The Indianapolis journal., 1883-02-17
THE GREAT DISASTER.
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of the j., NJ. q l. road is visible, and around
it is clustered large drift of sheds, fences,
gates, and small houses. Just beyond the
depot are number of freight cars on side
tracks, and of these only the brake-wheels
on top are visible Up jefferson, Chestnut
and Spring streets, the water is up to the
second stories and manyslow buildings have
nothing above water but chimney stacks.
At the Sherman House the water is eight
feet deep, and in the j. NJ. & l. freight depot
across the street, about six feet, In the
principal residence portion OF the city a like
state of affairs exists, only the depth OF
the overflow is not as great, but liz
tie the less damaging At the Falls City
Hotel the water is up 10 the second story,
and even on higher ground the Mutual
Union Telegraph office is even full, 1t
would be superiuous to specify further in
stances, for the entire town is submerged
with the exception of the vicinity of the
prison, and every building has from three to
twelve feet of water
The refugees fill all the available buildings
in the city, and hundreds are temporarily
csmped out. All the upper stories of the
school buildings are filled, and there are
nearly three hundred people in the High
School building. The courthouse is
crowded to suffocation, and all the high
business blocks in the central portion of the
ri ~ era lilo oncupiad Tho hotels ara
filled to overAowing, especial accommoda-
tions being provided for the sick and disa-
bled In the j., NJ & l. depot this afternoon
were twenty-five colored people standing on
chairs and tables awaiting transfer, which
reached them before night The broadest
charity is extended on all sides. Those citi
zens who are so fortunate as to have two-sto-
ry houses have taken in their nei=hbors who
are not so favored. Mayor Warder has five
Howard, of the Southern prison,
has two besides fifty or more people in
his stable and carriage house, and there are
hundreds of similar instances. On the high
grounds north of the city are probably hun
dred small houses and shantes occupied by
colored people, "squatters, and they have
most generously shared their humble quart
ers with the unfortunates. Stable lofts
garrets, store-rooms, closets and sheds are
filled with the sufferers. Mayor Warder and
the citizens committee estimate that at least
600O inhabitants of Jacksonville are home
less and dependent for shelter upon the
charity of their neighbors. They are hud
died together in badly ventilated quarters
with but little clothing, comparatively
no bedcothing and no fires. Sufficient
provisions have been provided to last until
Monday, but no longer Men, women and
children, many OF the latter sickly and
delicate, are thus provided for, and are
thankful for even such poor accommodation.
Their physical suffering is far less than their
M entail anguish, for nearly all have lost their
homes and effects and but few have any re
sources. Their condition is .pitable in the
extreme and every resource should be ex-
hausted and at once to relieve their distress.
If the charitable people of the State could
have seen the sad faces and respondent words
of hundreds of women and men, as was the
unpleasant experience of your correspond
ent to-day, no further appeal would be
necessary.
SOME DISTRESSING CIRCUMSTANCE
There is at this time much sickness here,
and the flood aggravates the condition of the
invalids. There are eleven cases of smallpox
but the patients have been removed to the
pest-house. Within the city there are, this
afternoon. two corpses awaiting burial. One
of these is lady. who died Tuesday night
l
to get her coffin, and then only by shipping
it from Charleston. Two ladies were
brought to premature confinement under
most distressing circumstances, and one
of these, it is feared will die.
One old citizen is lying at deaths door in
the upper story of his house, and the water
is already few inches deep under his bed,
and he cannot be removed. In the High
school building there are three children dan
gerously ill, and all over town cases of sick
ness are reported The physicians are work
ing night and day, but it is with difficulty
that enough medicine can be procured to
supply their wants. Your correspondent
was to-day witness to the removal of a
family from their home, which the water
was threatening, the father and mother
leaving in boat, each with a
sick child in their arms. In the
courthouse the refugees are so crowded
that sleep and even rest are next to impossi
BILE. These are but few of the isolated
cases of the hardships occasioned by the
food.
MEASURES OF RELIEF.
There is but one bakery that is running in
town, and that can supply only about 800
pounds of bread day Warden Howard
,