The New York herald., 1879-03-15

IoWN-IHE POOKEk CLASSES CLiNoiSu ~
THEIR HoMEs-syMpATHy OF THE ROYAL FAM
MY-sEvERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE DROWNED.
iBY CABLE TO THE HERALD.l
PEsTn, March IA, 1879.
The government commissioner at Szegedin re.
ports that he was rowcd through the submerged
streets and found three-quartcrs OF the town in
ruins. He thinks that if the water remains II
few days longer scarcely two hundred houses
will he left standing. The Burgomaster cs-
Inmates that ? several thousand persons
have been drowned. He attributes the dis
astcr to the Incidence of the inhabitants and
to the fact that the government commits
cning the dams, and did not prepare means Of
saving life in event OF the contingency Of the
breaking of the dams.
INCIDENTS OF THE FLOOD.
A large portion Of the suburbs of Szegedin be-
ing below the ordinary level Of the River Thess,
the water which rushed in from the higher
ground behind the town being several feet above
the present level of the river, bore down on its
way the high road embankncnts rushing
in cascades into the lower ground and in
unlating it with fearful rapi.lity. Instead
Of five or six hours, which it was calcu-
lated the flood would take to spread
through the town. scarcely an hour and a half
had passed before Szegedin lay submerged up
to its present level. Withal, however, some
hope is entertained that on account of the alarm
which for days before the occurrence OF the
calamity reused the population to n sense OF
their danger and gave them an opportunity to
fly for refuge, the loss of life has not been very
great, but the victims must at any rate be
numbered by many hundreds, if not by thou
sands nor is the havoc yet complete. Besides
those swept away during that terrible night. all
through "Wednesday dull, fatal sounds were
heard in all directions, indicating successive
falls Of buildings.
TnE FMPERoR's GIFT.
The special government commissioner says
the poorer classes were extremely unwilling to
abandon their homes. In many cases force had
to be used TO pluck the people from houses that
were in u dangerous condition. All coinmuni-
ties in the neighborhood vie with each other III
relieving the distress. They are sending pro
visions by land and water and opening their
houses to receive refugees Comparatively few,
however, seem to avail themselves of the
latter offer The working classes especially
prefer abiding by the nearest safe spot in
the town or close to it, Thus thousands
are cncamped on the high embankncnt running
along the river, which stands firm, 50 that the
opening of this embankmcnt to let the water
from above and behind the town run into the
river in front could only be iuiperfectly carried
out. The Emperor Francis Joseph will f0rcgO
his intended visit here to receive congratulations
on the occasion Of his silver wedding. He de-
sircs that the money intended for the festivities
on that occ,lsion shall be distributed among the
sufferers by the flood. The Emperor and Empress
also give 10000 aorins t*20, 0,OO0) from their
private purse
LONDON, March 10, 1870.
,,A, despatch, to the Standard from Szeg
edin, Friday, says fearful storm
is still raging. The vast lake
around the remains Of the town is tossing like
tho sea- The inhabitants who have not
yet been taken away are crowded in
the citadel and upper stories Of n
few houses and in railway wagons. These
people arc iairly provided with pro-
visions, but thousands are encampcd
on the dykes, and with these it
il impossible to communicate. Four hundred
cor,,scs were recovered in the village OF
Szcsgcd yesterday. The Tines correspondent
Mt Pesth reports that the waters around
Sxegcdin are subsiding. Relief is proceeding
regularly. Sickness has broken out among the
refugees encamped on the dykes ut Szcgcdin.
The correspondent Of the Daily Ne,cs at Siege
din tclcgraphcd OH Thursday that thousands
of people were starving The corrcspon-
den. passed in one of the relief boats
400 persons who had taken refuge in church I;
the beat was unable to afford them any help.
There were hardly any serviccablc boats avaia
bic. In school house l 800 people had taken
refuge and were without food. Large numbers
of boats which were proceeding to aid the sub
merged city had been stopped by the storm,
which had cut of communication by river.
The auth0ritics ut Szentes. Vasarhcly and
Csongrad. which towns contain an aggre-
pntc population of $4,000, have tclcgraphcd
To Pcsth for aid. The dykes protecting
them from the waters arc threatened.
The lord Mayor Of London at the request Of
the Austrian Ambassador. has opened sub
scripton for the relief Of Sxcgcdn.