The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-13
WHELMED BY THE FLOODS.
THE APPILLING CILINITT THAT H1B
BEE1LLEN 4 HUNDiiIIN CITE

Brenking Through tts Dykes, the Eivcr T'heiss
N"nrs Down upon szegediu. Subncrving
Two-ihirds OF the Town-Thousnnds Dead.
LONDON, March ia calamity TO which
Hungary has long been considered peculiarly
liable has over,aken Szegedin the second COM
morcial town Of that country. At nghtfall last
evening total darkness eclipsed what was a few
hours before a prosperous city. but is now little
more than n waste Of rushing waters.
The River Thesis Ovcrhowed yesterday morn
ing. despite the precautions that lad been taken
from the moment the danger of such an occur
renee was observed and within three hours the
town was inundated.
The scenes that ensued defy description. for.
to add to tho situation. the tremendous current
undermined the foundations OF the buildings in
which the inhabitants lived or had sought shell
ter. and amid shrieks. cries, and frantic appeals
for aid that it was impossible 10 render. the
structures went crashing into the flood. carry
ing with them the inmates Even the syna-
gogue to which many people had flown for ref
ugr. was not spared by the waters. and fell in.
burying hundreds in its ruins. The practical
obliteration Of the gas works suggested q now
distress to the minds OF the survivors. and this
proved only too real. When daylight faded
they were left at the mercy Of the torrent una
bio to perceive what fresh danger threatened
them. and In IA state OF prostreton from which
death would have been n relief.
Some years ago the Government received
proposals from an English engineer to furnish
n remedy for the inundation which the Thesis
has threatened each spring. but the expense Of
tho construction OF the series OF canals which
he deemed essential to his scheme Was consid-
cred too great. and mis- proposition was dis
missed on that nccount. Hud II been accepted.
Tn" Terrible disHstnr now r"poltci might never
have occurred. The Thoi-s-l i~Zl In Huugn-
rlan-has so many tributaries tiiW u Is inVari-
ably swollen nj tho time Ol the yrnr when the ice
begins To melt and II has long lc"n looked upon
rs liable To- cause great destruction % property.
although the posi- sihlty OF such catastrophe ~
thut Willcil mas submerged nn rhilre rity could
scarcely have been contemplated ~ the mo-
mcnt the English engineers scheme was dis
caried rs cntuiling too heavy an expense.
Tits rich river-it is saying with the hunga-
rians that the Thesis has tuore fish than
wntpr-riscs In the county of Mrrmurus, in the
northeast flows westward To To&uy. then south-
wrst 90 SZolnok. when II turns south and entrra
the Danube south Of Titsl. near the southern
boundary Of Hungary. IL Is navigHhle thrnugh-
out most ot its entire length OF 600 miles and
is bordered 10y marshes. moQrs. soda lakes. and
is parallel with the Danube. ana from about tho
beginning Of the present century 1t has been
connected with that river 10y the Frances Canal
winch slortens the route down Us waters
| aud up those OF tue larger river log miles.
iiis prih'lpal ri4u'11rles are thG boIlG;'
and the Szamos, kUrds. and Maros on
the left. Besides szgeiin, it flows through
such large towns as tsonEra1; Il ula. nni Old
Becse- -Iz'gedn called Szesed by the llnngnri-
| ans-s situated Oh the riLht bank OF the Thesis.
six miles southeast Of Pesth. and nity-iye miles
west Of Arad. It's populntiun WIS between
seventy md eigntV thousand ma consisted
chiefly Jf Mugvars and Slays Tre city stood
| in mGrshy ulain. and WAS divided into Il cen-
| tril town. or Puankn IN which tie residences
! OF the merchants were grouped around An
| old fortress built by the Turks in the
| sixteenth century and containing extensive
OF its own an upper and Il lower town, and
new SzeEedin, situated on the east bank OF ,he
| Thesis. and reached boy bridge Of boats Be-
sides the ynngogue-tne inhamtants compris ID
| many Jews-therc were six Roman Catholic
! churches, Catholic gymnasium, IA be0uti ul
br"gk church. hnd one or TWO conNents. Ihe
market place was very large. and among the
places OF amusement was Magyar ,hentre.
dykes Which pr6tecied tno 6ack oi the town, but
| these gradually succumbed 70 the force OF tue
water, and tne Inhabitants perceived that their
only safety lay in STRENGTHENING, the emhnnk.
mcnt Of the Alfoli Railway Desperate "nerts
! were made throughout Tuesday night, but
early yesterday morning gale arose and aid.
/ eel by this. the water broke through, carrying
! away part Of the rmbaukment ana the rolf
! ing stock Of thc railway. aud rushing in
| broad streams toward the town. This was Mt
| o'clock; Many persons had remained up
! danger and these hed al once. Others. aroused
| hy the rour ot the great body of water sprnng
! from their beds und hurrylng on some cioth-
! inE. sought refuge on the housetops. At day
! bronx the town WAS many feet deep in watcr.
/ and the inhabitants mad begun to re-
/ HiiH' me extent OF their cnRmiv.
| l"r' and ther" q house. less sulstan;
| tal than is u,iEhhors. tOitercd and fell
| with "a crash. uui it frequently happened that
! 40 tina moment % boat WIS nearing window
/ iruu wnl'h hail distracted people " re Appeal
/ inE iur aid. the wnolo rdiilrc would succumb 10
! tho torrent. amid the uitruus shrcks of IN" in
mates. Surh oi the Inhabitants u~ were SO for
tUuJc n- tu h1 aOlct 10 uo so He'd to N'W SHegcdin
| ANA more elevated parts Of ihe town, hurri"diy
| crossing the hrids' Of boats whch separates
! III" new city from the old. As tho day
wore on whole rows Of houses t"ll,
! and the Hood luined such hendWuy that II
submerged tuily $3.50 thirds of IN" town. inciud-
lrgthf citado. ami the J., .tuultrleEralA Offices
! W. Jury lH~ tiH iNNld',@ it Nli, Iu As' ul.A tNo