The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-09-03
THOUSANDS PERISH.
The Most Disastrous Flosd in Thirty
Years Visits Canton and
Vicinity.
Entire Villages Engulfed, and Over
Ten Thousand People Lnss
Thar Homes.
Washington dispatch

Details of the destruction in Canton,
China and vicinity by the recent great
rain storm there have been received by
private persons in this city. The flood was
the most serious which has visited Canton
in thirty years. More than 10, 100 persons
lost their lives, and a far greater number
are starying.ss Entire villages We engulfed,
and the rice and silk crops in the vicinity
were almost ruined. The prco of rice has
been raised eighteen per cent. in conse-
quence of the loss of the crop. Rain fell
the latter part of June, filling and over
fl ling many of the rivers. The streets Of
Canton were flooded for over week. At
Sez Nj City the water broke through the
city wall. 1t is reported that several thou
sand people were drowned In that place.
The embankments of the river were broken
in numerous places. and the water swept
across the surrounding country, carrying
everything before it.
A foreigner, who was an Witness of
the scenes of devastation, reports that one
night the boat he occupied anchored near a
bamboo grove. BY morning the water had
risen to the tops of the bamboos. At other
points it rose as high as forty fee. during
The night time. The inhabitants fed from
the villages and camped on the hillsides.
At Munin, a market place, situated nearsan
embankment of one of the streams con-
nected with the river which brings water
from the north and west rivers, the majority
of the inhabitants were drowned by the
water breaking through the embankment
Some escaped to a piece of rising ground
in the neighborhood. but The water con-
tinued to rise and gradually overtopped
the elevation, drowning those who
stood upon it. Seventeen Chinese grad
yates in Canton, hearing of the distress and
suffering prevalent in their native villages,
took passages on a b Dat with view to pro-
ceeding home to render what assistance
they could. On the way the boat was cap
sized and all who were in it were drowned.
In some places the parents tied their chill
dren on the high branches Of trees, while
they took measures for the general safety.
The trees were washed up by the roots and
the heartrending cries of the children were
silenced in the surging water.
The body OF bride dressed in her bridai
robes was found floating in the river at Can
ton. A large tub was also seen; it was
picked up and found TO contain boy and a
girl. With them was found paper, stating
their names, the day and hour of their
birth. The parents had taken this means
to save the lives of their offspring The
writer adds that the sufferings which thous-
ands are enduring are heartrending; parents
replying, with tears in their eyes, to their
childrens requests for food, that they have
none. The people are obliged to use the
filtheiest water, and this. aided to the dis
eases which will ensue upon the subsid-
ance of the water will greatly increase 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 pray
ers to idols.