The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-09-04
STORM DISASTERS.
Fearful Loss OF Life by Floods at Canton
CHINA south Carolinn Cyclone.


Fearful Loss Of Life by Floods at Canton.
CHINA south Carolin. Cyclone.
WASHINGTON, August 27.-Detaiis OF
the destruction in Canton, China, and vicin-
fly by the recent great rain storms there
have been received by private parties in
this city. The flood was the most serious
which has visited Canton in thirty years.
More than 10000 persons lost their lives
ard q far greater number arg left in starv-
ing condition. Entire villages were ell
quilted and the rice and silk crops in the
vicinity were almost ruined. The price of
rice has been raised Is per cent in conse-
quence of the loss to the crop. The rain
fell since the latter part of June. filling and
overlooking the rivers. Many streets OF
Canton were flooded for over a week.
At Semi City the water broke
through the city wall. 1t is reported
that several thousand people were
drowned at that place. The entertainments
of the rivers were broken in numerous
places and the waters swept acsoss the sur
rounding country carrying everything be-
fore it A foreigner who was an eye wit
ness of the devastation reports that enc
night he occupied a house anchored near
bamboo grove. BY morning the water had
risen to the tops of the bamboos. At other
points it rose as high as forty feet during
the night time. The inhabitants fled from
The villages and camped Gil the hillside. At
kun-in, a market place situated near an en,-
bankment of one of the streams connected
witt: The river which hti9zss- water from tie
north and west rivers. Sl,e majority of tie
Inhabitants were drowned, by the breaking
through the embankment Of the water.
Some escaped TO rising ground in the neigh
borhOod. but the water continued to rise
Rns gradually Overtopped the elevation.
browning those VINO stood ul.on it. Seventeen
thinese graduates in Canton, hearing oi
tie distress aud suffering prevalent in
their native villages took passage Oh a boat
with view TO proceeding home TO render
what assistance they could On the way
the boat was capSiZed and all who were in
il were drowned. In some places parents
tied their children on the high branches of
trees whilst they instituted measures for
their general safety, but the trees were
washed up by the roots. and the heart
rending cries of the children were si,enced
i'm the surging waters. The body of a brid,
dressed in her bridal robes was found float
ing in the river at Canton. A large tub was
also seen. 1t was picked up and found
to contain boy ami girl. With them
was found paper stating their names. the
day and hour of their birth. The parents
had instituted this means to save the life OF
their offspring. The writer adds that The
sutTerings which thousands are enduring
are hear;rending, parents replying with
tears in their eyes to their children request
Tor food that they have none The people
are obliged to use the filthics. water, and
this. added to the disease which will en>r,e
upon the subsistence of the waters, greatly
aggrayate the horrors of the s:tuation
Meantime all that is being done by tho III
habiiants to abate their misery is the bea:
ing of gongs, burning of incense and howl
ing of PRAYERS to idols.
THE SOUTHERN CYCLONE.
AUGUSTA, GA, August 27.-Fu!l details
of the storm at Charleston show that tn,
damage was even worse than had been re-
ported. In Franklin street q large tee
was riven in three parts from top 10 bottom,
but remained standing. ,i'he whole street
is barrcadrI with fallen trees The south
battery was the scene of great confusion
ami damage to shipping. The streets were
flooded with water, and crafts of all de-
scriptions We're washed ashore and were
tishermenS boats were destroyed and tie
wharves piled high with incongluou,
wrecks. The north western and central por-
tions OF the city suffered slight damage
compared with that in the water front,
though the entire portion of the city west
of Rutledge avenue was submerged with
salt water from one to three feet deep.
The spire OF the Citadel Square Baptist
Church, one OF the tallest in the city, was
blown across the four-story dwelling of
Thomas y. Dotterer. cutting away the
piazza and front walls and leaving the in
terror of the dwelling exposed to the storm.
Several miraculous escapes occurred here
but no one was injured. 1t Will take $1,000
to replace the steeple. The Plymouth
Church was completely unrOofed. The
Phillips Street Synagogue Was also I'M
.Oofed. The church home in Lawrence
street was badly damaged, and tie Avery
Institute was unroOfed. Trinity Methodist
Episcopal Church and the chapel of the
Citadel We're unroofed. The Mount Zion
Presbyterian Church, cOlOred. was unroofed
and badly wrecked. 4 rough estimate of
the damage is as follows: Wharf property,
S350,000; private property. $500, 900; cot
ton presses, $4,000; churches, $50, 600;
city property, S35.OsO: railroads, $4,000;
Ashley river bridge, $1,000; shipping,
Sl50,000: lumber mills, $4,000; miScella-
Moons, 100000: total, 81, l23, 900.
The track of the South Carolina Rail-
road from the intersection of the Northeast
ern railroad to the wharveS fioated all about
and was deposited in Zig-Zag shape on
whatever foundations were exposed by the
receding waters. The loss to the railroad
is estimated at 100000 at this point.
At SuliyaH's Island many houses were
damaged. The New Brighton hotel had
windows blown in and crOckery broken, but
withstood the storm bravely. The Casino
was lifted entirely from the foundation and
dashed 10 the ground.
1t was impossible yesterday to telegraph
an adequate description of the cyclone. Ii |
proves the most disastrous storm that evel |
visited Charleston. Within comparatively |
q few minutes the injury TO private resi- |
dences was very large in the aggregate, |
though individual losses were comparativel, |
small, chiefly in roofs and fences. Some |
of the wholesale dealers, however lost |
heavily by damage to stock. The heaviest |
losses were along the water front.
The Sullivan Island steamers, Poossin and |
Sappho. went aground in the harSOr and
are considered beyond repair. The Union |
naval stores and city wharves are badly |
wrecked.
On Charleston's favOrite promenade, the
last battery, the ground floor of residences.
Were from three to SIX feet under water. |
and the handsome gardens were covered |
deep with sedge. The sea rose so rapidly |
IS TO have the appearance of a tidal wave.