The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-02-16
AWAITING TIE WORST.
THE FLOODS DAILY GROW MlCHTleR.
The River at Cincinnati over -Four Feet
Higher Than Ever known-High
Waters In other TOwns-Relief
Contributions Pouring In.
THE END NOT YET.

greater. II has now reached seventy feet
eight and one half inches. 1t has been rain
ing almost without cessation since four
o'clock yesterday morning, and is still com
ing down in torrents, with no indications Of
IA change for the better.
The work of the local relief committee is
progressing fayorably, and the contributions
are coming in TO meet all demands, There
is plenty for all local needs and something
TO spare for more unfortunate neighbors.
| The great need Of help is for the people in
the smaller towns above and below Food
and clothing are most desirable, but money
| can be used TO great advantage. Food pre-
pared and shipped direct to the flooded
! towns could he distributed quickly without
the delays of buying and shipping here.
! Among the other troubles caused by the
flood is that of procuring a supply OF beef
cattle. None can come by rall or river, eN-
| cept by the Cincinnati Northern, and that is
unable to meet the demand. Butchers are
securing the adjacent country tor such
| stock as they can procure.
The stoppage of freight trains, except on
the Cincinnati Northern, which is narrow
gauge road, throws an unusual amount OF
business on the express companies. Light
| freight which must come through is sent rs
express matter. Offices and wagons are
taxed To the utmost to meet the increased
business The ohio ~ Mississippi Express,
being unable to reach its steamers by wagon,
have had boat built specially to carry eN-
press freight to and from the steamers.
The American Express Company gener-
Ia. .f.r n, tran FREQ nf pIlrrp
contributions which may be sent to the re-
lief of the flood sufferers.
Parties on board relief boat which has
lust returned from Ripley say that at that
point the hills on opposite side of the river
form its banks The people ask first for
news, next for ropes to anchor houses, last
~ for cooked provisions; none want cloth
ing. Houses everywhere are swept away or
floating on their corners. Rural and Angus
Ia, KY. are wrecks, the water running
behind Augusta making an / stand
of it, Dover, KY, is in twelve feet of water
in the shallowest part New Richmond is
still worse off. In Point Pleasant, Grants
birthplace, only two houses are out OF
water, and Neville is a wreck Shiloh being
still worse than Neville; Higginsport is half
under water, and Levanna badly sub
merged. Ripley is IN terrible condition.
One side of brick house fell in yesterday,
and others are weakening.
Beginning with the upper part of Cincn-
natl, ON the Ohio side, are Columbia, Pen
deton and Fulton Below Cincinnati, Sc
louisville, Riverside, Fernbank, North
Bend, Lawrenceburg and Aurora, Rising
Sun, Patriot, Vevay and Madison. On the
Kentucky side are the towns of Dayton,
Bellevue, Newport and COvington, opposite
| nII Rrnmlnv p.tarS hnrJ
and Hamilton below. All these are
within thirty miles of thrs city, and
all are more or less submerged and
i'm distress. When added to these
are all the towns on the upper Ohio,
some of which have suffered fearfully, some
idea of the great food of distress that has
rolled over the Ohio Valley may be had.
Probably before the flood reaches Cairo 1t
will have brought ruin and distress on fully
2500O people, many of whom Will depend
ON charity for their lives and their shelter
for days to come. For most of two hun,
bred miles above Cincinnati the river is from
one to three miles wide, in fact from the
Ohio to the Kentucky and Virginia hills
there is silent yellow sea of ruin
COLUMBUS, o., Feb. Ex-Governor HOad
~ issued proclamation to the people of
the State Tuesday, urging upon such as are
able to contribute money, clothing, food and
shelter to their unfortunate fellows. Speedy
action is suggested, as otherwise terrible
loss of life from privations OF every kind is
certain. The Governor says that if the
General Assembly should provide for tn
creation of "a State Relief Commission the
appointment will be made Immediately,
and said the commission Will also undertake
the task of distribution.
COLUMBUS, o., Feb l4.-Both branches
of the Legislature passed bill yesterday
appropriating $500, 900 for the Ohio River
sufferers. A number of mem bers sent a
purse of $3.50 to the relief committee. Sey
eral bills were passed authorizing river
counties to borrow money for local relief to
build bridges and embankments. At a
meeting of citizens last night Sl2 900 cash
was reported raised. Frederick Warde, the
tragcdan, gives half the gross receipts of
four performances.
GAIIIroLIS, o., Feb l2.-Five thousand
people are camped on the hills in terrible
want for food and shelter. One hundred
and fifty houses have toated away. Near
ly every business mn is bankrupt.
house went 10y Middleport with a woman
sitting on the gable end. Men r0wed out
and appealed to her to get of, but she re-
fused, saying she had -four babies below.
he glass was broken, ana lne chllureh
were seen lIoatng dead.
WHEELING, Feb. l3.-Slow progress
is made in clearing away the debris left by
the food. The number of destitute has
been materially reduced, but several thou
sands are still dependent on the relief com
mittee principally women and chill
dren or old men. Since the flood
has receded peculiar phenomenon
is noticed ut Powhattan. Sand and
water are thrown u considerable height
there by three regular geysers. An i'm
mense landslide on a hill in the Second
Ward, resulting from the recent rains,
threatens four or five houses Donations for
the flood sufferers are still coming in liber
ally. Senator Payne, of Ohio, telegraphed Il
subscription OF $1,000. The Secretary of
War has authorized the Mayor to eXpend
s.. 600 and to draw on the Department.
WACO, Tex, Feb. l3.-The rain-St0rm
which has been prevailing for several days
developed Tuesday morning into a perfect
tornado and swept over the southern por-
ton of the city, doing considerable damage
to property. DIR. Burlcson's residence
occupied by Rev. o. {. Blunt and fam
lily, was thrown over, but the occupants
escaped injury. The llorr place, on