Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1881-05-14

River Sufferers.

YANKroN, May 1.-The comparati, ely
small loss of life in this section b. the
recent great i%nundation is remarkable.
and it was due entirely To the heroisin
of those men who labored continuously
by night and day to save the lives and
such property as was destructabie of
their %neighbors. The most active meas
ures for relief have been taken bv the
government officials. Gen. Terry has
detailed Captain j. j. Claques, who is
experimenting the purchase and distri-
button of supplies at this point, and ~
far up the river as For; Suliy. The
wants of the sufferers ut White Earth
and Pierre are also being attended 70 by
the government, the whole being under
the supervision of Captain ID. ID.
Wheeler. Through his watchfulness all
Of the needy have been looked after and
no dead beats fed. About Il thousand
people have been brought to Yankton.
This number added To the destitute here
in the city makes nearly
" THOUSAND PERSONS
dependent on charity for their food.
The greatest difficulty is TO get the food
to those suffering for it. Many OF the
people are without suitable or even
adequate clothing, and must receive as
sistance. Persons well posted in the
country estimate the total loss betu cen
Pierre and Sioux City at S2,G00.000.
Besides this about SJ0n.O00 worth OF
cordwood has been swept away. This
will prove a very great damage to steam
boats. Thousands Of cattle and horses
up the james valley are drowned. All
bridges for over II hundred miles are
washed away. The same state of ~ailairs
exists in the Nermillion River valley,
which is thickly settled. Midtown, on
the James river, is completely washed
away, and GAINESVILLE is in little better
condition.
THE STEAMBOATS,
near here are high and dry upon the
banks bedded in the lee. Among then,
is the Peninsula, the Nellie Peck and
the Ida Livingston, While only six miles
up are the Josephine, Rosebud and Biz
Horn. The Western. Mead F~ontenel!e
are total wrecks and it is doubtful ifany
part of them cad be saved.
KANSAS CITY.
KANSAS Cry, Mo, May Tile situa-
ton is encouraging here, the river
having remained stationary or perhaps
fallen a little during the day. No
further damage is reported. The work
of relief for The untortunates commenced
by leading citizens has been responded
to in a liberal manner almost every.
body contributing something. y thou
sand or SO of the homeless have been
moved 10 the fair grounds in the south
ern portion of the city, where they can
be kept comfortable at least for a time,
and until better quarters can be provil-
ell. The damage to property il inn
mense, though nothing like a safe
estimate can be made, running into han
dreds Of thousands of dollars. At least
fifteen hundred houses are abandoned
and the water is from two to six feet
deep surrounding them. The grain ii
elevator i is covered 10 the dcp:!: 0!
four inches. Fowler Brothers establish.
ment Is still! safe, but the ice houses OH
the kaw are giving way and viii Ger.
tainly fall. Railroad travel is greatly
delayed by the flood. Passengers from
the Hannibal and It. Joe road are trans
ferred by ferry. Neither the Council.
Bluffs, Wabash, nor Rock Island road,
are running trains. The Missouri Paci
fic went out via Olathe. Kansas, with q
full train. The Chicago and Alton is
able to get through the water.
THE MISSISSIPPI.
ST.. LoUfs, May 2.-lhe river is at a
stand with all the lowest ground about
the city flooded. If ii should 90 twenty
inches higher the Union stock yard,
would be covered. At East st. Loeis
there has been great alarm, and gangs OF
men have nightly patroiied the ievee to
watch for breaks. Several small leaks
were discovered and stopped in time to
prevent a destructive crevasse.