New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1884-02-20
THE 1ERRjBLEFLOOD

L lie OllO river kepG Sledully r1SluS
until it reached the unprecedent-
ed hight at Cincinnati Of Il feet
{ inches, surprising the flood Of last
year by nearly 5 feet. The river is
now falling at Cincinnati, but at
points below the worst is not yet.
Terrible suffering prevails among
the luckless people Of the inundated
districts. Hundreds Of compare.
lively unknown hamlets have been
swe 2t away or covered to the roofs
Of their highest houses by the angry
tide, and their inhabitants are fu-
gitives. Even the important towns
Of Shawneetown, Lawrenceburg,
Portsmouth, aud Metropolis are al
most untenable. Driven from
their homes by the all-prevading
waters, the people find themselves
homeless and foodless and unpro-
tected by suitable clothing from the
inclemency of the season. The dis
aster has become one Of national
dimensions. From Pittsburg to
Cairo there is not a town which is
not taxed to the utmost to care for
it's own impoverished and homeless
people. Congress has appropriated
100000 for the immediate relief
Of the sufferers, and relief steamers
in charge of government officers are
now distributing supplies Of provi-
sions and clothing. Above Cincin.-
natl the country is slowly shaking
off the water, and the devastation
passes description. Roofs of houses
and piles of brick and tim Der appear
in all directions. At Marietta, Ohio.
it looks as though hurricane had
wrecked the houses. They are torn,
Quilted and demolished on all the
streets. There are no inhabitants,
except in the second stories, and not
many Of them.
Bell pre- is a wreck, aud it's prin-
cipal street has entirely disappeared,
with only piles Of brick to mark it's
location. A tow boat with tow
was swung abreast Of Ravenswood
and held the houses from being
swept away, otherwise the town
and all the people would have been
engu]fed. At Darlington the en-
tire town was under water. Houses,
stables, outhouses, ETC., are scat.
tered all through the town. The
damage to the town is about thirty.
five thousand dollars. The damage
done to the Ohio River Road can.
not be estimated, as entire bridges,
trestle wor Ks, rolling stock, etc. ,
are completely swept away. In
several places the land slides have
removed all traces of a railroad. A
great many Of their box cars are
drifting on the Ohio side of the riv
er. New Martinsville suffered
more than any other point along
the river between Wheeling and
Marietta. Thirty houses were
swept away, and scores of others
were submerged. About one hun
dred families are thrown opt of
homes. The damage to this town
is estimated at 100000. Mer-
chants, manufacturers and private
citizens have all suffered, and have
been compelled to depend princi-
pally upon the good people of the
surrounding country for provisions,
the most Of which have come from
Sardis, whose residents haye been
keeping their stoves and ovens GO
ing day and n gbt baking to supply
the demand for bread. At Sardis
the loss IS $4,000. At Sistervil!e
twenty families are without homes,
and many have been swept away.
At Cochransville, out Of thirty. eight
houses which formerly composed
this village, twenty-eight have been
swept entirely away.
1t is a forlorn looking wreck.
Piles of old brick, old stoves, and
general debris only are left to. show
where the houses formerly stood.
About mile below is a pile of rub
bish, probably forty feet high, con-
sisting Of houses, barns, school
houses, etc, that have foated from
points above. At St. Mary's every
house IN the town was submerged.
several houses were swept away and
twenty.three families are homeless
and helpless. At Newport and 9TH
er submerged towns property own.
ers are endeavoring to float their
houses back upon their foundations.