Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-02-21
Death and Devastation
Horrible Details Of the Ohio
River Valley Deluge.
Millions of Dollars and MANY
Lives Lost.
Terrible Sorrow and Suffering of
the Victims.
The Most Disastrous Flood of the
Century.
The Sad Story at Length.

The Sad Story at Length.
AT CINCINNATI.
The river is a foot higher than g
year ago ard rising at midnight an
inch an hour. The situation has be-
come more and more serious. Up tc
tonight the Cincinnati, Hamilton &
Dayton road has been able to reach its
depot. 1t will be unable to get trains
out IN the morning. This leaves the
Cincinnati Northern the only road
able to take its trains from it's depot
The water has reached Chester park
and Maud S. and Kitson's horses will
probably have to be removed from
their stables. Covington has neither
gas nor wafer.
A News Journal Aurora, Ind, spe-
cial says the situation there is alarm
ing. The river is rising more rapidly.
Three deaths have occurred since yes
terday.
WHEELING, w. VA
The steady rain fall has caused
much alarm, which was increased by
news OF a rise at the head waters.
The subscriptions in cash here reach
SIS, 600, all of which has been spent.
and supplies sent in from elsevhere
are consumed as fast as received. The
homeless are on short allowance,
owing to insufficient supplies, and APP
peals for aid are still coming in from
neighbOring towns The committee
are pOwerless to help them. Many
who are themselves sufferers from the
flood, contribute to help others. The
state Of affairs is heartrending.
The mayor of Newport, has found ii
necessary to make the following state
ment:
NEWPORT, Ky, Feb. 1.-THE Relief union of
the city of Newport realizing the fearful state o.
affairs in our city viii h, now in point of territory
IS one-half and in population two-thirds under
water, have requested me, as mayor of the city
TO appeal to the public of the United States for
relief In doing So regret the utmost necessity
of such action; but earnestly appeal to tie good
people of the country for aid.
Signed, WIN. H Horton,
Mayor.
LAURENCEBURG, IND.
The mayor for the first time to-day
asked for help from abroad. People
are removing from the second floors
and Abandoning their goods bee aus
they have no place to take them an
the current is so swift that the foollug
is dangerous. A family was rescued
to day from the second story, where
the water had reached a depth of four
inches
AT CINCINNATI.-LA
The situation IS more gloomy
than ever. Tie river rose almost
constantly from half an inch to an
inch an hour and was growing from
two to three feet above the highest
stage last year. This is a fact of
great significance and loses no weight
by uncertainty when the rise will end.
1t is significant because of the vastly
increase of territory flooded
and because of the greatly in
creased danger to buildings by
increased leverage the swaying on the
water has on them as we'll
as injury to the foundation. One two
story brick business building occupied
by Chas. A. Marsh & Co., on Sixth
street, fell with a great crash, owing
to the weakened foundation. The
building was weighted with a guam
tity of hemp, which aided in causing
the destruction. This is only the be-
ginning. There is much apprehen
sion on this account in COvington and
Newport where the nature of the soil
makes the danger greater. AS the
water creeps upon the houses it has
been found necessary to remove fam
lies to safe places.
The relief committee In charge of
this work had to act arbitrarily In
some cases and compel people to leave
their houses. In two or three of these
cases the houses are now off their
foundations or washed away, and
undoubtedly there would have been a
loss Of life if the people had been al
lowed to act in their own behalf, so
tenaciously do they cling to their lit
tie all of property.
Owing to the general impression
here that the flood would not exceed
last year and that losses and suffering
would be less, contributions are
much slower coming in.
They have now reached oboutS25. 900,
exclusive of $4,000 appropriated by
The council. This has been anticipat-
ed already and drafts will have to be
made soon on the appropriation I'M
less funds come in faster. A repre-
sentative here of the Columbus Buggy
company, Columbus, Ohio, received a
telegram that their EN- pIoyes have
given days wages, amounting to a
thousand dollars, and many were
doubling their subscriptions.
Among the people from abroad who
have contributed are Geo. W. Childs
$500, and Henry Irving. $3.50. The
committee will persist in its determi-
nation to disburse all contributions
from a broad among the sufferers out
side Of Cincinnati. Tonight had a
frightful beginning by reason of the
high wind which threatened to be