The National tribune., 1883-02-22
THE WESTERN FLOODS.
Losses Reekoned by Millions-Whole Towns Wiped
Ont.

Out.
The damage done by the Ohio floods to prop
erty is reckoned by millions. Isolated dwell
ings and small hamlets, as well as towns and
cities, along the course of the river have their
quotas of disaster to add to the sum total.
Cincinnati, though relieved from the flood, has
10000 people in urgent need. Lawrenceburgh,
place of about6 900 inhabitants, is practically
swept away. When the water recedes and un-
covers the area the town occupies it is cOnsid-
cred questionable whether single house will
remain tenantable." The basis ON which this
conjecture rests must be considered ample if it
be true, as reported from the locality, that
"people move about in skiffs searching for their
homes, and anxiously feeling below the surface
of the water with rods and poles to ascertain
if their houses have withstood the floods and
remain in position" Some 800 heads of fam
lilies in Lawrenceburgh are deprived of their
only source of income, and for the time being
are absolutely dependent upon charity for the
necessaries of life. Distress and want appear
Oh every side. The damage wrought in Louis
vile involves distress to several thousands.
Jeffersonvllle, place of TO- 400 people, opposite
Louisville, is very nearly obliterated by the
flood. Four-ffths of this town are under water,
and at least 5000 of its inhabitants are without
homes and personal effects beyond the clothes
they wear. Half the business men of the place
are ruined financially. There were situated
yards, employing $500 hands, most of whom
are now made dependent upon charity for sus-
tenance. New Albany, city of 16, 400 people,
likewise opposite Louisville, is also in a bad
condition. Over 800 residences are overturned,
factories are stopped, and business is brought
to a standstill. The overfowing water extends
beyond the city rearward some four miles,
taking in several suburbs. Lower New Albany,
Port Union and Falling Run are reported as
absolutely wiped off the map" The loss in
the larger town is placed at 81 100000 and
some IL 600 homeless people are reported " "hud-
died into close, uncomfortable and necessarily
unhealthy quarters many of them scantily
clad, the large majority penniless, and all out
| of employment, with no prospect for work for
some weeks to come A great many have lost
nearly all their household effects and nearly
all are dependent upon public charity" Aurora
! loses 300 houses Clarksville is under water
and half the town is washed away. Harden
town and North Bend are submerged to the
roofs of the houses with what results to the
people in the loss of property may be imagined.
A Cairo (Ill.) dispatch of the 18th inst, says:
| At o'clock this evening the river marked
| ffty-one feet, and was rising half an inch an
| hour. The lowlands below here are inun-
! dated, and the loss of stock, grain, etc, Is
! great. There is a foot of water on the floor OF
| the Iron Mountain Railroad at Birds Point
| The Jackson road is transferring passengers by
boat across Mayfield Creek, the embankment at
! that place having given away. Business is en-
! tirely suspended at this end of the Iron Noun
! tain and Texas and St. Louis roads 1t is
| thought the river will come to a stand by to-
! morrow night, and there is little danger of the
breakage of the levees. The work of bulk
| heading the Ohio levee is going on rapidly
! Reports of distress are coming from the low
| lands of Kentucky and Missouri.
A yicksburg (Miss.) dispatch of the 10Th
| inst, says:
News received here to-day reports that the
protection Ievee at Goodrich's gave way on
| Saturday night, and water is now running
through at that point. The Illawara and
| Edgewood breaks about 300 yards wide
and water from one to four feet deep is spread
ing over the country back of these points
A ST. Louis dispatch, of the goth inst, says
| information from st. Charles, Mo-, is to the
| effect that an immense ice gorge came rushing
down the Missouri River yesterday morning on
a high and rapidly running volume of water
which oyerfowed the low bottom lands oppo
site ST. Charles, and almost submerged the
little town of Brotherton. The Government
tug Electra was crushed by the ice, and nearly
| all the Government work for the Improvement
| of navigation at that point was swept away
The st. Charles Car Works on the river bank
with the valuable dock built into the river, were
destroyed. The railroads in this vicinity are
getting in good shape again, and schedule time
! is about resumed.