National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-27


,eivod. But small part Of this town had
been submerged, and suffered nothing from
,he cyclone which so thoroughly wrecked
'ome of her neighbors The fac
5ories have been stopped, and many laborlng
men have been temporarily thrown out of
their houses, but few had suffered tho
loss of their household effects. Mayor
5teyor n gentleman of wealth and intelli-
gence, who, by the way, was q refugee him
self assured the agents that the greater
wants of the needy had already been sup
piled, and tho smaller ones would not escape |
the attention of the authorities. On Wodnes-
day morning the boat reached Smithland,
KY, at the mouth of tho Cumberland. Tho |
first time since leaving Evansville bright |
and cheerful day was vouchsafod the expedi- |
ton. A cheerful day might be appreciated at
Smithland, for there is nothing OF CHEEKY
nature TO be seen at the place. This town,
one of tho oldest on the Lower Ohio, has
received blow from which 1t would be diff
cult for young and more vigorous town TO
recover. While the water was at its highest
stage q terrific cyclone from the west struck
it full in the face, driving the waves high up
against tho second stories of the buildings,
crushing the brick structures like SO many
egg shells, and setting the frame houses adrift
across the bottoms.
The scene presented is one of utter desola-
tion, fragments Of wooden buildings every
where. Some house roofs taken from tho
very rivor front, carried back nearly six
miles and left high and dry half way up the
hill side. Piles of crumbling brick arc tho
only remaining vestiges of some substantial
houses. Great logs forced inward by the re-
sistless force of the wind and wave, proved
more powerful battering rams than were ever
invented or welded by man and the effect OF
their work is seen upon evory brick house in
the town. Some with n hole knocked in the
wall others showing whore the log, propelled
with the speed of an arrow and tho force of a
thunderbolt passed in through one wall of
the house, through petitions, out on the other
side and as IL by miracle left the house still
standing. Other great trees pushed with
force, or meeting with greater resistance,
penetrated the walls and there remained
like barbed arrow lodged in tho body of its
victim.
The Smiths have undoubtedly made many
mistakes since the family was first founded,
but none Of tho Smith race ever committed a
greater error than locating this town, which
bears the family name, which tho Lord
evidently designed for cornfiold.
Government rations and blankets had
already been issued here, and the Red Cross
supplemented the work with over abun dant
supply of coal, clothing, bedding, and cash,
with carte blanche to draw on headquarters for
any further needs.
New Liberty, on the opposite shore, and
tho noxt point visited, was victim Of the
same storm that wrecked Smithland. This
was little village of perhaps 100 wooden
houses, built on bottom land and wholly
unprotected by levees. OF the 100 houses
scarce five remained on their foundations;
all torn to pieces by united action of wind
and water, or foated from their foundations
and stranded on some lot to which the owner
of the house has no title. Hero special
committee was appointed to examine into the
exact wants of the people and to make q
definite report to the agents-all their wants
to DO supplied on tho return trip. The site of
this town would insure a larger return to tho
agriculturalist than to men of mercantile
SEPARATIONS.
Paducah, KY, at the mouth of the Tennes-
see was reached on the afternoon of We'd
nesday. The relief party was received by
Mayor Reed, the gentlemanly proprietor of
the Richmond house, who gave them such a
welcome as only hospitable Kentuckian
can. Heretofore Paducah has passed I'M
scathed through all tho floods, but was
thoroughly drenched during the last deluge.
The simultaneous running out of the Ten
nessee and Cumberland rivers, adding their
waters to the Ohio, already an ocean, gave to
| Paducah, Metropolis, and Mound City higher
waters than was ever dreamed of in their
NEUROLOGY. All the mills and factories were
stopped, but proprietors were going forward
on every hand to resume work. Ample
rations had been furnished at all these poin Ia
by the government, aud the disposition WINS
shown on the part of local authorities L
attend to the further needs of their destitute
Thursday morning found their boat al
Metropolis, the trimmist, neatest, most city
| like river town which Illinois can boast. But
her natty appearance from the river front
exist now only in memory and prophecy
| The same destructive cyclone, whose pitiless
work at Smithland and Now Liberty has
already boon detailed struck this place il
all its strength and fury. Mills, hotels, fac
tories, dwellings Of brick and wood, all wen
down. The difference between this place
and tho other two just named was that this
was merely stunned f; those paralyzed, this
staggered by the blow which drowned hei
neighbors. Everywhere the work of recon.
struction was going on, and the vigorous
little city has the pluck and ability within
her own limits to speedily repair the damage
| The greater part of the town stands high
above all possible floods, and within few
months everything will be as though floods
never were. Such town can't be knocked
out in one round.
Mound City, by energetic and unremittinp
work during the days of the food made hei
levees an etfectual protection. Much of the
surrounding country back of the city suffered
severely. and many families were left abso.
lutely destitute. A special committee wa
appointed here to go among the sufferers X
ascertain their actual wants, all of which are
to be supplied on tho return trip. A shor
run brought us to Cairo, tho city which
abroad has the reputation of having its life
imperied by every spring freshet but ha!
suffered less than any river town from the
source of the Ohio to its junction with the
Mississippi The people of Cairo feel n
secure from rains and floods as did Noah:
noighbors in days of old. 1t is to be hoped
that their confidence in their security may
never lead to such tragic results as followed
the blind faith of Noah's contemporaries wht
failed to take passage in the ark. Tho Red
Cross party were met at the wharf by Capt
w. p. Halliday, Mr.. and Mrs. E. p, Halliday
Mr. Brady, Very Rev. William Davenport
rector of the Episcopal church Mrs. Judge
Fishback, and number of other citizens
whose hearts warm to any work Of genuine
charity.
Their high commentator Of the Red Cross
work and kindly encouragement of the work
ers we're sufficient recompense for all the worl
dons during the trip. Hero the party was re
enforced by recruits from St. Louis, in tn,
persons of Miss L. d. Coe, DR.. Grinder, anC
Miss NJ. o. Dix, the last of whom is partic
ularly enthusiastic and efficient worker. II
her efforts is due tho fitting out by tho st
Louis branch society of hospital car, thor
oughly equipped and in charge of an expo
rienced surgeon and ready to start from st
Louis at moments warning for tho scene o
railroad accidents mine explosions, cyclones
or calam titles of a kindred nature.
The spacious parlors of the Holiday hous
were thrown open at night and II reception