Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1884-02-28

% take It's bear ngS, anu ascertain ltS
dimensions as compared with former
,alamitios oithe same character. That
i surpassos anything of the kind on
record in North America or Europe is
4 fact that tells at once tho story of its
force and extent, for there have been
hoods heretofore that seemed to com
pass all the possibilities in that dircc-
lion. The great rise Of 1882 came
nearest to matching it, aud that lacked
of reaching the point at
Jained this year, while the most re-
markablc of the overlows in Hungary, |
Italy and other European countries
have come far short of attaining such
energy and volume. There have been
more disastrous and far.reaching floods
- few times in China, and the Amazon
has occasionally risen as high as the
ii gure scored by the Ohio in the present
instance; hut with these exceptions
there has been nothing equal TO what
has been experienced during the past
two weeks between Pittsburg and Cln-
cnnalii
1t is hardly possible to comprehend
the vast quantity of water required to
produce such au extraordinary result.
A fair idea of it may be gained how
ever, by studying the calculations
given by those who make n business of
reducing such things TO fl cures. The
arilhmetican of a Cleveland paper, for
instance, points out that the area of
the watershed of tho Ohio above Gin.
riunati practically covers all Of West
Virginia, fourth of Pennsylvania, a
traction of New York, three.hflhs of
Ohio and 4 third OF Kentucky, or in all
some 10000 square miles Of territory,
and the snow ON this area averaged 4
foot at the time the rise began, equal
TO two inches of water, to which was
subsequently added rainfall of four
inchea. Thus there were sl- inches of
water over all this vast extent Of couna
try to be added to the ordinary volume
Of the Ono. On one acre, it is shown,
this would amount to q, 7SO cubic feet,
or on one square mile over Is 9JO,OOO
feet, which, being multiplied by 10000
square miles, gives the enormous
amount of 97j IA 900, 900 cubic feet
equal to Il lake $40 square miles and 10
irct in depth, or a river five hundred
miles long, mile wide and 70 feet
deep.
II is not to bo supposed, Of course,
that all this immense burden Of water
found its way into the Ohio, but WI
may safely assume that the greater por-
tion OF it did, for the conditions were
peculiarly favorable to such an opera
ton. The country is declivitous one,
TO stniU vith' thu fnrnstS hnrhnrinp the
tributary streams are light and unrc.
,sting; and the earth was frozen and
imporous when the rain set in, aud so
absorbed but little of it. For general
purposes, therefore, il is correct to say
That the flood proper was Il body 9t
water 70 feet in height, mile in width
and 900 miles in length, moving ut a
rate OF eight miles an hour. With such
an idea in the mind, one can appreciate
in fairly adequate way the overpow-
crinr and rcsistlcss quality OF the
thing, and understand how helpless the
ncop'o wcro in its presence. There arc
no means as yet of estimating the
damage with any accuracy, nor will
there be for two or three weeks, as il
W Ii probably take that long for the
water to sub,ile to q regular stage, and
give the sufferers chance to sec what
| is left. There can be no doubt, how
ever, that thoaggregate loss will foot up
much larger sum than any previous
hood in our history has cost, though
fortunately very few lives have been
sacrificed,
There is reason to b. profoundly
thankful that the worst has been
passed. in the Ohio Valley, at least;
but there is also reason to fear that
there is yet much of desolation impend-
ing In other quarters. The situation in
tho vicinity Of PAducNh is worry seri-
Gus one; thore grave danger at Cairo,
aud below Memphis the odtlOOk wears
an Enthusiastically threatening tendency.
There is feeling of more security in
louisiana tlan has been the case in
former years, on account of the I'M
provomcnts made in the levees; but
how VOL founded this feeling is We can
not know until the Hood arrives and
these defenscs arc put to actual test,
With a rise no greater than that OF last
year it is likely the reconstructed
leyeos will be found equal to the
emergency but with the exceptional
situation in Ohio duplicated in the
Lower Mississippi country, the con
sequences can hardly fail TO be The mos
severe ever known. 10 leTce ovel
made could successfully resist such &
body Of water as that which moved by
Cincinnati few days ago. The stream
that empty into the Mississippi below
vicksburg are all reported high ant
rising; aud those in best position tC
Judge are Of the opinion that genera
. humiliation is almost certain to enstic
There is not as yet any very notice
able rise in the Missouri, and that is al
, encouraging omen for the dweller
; along the Mississippi. But there is
. great deal of snow In tho Upper cotn
try that must melt aud come down a
. soon as the weather grows warmer, o
. the spring rains begin. This may b
e delayed for q month or two; and 1t ma.
I happen within week. Thure 10 no as
- rance in that respect that can be re
lied upon. In the nature of things, tn
r Ohio overflow should not have oCcurre
as early as it did; and a similar SUI
.. prise may order the conduct of tn
Y Missouri. We have been taught by OK
perience in recent years that tho river
r nro not guided in those matters by pre-
c cedent, and do not delay their opera
/. tions to fit given times or even give
{ conditions. 1t is the part of wisdor
$ and prudence, therefore, TO bear i
= mind that tho unexpected is Away
/, liable to happen, and that what to.da
2, seems perfect security may be to-moi
| row an imminent and vital danger
S where the philosophy of freshets is cor
i cerned. In the absence of any cor
/ siderable rise in the Missouri for tw
a or three months TO come, 1t is probabl
r. that the Lower Mississippi country
}. with its added facilities of protection
S will be able to escape the impoverisl
|. ing sort OF destruction that has bee
It several times visited upon It; but II th
@ Missouri should suddenly become th
n raging and abundant torrent that
: has sometimes been, nothing coul
d prevent n still more terrible aud III
/ snnrinp flood in tho south than the or