Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-02-21

from the more exposed places like
New Richmond, OHIO, and Lawrence
burg, Indiana, was awaited with
dread. The reports received tonight
from Newport on this point are re-
assuring. The masons of this citv
have found it necessary to take de-
cisive action and issue the FOLLOWING
appeal:
To the 1IaSonS of the United States:
The MaSonS of Cincinnati represent that q 90
lamlty greater than ever known is now upon the
Ohio valley for hundreds of miles; not only Ma
sons in great number, but thousands of men
women and children are homeless cold and hun
CRY. Every source of charity must be called on
to relieve their distress. If any Mas mic body de-
sires 10 contribute to this noble purpose. remit
tanceS may be sent TO the Masonic flood commit
tee of the Masonic temple of Cincinnati.
ALI Masonic bodies IN this city meet
tomorrow to perfect arrangements
for systematic relief.
The river at 10 p. m. was IS feet, 104
inches, and raising half an inch an
hour, Raining hard.
AT COLUMBUS.
The following proclamation was is
sued this evening:
To the people of Ohio:
The distress existing along our southern bor-
derS cannot well be exaggerated. Many thou
sands o. our fellow citizens are without food and
SHeIler. Inc press mas brought WILDLY to the at
tention of the United States, all the details of the
sorrow and suffering which the present flood has
entaled opon our people. The duty of
and that Immediately. l urge upon every
community in the state to organize at once for
the purpose of providing for the relief of their
unfortunate fellow citizens who live on the banks
OF the Ohio Everything is u lied and at every
DON'T along the state bJIllir except at Cincin-
natl, which IS taking care IT'S, own sufferers
Money, clothing, shelter and rood must be pro-
vIded and that speedily or loss of life will be the
II suit An energetic committee. of which R. w.
Huntington is chairman, has been organized in
! Columbus. THIS committee will undertake the
| task of distribution. If the general as emily
should provi9e for the creation of a state relief
commission the appointments will be made mme-
| dlately. and the commission will also
undertake the task distribution. No time
should be lost Organization should be effected,
| and what may be given for the purpose forward
| cd Immediately. l appeal therefore to all the
good people of Ohio to take steps without delay
to assist the various relief committees in their eff
forts TO stay the tide of distress which is over
whelmng the borders of the stale. Given under
my hand, etc, GEO. HoADLY.
DISTRIBUTING SUPPLIES.
Government boat Bee and tow boat
John D. Lewis, returned here from
distributing provisions to the food
sufferers along the Kanawha river
yesterday, and last night the associ-
ated p ess correspondent who was
along took close observation of the
damage; also cases of absolute neces-
slty and learned from those that he
met that no such suffering has ever
been caused by high water on the Ka-
nawha.
At Buffalo, half the town is sub
merged, but the people as d general
thing were supplied with food.
At Leon, place of 200, the people
are under water and suffering for food
and clothi4g.
At Point Pleasant, town of 800
! people, there is not a foot of ground
which is not at least 6 feet under
water; store houses, goods, dwellings,
IN fact all kinds of houses are hid to
the second story by the water; fully
100 houses have been upset and
washed away. The people are living
on the decks Of barges, in The court
house and III fact wherever they can
get shelter. Many have gone to the
hills for safety. This city has sent at
least So 600 worth of provisions,
cooked, to the sufferers along the |
river and to morrow the government |
boat Bea will leave here with the |
second load of provisions for river |
towns.
AT CINCINNATI THE LATEST.
At o'clock water reached 10 feet,
q inches, showing a rise of one inch
in the last hour. There was a heavy
! rain from 6 to $50, with slight indi-
cations of colder weather. The local
observer of weather for the CONNER
! cial Gazette predicts heavy rains for
tomorrow. 1t is impossible to tell
what will be the stage in twcnty-four
hours. During the day news from
up river showed the water to be fall |
ing slowly from Monella down to
Maysville. This under ordinary cir
cumstances would mean stationary or
falling water here by Thursday p M.
but with the heavy rains of to-day |
and the thoroughly saturated condi-
ton of the earLh the river seems to
respond ms antly to the rain fall.
Nobody thought to-day the river
would exceed 70 feet. Nobody can
say now that it will not reach II
feet. Pearl street, which yesterday
was closed by water except a space
near Vine street, is now navigable
from end to end by slzpffs. At the
market house on Broadway the water
covers the benches, making the depth
nearly five feet on the floor. Vast
numbers of people go to and from
Suspension bridge In fat bottOmed
boats, furnished by the bridge COM
Fany, propelled by poles and having
ropes retched to the telegraph poles
to assist crossing the currents. At
street corners people fill those boats
by standing close together. 1t has a
perllous look but no accident has yet
occurred. Private skiffs are also ply
ing very freely, carrying passengers
wherever they wish to go.
AS intimated today, no news from
Lawrenceburg was good news. Great
fears existed last night that the wind