said that the winter has been OF
extraordinary severity Since -'ss winter like
this remembered both for the lowness OF the tenn
peraure and the extraordinary quantity OF snow which
fell From the middle of December until few days
ago the thermometer except few days about the mid
die of January, ranged above freezing point and
for weeks 1912 degrees Reaumur, 2025 degrees
Fahrenheit under it In the intervals between these
fits came snowlas of twelve and fifteen inches in one
night, which, lying each other, represented at
least depth of three feet average
causing periodical interruptions in the com
munications, and foreshadowing the danger
which might be apprehended when all these masses
were beginning to melt Tho ice had become fixed IN
the river and above all down streams beyond the range
OF the river regulation" where the expands
aud divides among the stands the shallow channels had
become so choked that in some places barrcades o ice
were formed reaching down TO the bottom. All de-
dended upon whether
would set In first above below and whether would
set in gradually or suddenly And all the chances
have been adverse After a larger snowfall than any
before and short frost after IT, four days ago the
thaw. helped by drizzling rain came from the
and gradually extended eastward bringing down
the waters before those lower down had time to
flow off,
RUSH OF WATER AND ICE
At about nine 4. NJ. yesterday the rush ofwaer and
ice coming from above sed the ice In the river and
made move, ana the movement in the beginning
regular enough but by and by the masses OF ice and
water coming from above, encountering the massive leo
barrier below began more and more TO choke up the
channels, and the waters driven back began in
an alarming manner
THE ALARM
At ten A. NJ three cannon shots announced to the
town there danger and Immediately tho measures
were taken which had been provided Tor such case.
The shops shut in the exposed districts the OPEN
iIgs in the cellars AMI other underground localities
blocked the police took up the positions assigned to
III the military were confined in the barracks; the
boats we're made ready and the flying stages erected
in the streets. People rushed by thousands to the
Danube Canal
The Wien, usually u putrid little streamet, had
grown into an mpetuous mountain torrent. which its
banks, some fifty feet high, could scarcely contain.
The ingenious contrvance OF the iron block ship the
entrance OF the Danube Canal, which TO prevent
the ice from coming down by that channel proved an
idle delusion The force OF ice and water had raised IT,
and underneath II the ice made its way before on
such occasions into the canal On the new river bed
the stream VIII lis cargo Ol Ice ueluS, uONn
THE iNuSDATIoN LEVEL,
l. 400 feet wide, had been long covered over besides
the COO feet width OF the river bed proper, and yet
the waters rising visbly At the bridges the ice
fields lowered up until they almost reached the
way Everywhere the ice was strewed with the debris
of bridges boats and trees which 1t had carried of
higher up. Slower slower the ice moved, while
the waters gradually rose up to the verge Of the new
bank.
THE DANGER INCREASING.
At half past eleven the second signal OF six cannon
there general flight toward the town among the
spectators who had gone down TO the new river bed
and who feared to be cut OFF by the nundaton Of the
TERRIBLE SCENES IN THE COUNTRY.
The accounts from outside, instead of allaying
only calculated TO in crease the alarm In the valley of
the Inn and Ppau the water had reached
binary height, threatening further mischief At
Kraus the ice had settled before the railway bridge and
the river had lett its bed flooding the surrounding
country. From below the news came that the ice had
completely blocked the channels and that the
covering the adjoining lower ground toward Semer
ing The new central cemetery was flooded.
NEW GRAVES
filed with water many OF the graves have sunk in,
and the corpses recently buried were ioatcd out The
burals the cemetery had TO be stopped in
sequence and the old cemeteries taken to again tenn
porarily
RISING TO RUIN IN THE EYES OF ROYALTY
At q quarter O'Clock =. N. the last signal Of
nine cannon shots was gwen as sign that the danger
OF nundation was imminent Shortly after Their
Naestes went In person To the threatened districts
Gradually as the waters rose IN the river and canals
exposed suburbs, began TO I'LL wi water Toward half
past six O'Clock r. NJ there q short relief for the
waters had carried oil dixie below but soon after the
water began TO again. and with II the anxiety
10 what might follow when the water and ice being
hcapcd up upstream would come down to-day. When
night set In the threatened districts abandoned.
The schools had already been closed in the afternoon
The prisoners of the district prisons OF the Leopold
stadt had 10 be conveyed away so had the fire brig
ade the Brigtenau while in the bathing establish
ments In the Prater some twenty persons, women and
children were cut of.
AT PRAGUE
From Prague are reports that all the lower
portions of the town adjoining the Moldau both
banks are under water. During the past night the
still and the inundatiOn took greater
portions: and lower down, the Beraun, the Elbe
and alluents, many villages flooded and bridges
carried away
STORM AND LOSSES IN THE SOUTH OF SPAIN.
[Cadz Feb. 1l) correspondence Of the London Times
At twelve T. VI. on the night OF the 9th inst per-
feet hurricane swept over tho usually calm and quiet
city and bay of Cadz and Of the neghboring
ports causing immense amount OF damage to the
owners of houses, manufactures and small craft The
time had been gusty and changeable the wind veerng
about from quarter 10 the other with occasional
showers OF warm rain. No one, however, anticipated
the hurricane that burst upon the city at
or shortly after midnight. Some seventy or
eighty small craft, varying from ten TO thirty
tons, with somc twenty thirty larger
vessels always lying at anchor in the Bay OF Cadiz
AT midnight the 9th and morning OF the 10th the
rain began to TALL In torrents the wind to ntfu
gale, and the thunder WIS dcafcnng; the whole town
was illuminated by lightning flashes in such close sue
cession make perfect blaze. Suddenly perfect
hurricane OF wind broke upon the bay. Forty boats
were from their mourinRs aud capszed drifting
about in all directions. Fourteen filed sank to the
bottom and are lost; dozen or more were driven
against the mlelie. or quay, and battered about
STRANGE PHENOMENA
Strange as II inay appear, II Is, Notwithstanding,
true that this hurricane only lasted for from three
1--WE minutes In It's full force. Then n terrific ha
storm; bastone picked up, having fallen through
the gkylght OF house. OF the OF ordinary
hens egg another weighed two and a half ounces.
For three years the South OF Spain has known
nothing but drought-drouyht that has It's fatal
fruit and eliminated this year In the partial failure OF
cereal. vine and olive crops; the rainfall during the
present winter is so far above the average that II
promises 10 make good tho past deficiency.
FLOODS AND LOSSES IN GERMANY.
Berlin Feb 24l correspondence OF London News
In consequences OF the thaw which has set IN the leo
has hrnken nn and the riyers are eyerYwhera sMoen