The Indianapolis journal., 1884-02-15
AURORA AND BELOW.
Every Hour Brings Increasing Misery to the
Distressed People.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
AURORA, Feb. IA Each succeeding hour for
the past few days has brought nothing but in
creased misery and destruction Hundreds of
families are homeless, have nothing to eat, and
are at the mercy of the water Last nights rapid
rise drove family after family from their houses
people who thought themselves beyond the
highest possible water. The cold came too late
to stop the almost spent waters, and it came only
to add the sufferings of cold to those of hunger.
The people here had thought TO be able to take
care Of their own needy, but the number was so
lfFsss i,4~--coeed this morning that they had to
make appeal TO their sistor cities for assist
ance They have deferred asking so
long that, unless it is responded to at
once there will be untold suffering.
The school buildings are full of people, most of
whom have fled from their homes with merely
what they had On. The town is full of people
none having left, and hundreds having come
from Lawrenceburg The supplies here are well
nigh exhausted, and even those who have means
can not get what they want. There is only one
country road that it not under water, and there
is but little produce brought to town.
AS to the losses this year, they will amount to
so much that it will make people forget they
ever had a food before. They already reach up
into the hundreds of thousands, and the end is
not yet. The Aurora Distilling Co., the Cres
cent Brewing Co., and the furniture and saw
mills are the heaviest losers while hundreds of
others will lose heavily, and many will be left
both homeless and penniless.
The water isfour feetdeepon the O. & NJ. track
few miles back of Aurora, and if the river
rises six inches more trains will be compelled to
stop. and the passengers be transferred two or
three miles by water That road announces its
intention of running trains every day, regard
less of the height of the water.
Governor Porter was in town this morning
and expressed surprise at the great amount of
destruction. The water is nearly five feet above
last year. and is expected to come to halt to-
night. But little sickness is reported
AT Rising Sun the water has flooded all the
country between the town and Arnold's creek
bridge and some eight or ten houses in the
lower part of the city, but the people here don't
kick on a little thing like flood. The water
came in jeweler Williams house, on the corner
of Front and First streets. day before yesterday,
and in Mrs. Cope's yesterday, and to morrow all
that row will be under water Seventy feet of
water will not food twenty houses in town, and
it is delightful place to be just now
Patriot is under water, and the people will
need assistance, because it is almost entirely cut
off from the surrounding country Howe's store
is well UNDER all his goods having been moved
upstairs. DIR. Olcott's house stands several
feet in water.
Nearly the whole town of Florence is sub
merged, and some Of it very deep. The relief
committee found this good place to lend assist
ance last year. and the people will gladly well
come it again. Much of the country around is
under water.
Between Markland and Vevay hundreds of
houses are under water, and there is undoubtedly
much suffering Most of those living on the hill
side of the river had miserable hovels many of
which have washed away and their inmates fed
to the hills, going anywhere they could find shell
ter. One family was found living under a shed
that had nothing but roof, and were living on
almost nothing.
Vevay and Ghent are situated very much as
they were last year. Vevay sits well back from
the river, and on tolerably high ground, still the
water covers no little portion of the city All
that portion lying next to the river, called
''Slabtown,' is under water, and many of the
houses, all of which were poor ones, have washed
away. Judge Carriers residence and a number
of other fine residences in town are under water.
Schenck's large warehouses are also flooded.
There are hundreds of homeless people, but the
citizens so far are caring for them. No appeal
has been made for help from the outside but
aid would be gladly welcomed. The same desc