Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-02-21

Ter now cheerful one may be, or how
hard one may strive to look upon the
bright side tonight there is absolute
~ not one ray of hope struggling
through the dark, murky clouds thai
SO persiStently hang above the city
1t Is now a week since the sun has
been seen, and hope and cheer have
been gone as long Everything is
gloomy, and the future is filed with
yet darker pictures.
AT O'CLOCK TONIGHT
Che official water gauge marked
sixty-one feet and one inch and is ris-
ing one inch per hour. The rise since
Z o'clock this morning has been six
teen inches. 1t has been raining
steadily all day throughout the OHIO
Valley and all the streams emptying
out IN torrents. All business in this
city south of Third and along the en-
tire front for miles is absolutely sus-
pended, the only occupation being in
saving property and in caring for the
needy who have been driven from
their homes.
NEW iuCHMOND,
twenty miles above, is the scene of
great distress. The entire town is on
water, though few of the inhabitants
remain quartered in the upper stories
of halls and public buildings
Lawrenceburg and Aurora, below the
city, come next in point of interest.
The rapidity water raising to-day has
banished all hopes of saving anything
from the general ruin. Especially is
this J., the case at Lawrenceburg
Those who removed to places of sup
posed safety a week ago were again
compelled to seek new quarters There
are and must be many days of great
suffering at the places named, and
speedy relief should be given.
Up to last night there was a DISPOSE
ton to treat the matter lightly in Gin
because 1t was supposed that
the worst was over and in a few days
business would again be resumed, but
the rapid change for the worse has
cast a gloom over the entire city. All
day the newspaper Office and bulletin
boards have been thronged with anX-
ious INSURERS for news from points
above. The streets along the water
line have been crowded with persons
viewing the scenes of destruction.
Many houses and barns have passed
down the river and many more will
follow. There is no distress
in this city that the relief committees
will not be able to provide for, and
the work of relief is progressing ia
The city is in
TOTAL DARKNESS TONIGHT,
the foggy atmosphere adding to its
density. The gas works were entire
ly submerged, and the last engine of
the water works was stopped early to-
night, the rising water drowning the
furnace fires. The city is guarded by
500 militia in addition to the regular
police force. All the lines of railways
are mole are less crippled, and no
trains are able to leave the regular de
pots. Most of the trains leave from
points outside the city, to which pas
sengers are taken in boats and omni-
buses. There is no freight taken.
The relief committees are loudly
Ealing for more liberal contributions,
as they have ana immense amount of
work to perform that had not been an
-icipated. The public must respond to
ibis call. The burden upon their
hands is hourly increasing, and there
will be no relief until the waters re-
,ede, which cannot possibly be before
.he ensuing week.
The situation in the East End is
growing worse Over 500 houses are
under water on the river front of
Ward I, and many cases of restitution
exist. Cumminsville is almost entire
" submerged, the depth of water
reaching all the way from four to
twenty feet. The postotiice has been re-
moved and the police station abandon
I'd. The relief committee is ameliera-
ing the prevailing distress. Water
IS making its way through the sewers
N the East End, and fears are enter
-ained that they will burst and add to
.he general destruction.
DISTRESS STATE OF AFFAIRS.
1t is hardly possible to give an idea
Of the situation. The great mass of
the people cannot see the great body
Of the river, as the approach to the
banks is cut off on all streets running
TO the river at Pearl street or near it.
Strangers in the city may gain an idea
Of its extent when it is stated that the
water is now but little more than 600
feet from the Burnet House. From
there to the river bank proper the dis
lance is between three and four
squares. All that can be seen in the
street is inundated and the boats Gid
ing in all directions. The suspension
bridge, over one hundred feet above
low water mark, makes a low arch
above the mad flood, and the Newport
and Southern Railroad bridges look
as if they are almost touching the
water. The view from Prices Hill, i,
the western part of the city, gives
only a comprehensive outline of the
flood covered portion of the city. At
the foot of the hill, on the west side
of the city, Mill Creek spreads to the
average of mile expanse of water,
and reaches north out of sight. The
back water runs beyond Spring Grove
Cemetery, a distance of seven miles.