New-York tribune., 1879-03-13
DETAILS OF THE CALAMITY.

| relieve the distressed people, whose condition
is described as heartrending.
DETAILS OF THE CALAMITY.
THE TOWN MANY FEET DEEP IN wATER-TERRrBLE
| SUFFERING EXPERIENCED.
LONDON. Wednesday March 10, 1879.
Tho last embankment of the river 1heiss at
Szegedin Hungary, burst early this morning, caus-
ing immense destruction and il is feared great loss
of life. Aided by gale. the water broke through
| the dam and rushed in broad streams toward the
town. After a fearful night of anxiety cor
respondent says, all efforts useless. The water
broke through with immense force at o'clock,
CARRYING away part Of the railway station, embank-
ment and rolling stock. Within three hours tho
town was many feet deep IN water. Terrible suffer-
ing is commencing. Shrieks and cries from thou
sands are heard. Houses are crashing by the score,
| and in many cases carrying their inmates with
them. God knows what we shall do tonight.
There is no gas the works being fifteen feet in tho
water. | fear we shall run short of food. One boat
was lust going to save a large houseul of people,
! when fearful crash carried with it the whole liv-
| ing freight. he scene is simply hearirending-
! Over 900 people are out of house and home.
Hundreds are drowning and the water is still rising
| rapidly"
During the panic to-day, the Synagogue fell in,
! buryng numbers of people who had sought refuge
| init.
| TIE TOWN NEARLY A WEEK ~ DANGHR.
Telegraphing prior to the catastrophe, the corr
respondent of The Times at Pesth SAID " For WE'LL
| nigh a week Szegedin, the second commercial town
| in Hungary has been in imminent danger of inunda-
| ton from the River Thesis. which flows through
| the town. Several large dykes protecting the back
part of the town have been burst and the safety OK
| tho town now depends the embankment Of the
Alfold Railway to strengthen which all efforts arc
| concentrated
| UNDERSTANDABLE HORRORS.
| PEsTH, wednesday. March 12-Evening.
The latest kilograms announce that the food with
terrific roar is rushing from two sides over Szege-
din The horrors of the situation battle all descrp-
| tiOn.
| The town is in fact destroyed. TwO-thrls of it
| are now submerged, including the citadel and tho
most and telegraph offices. Whole rows of houses
are falling.
| The Orphanage and Synagogue are destroyed.
| All the inmates of the former were buried In the
ruins. Two manufactures are on fire. The in-
babitants are flying to New Szegedn and the moro
! elevated parts of the town.
The municipality Of Pesth is making every effort
70 send assistance to Szegedin. Two relief trains
| have already started. Accommodations for the fu-
gitives have been provided in the barracks and pub
lie buildings of Pestb.
LONDON, Wednesday, March IL, 1870.
| An official telegram dated Pesth 6:30 p. m. just
received confirms the report of tho terrible aspect
! of the town and the destruction OF hundreds OF
| houses.
II states that the removal of tho inhabitants Is
| proceeding without disorder.
| So far only four cOrpses have been found. Tho
dams are being cut in several places to allow the
water to run Oft. No excesses reported, but pre-
cautions have been taken for the protection of prop
| erty.
| The Standards dispatch from Pesth says q hum
| dred square miles i'll the neghborhood of Szegedin
are flooded. The crops III this district are lost.
The Government has sent 40, 900 iorns tor the
| lief of the inhabitants.
The Radicals in the Diet to-day violently attacked
the Government for neglecting to take precautions
| to prevent the calamity.
| SIXTY THOUSAND PEOPLE HOMELESS.
| LONDON. Thursday. March 13. 1870.
The Daily Ners has the following dispatch from
its special correspondent:
| "SZfGrDIN, Wednesday, Z p m.-Since my last
telegram the water has risen in the town five feet
"Our situation is becoming worse and worse.
| "Sixty thousand persons arc at present without o
| roof to cover them.
"It is feared the loss of life has been great,
and that il will increase during this terrible night
The first intimation that this calamity might
occur was civ, on Monday last when OF the three
dams protecting Szegedin from the overflow gave way.
| Many villages had previously been swept away.
Dorozsma Szcgedin containing about 400 houses,
was totally destroyed, and its inhabitants were forced
TO take refuge a hill. AZ soon as the two dams burst
at Szegcdu, 900 set TO work on the remain
ing cmbankment A state of siege was declared, and
| every man was summoned to work pain OF death.
On Monday night, there were as many as 10000 people
in Szeged including many refugees from the country.
A dIspach sent that evening said The wind is rising.
The water is rushing under the embankment and wants
| but few inches to master We await the worst"
szeeedn was one the chief cities OF the HdnVsrta
Kingdom. IT had prior to this great calamity about
so 900 inhabitants IL was built a marsh on both
sides OF the Thesis, the junction OF the Maros, .
Iransylvanian flver, and was dlvldcd INTO q central
town or pala1ka IN which me merchant resdsnces
lower town, aud New Sze2edn on the east bank OF tho
| some people have fed The city had a large market
| place, several churches converts hospitals, ana n
Magyar theatre It's trade was co. sderanic owing 10
ing with the country districts Il recciye conn., rape
seed tallow aud other Hungarian product, in largo
Ouanty and distributes them throughout the Austro-
Hungarian empire IL had several prosperous factories,
being noted for the man1acure on spperi3 GonLs and
| timber and manufactured goods from Vienna and
| Bohemia.
The Thcis s one OF the great rivers Of Hungary re
has is sources the Carpathan Mountains ana 1Ows
tarough the great Hungarian plain Flowing south, It
miles taking only its more important winnings into
count for the ater part OF which 1t naygabe Tho
OF us basl ~ estimated al uwaris Ol oOo squdo
| miles. The iTaffc the Tlciss formerly confined
| TO the conveyance downwards OF salt and timber on
RATS. but steam navigation mas been estapshed Sr
Thesis sit FISH better than thOse oI any other
river Hungary IL said ths St'er iran an nS osSsnoa ssn
In such quantities as To he used Ia manuriIg the ground
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