The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-02
.SZEtlED1N.
the nnundntf0n that Destroyed the Hun-
EaFtMn TDWn.

London Times.1
PEsrII, March ~ This morning at d clock
~ spite OF All efforts made To avert tt the
catastrophe which for more than Il week has
been impending overlook the town OF Siege
ultl. This second emporium ct Hungary, q
llouflshinR town OF some 10000 iahHhitants.
lies at the confluence Of the Thesis with It's
chief tributary, the Maros. With the excep-
tiGH Ut the suburb New s3segedin, the town fx-
tends along the right bank Of the river. BY
far the aurkest part lies on low alluvial
ground, only the castle and tts precinct Uc-
cupyinR HI isolated etninance For more than
ten Eng lsh miles above the town the river
winds H. tortuoHs way through this alluvial
Hat, which extends for several miles to the
west For many years the work ri etnbank~
Ing the river has been carried on, and mil
lions of acres atl along the river and ftB
equally dangerous ai1iuents have been re-
claimed and protected. Those interested form
cd themselves into societies. each auperinIend-
Ing It's own ground. Each body was thus
mainly intent on protecting Itself. though IN
cases ct emergency one sometimes received
help from its neighbprs. The town OF Scr
gedin was not behindhand in these labora.
Not only WINS large high dixie carried along
the river, but, In connection with other par
Ties Interested, the people had taken measures
several transverse bikes from the higher land
and isolated hilioeks TO the river. The first
OF these ID about twelve English miles to the
north 81 the town, where the river turns 81
might be called the outwork Of the lines Of de-
fense, gave way as early az Tuesday last
week, the waters sweeping and flooding the
whole space to the second line, which runs
from the higher land In the west In q south
erly direction, being intersected by the en-
bankment OF the Alfoid Railway, which runs
southwest. tn the night of Friday last the
northern frontier OF this second line was
broken Through, leaving as q last defense the
southern portion Of the Bakto dixie and of the
railway embankfnent on which, therefore,
all efforts were concentrated. Besides the
military dispatched thithsr to work under
the Buperintendenee OF the engineers, the
population was called upon to give their as
sistance.
On Sunday things seemed TO improve: the
abatement Of the waters I'd the Upper Thiess
Was beginning to be felt The waters above
Inc low-level not only did not increase, but
excitement among the inhabitants, therefore,
began to moderate. and q more hopeful feeling
to take ita place. Yesterday afternoon how
ever, q turn set III for the. worse A furious
nOrtserly gale spranR up, flashing the waters
against the embankment. huGh storms are
notorfously the most dangerous enemies on
such occasions. In order to bring the EN-
bankment up to the usual high water level,
boughs We're piled up against the action of
the waves. At PIP. u. the. news reached the
town that the dixie had given way to the ex-
tent Of about sixty yards, which caused quite
. panic among the population, who began to
fly In all directions whthersoever any higher
ground seemed to promise comparative
safety. This, however, proved u false alarm.
Some Of the workmen. being anxious to de-
sert, raised the cry that the waters were
coming, and thus spread the alarm and con-
fusion. which is described as having been
quite fearful.
The northerly gale, far from abating, deyeI-
oped with such violence towards midnight
that the men ut work on the dixie, being con
stantly overtaken by the waves swelling over
the crest Of the embankment were only kept
to their work by the military Gordon COM
polling them. In spite Of the little prospect
Of success, the military especially held out to
the last. Repeatedly the waves pierced
through the etnbankment at single points, In
particular near the first railway guard
house. about 600 yards above the railway sta
tion. BY dint, however, OF fresh efforts the
damage was ever anew repaired, and the OBJ
stinate resistance did not relax. At last,
however It was found that the embankment
was yielding ut several points along the line
Of retreat, 50 that Gen. Pull. who was direct
ing the work, seeing the uselessness OF fur
ther efforts, gave orders for abandoning Ii.
This was. between ! and . this moruing.
The news reached the Commission OF Safety
at ! 80. Signals were given, bells being rung
floods follow the first public intelligence that
those who had been ut work on the bikes
could scarcely reach tho town. Crowds of
people from the lower portions OF the town,
SEIAIHE oil bHS4 GUuAd GhElys AuIIlGu W GHG
higher positions.
This morning when the last news arrived
the water had swept over the greater part OF
the town. Soldiers. pensioners and other
volunteers We're plying pontoons, barges and
boats endeavoring to save the people who
had been overtaken In their houses. The
danger having for some time been imminent,
q good deal had been prepared. The Danube
Steam Navigation Company had ordered
thither number Of steamers and barges.
brought pontoons with them. All the neigh
boring districts had contributed all the steam
ers and boats they could spare, and the diff
ferent rowing clubs Of the capital had gone
down almost In q body. taking with them
whatever might be suitable for the purpose.
Ali these means Of safety were under the
superintendent Of the commission and of
the special commission sent down by the
government and distributed In various parts
or the town.
BuIEaria's Constitution.
philadelphia Press.
Under the treaty OF Berlin, Bulgaria is to
be organized as IAN hereditary and cunstftu-
tional monarchy with a. natural rerrpspnta-