The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-27
Ten Thousand Persons Drowned, the Country
Along the Rivers Flooded, and the Grow
ing Crops Completely Ruined.
Residents in the Devastated Section
SOrely in Need Of Assistance.
Mr.. Parnell's Dublin Speech Accepted by the
London Press as Declaration of War
The Quarrel Over the Carolines.
DISASTER IN CHINA.

Ten Thousand Lives Lost by Floods-Dis-
tress and Suffering Along the Rivers.
WASHINGTON Aug 26.-Details of the de-
struction in Canton. China, and vicinity, by the
recent great rain storms there have been re-
ceived by private parties in this city. The flood
was the most serious which has visited Canton
in thirty years. More than 10, 900 persons lost
their lives, and far greater number
are left in starving condition. Entire
villages were eneulfed, and the rice
and silk crops in the vicinity were almost
ruined. The price CT rice has been raised Is
per cent in consequence. The rain fell the
latter part of June. filling and overfowing all
the rivers. Many of the 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 in that place. The
embankments of the river were broken
in numerous places. and the waters
swept across the surrounding country, carrying
everything before it. A foreigner who was an
eye witness reports that one night the boat he
occupied anchored near bamboo grove By
bamboos. At other points it rose as high as forty
feet during the night time. The inhabitants fed
from the villages and camped on the
hillsdes. At Kunin, market place situated
near an embankment of one of the
streams connected with the river which brings
water from the north and west rivers, the
majority of the inhabitants were drowned by
the breaking through the embankment of the
water. Some escaped to rising ground in the
neighborhood, but the water continued to rise
and gradually overtopped the elevation, drown
ing those who stood upon it,
Seventeen Chinese graduates in Canton hear
ing Of the distress and suffering prevalent in
their native villages, took passage on boat,
with view to proceeding home to render what
assistance they could. On the way the boat was
caps:zed, and all who were in it were
drowned. In some places parents tied their
children on the high branches of trees while
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 silenced in the surging
water. The body of a bride, dressed
in her bridal robes, was found floating in the
river at Canton. A large tub was also seen;
it was picked up. and found to contain a boy
boy and girl. With them was found paper
stating their names the day and hour of their
birth. The parents had resorted to this means
to save the lives of their offspring. The
writer adds that the sufferlngs which thou
sands are enduring are heartrending. Parents
reply with tears in the eyes to their children's
request for food that they have none. The peo-
pie are obliged to use the flthiest water, and
this, added to the diseases which will ensue upon
the subsidence of the waters, will greatly aegra-
vate the horrors of the situation. Meantime,
all that is being done by the inhabitants to abate
their misery is the beating of gongs, burning of
incense, and bowling of payers to idols.