News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-03-13
Letter from Illinois.
SYRACUSE FLOOD REGION.
Cor CoNDA I'll Fob % '01

GoLcoNDA, I'll. Feb. %, 'S4.
To our old Friend, Meas and Citizen i:
We turned our backs upon the city
which hal grown to be our pride, and
and grown into our affection, because
when we were strangers it took US in.
Did any of the readers of the NeoUS
and Citizen ever leave a 1ong-tried
home, knowing everybody, and every
body knowing you, and drop down
among strangers, where for months,
snd perhaps years, you were not rec
ognized by any in the throngs you
are moving in, and your old habit up
on you of saluting all you meet? If
so, you must have had a very con-
vincing sensation that 81 am but q
stranger here" have left all my ac-
quaintances, and indeed have lost my
identity. 1t was, however, our bles-
sed experience to soon form new
friendships which were long tested,
both in health and sickness. Almost
IA years had made a wide acquain-
lance in this beautiful city of church.
es and universities, its institutions of
benevolence in the way of hospitals,
home for old ladies, asylum for the
outcasts, ETC., to say nothing of its
rapid growth in manufacturing and
material wealth. But the time came
when a change of climate, new scenes
and a union with those so long sepa-
rated was advised, and thus our de-
parture was fastened.
Here we are on the beautiful Ohio,
one mile from shore to Shore the
great thoroughfare of all this country.
1t makes its junction with the Mis-
sissippi at Cairo, so miles south.
and lines of steamers from New Or
leans and from the Tennessee and
Cumberland rivers to Cincinnati.
This town is quite southern in its sty le
of buildings and habits, especially
Of farmers. The holidays came and
Christmas was ushered in with firing
of guns. The boys were armed to
the teeth with fire-crackers, and there
was general display of fireworks at
night. The day was fine and people
were able to sit upon their verandas
and enjoy the music of band in the
Court House yard.
After few days of cold, about
four inches Of snow and then extern
sive rains, the floods came. Golcon-
ola has suffered but a trife. One
third Of the town was under water.
Ware houses on Front street had to
be emptied. Quite number of dwell
ings were submerged so that the fam
lilies made front door of the second
story windows, and made their egress
and ingress by a ladder and skiff to
procure supplies. Business was most
ly given up and the great interest is
in watching the rise of the water,
which had come up to height exceed
ing anything oD record, now As feet
above low water mark. The hills
around US end on the west side of the
town in high bluff which is a great
protection from the sudden and fear
full tornadoes and cyclones which have
become so frequent. If the people
on this river were to settle the ques-
ton to day by ballot as to the choice
between the two, the majority would
choose the high water. But there is
not much laundering after either.
The suffering above and below us
is too great to be recounted in this ar
ticle. Some towns are utterly ruined
Steamboat companies withdrew boats
from regular trips and they were sent
out upon the Ohio to relieve those shut
up in submerged homes. Some were
found in trees where they had beer
clinging for IA hours and badly fro
zen. 1t was sad to see homes ano
all their comforts on the way to the
gulf, -some passing whole, but most
of them in pieces. There is no known
record of nch high water. The gov
ernment supply boat has been doing 6
glorious work in its mission of re
lieving the flood sufferers. 1t called
on Golconda, under charge of Gen
Gresham, of the United States army
who is looking after the real sufferers
The water is now falling and the sur
has been smiling down upon us. Some
are working their gardens which were
not covered by the water. In usnaI
early springs gardening is finished uE
in February, or the early part Of
March. To-day the storm king shows
his reluctance to let 60 his hold and
we are having a blizzard from the
west, with snow. "a right smar
changeable fellow" More anon,
HACK.