Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-06-01
THE WATERS RECEDE.
Illinois Farmers Lose Nearly
Four Million Dollars.
Great Suffering Caused in the In
undated District.

The great food in the Mississippi, which
will be remembered as without precedent
in the destruction and suffering created, is
slowly abating, says Quincy GILL dispatch,
and it is thought that the worst of the high
water is passed. But the worst that could
bappen has already occurred, hundreds Of
families having been rendered homeless, and
thousands of acres of CROWN crops ruined,
TO saw nothing of the loss entalled by demol-
ished dwellings, wrecked fences and wash
outs.
A trip through the submerged regions
shows that the stories of loss and suffering
already published have not been exaggerated
in the least. From the northern end of Adams
county TO the southern end OF Pike county
river was protected by system Of
Ievees. the region embracing 100000 acres,
the soil being the richest in the State All
the region was found to be vast lake from
six to ten feet in depth. Along the bluffs on
the eastern edge OF the submerged
district hundreds of families were camped,
living in tents huts and the open air. Before
the food most Of these people were well-to-do,
prosperous farmers, but now they have little
or nothing. Much sickness prevailed among
the unfOrtunates, but prompt measures were
taken to alleviate their sufferlnGs.
The inundated regions were full OF desola-
ton Deserted homesteads with the water
tapping the caves, were the most frequent.
well as the most pathetic sight While
the higher land a few were not granted
time to get away or misiudged the character
of the breaks in the level and determined to
stay with their homes and were seen living IN
the trees or on the roofs. Every roof was
turned into a place of refuge for livestock,
poultry, etc, but numberless houses have
been drifted from their foundations and car
ried away with the irresistible current or de-
molished entirely.
In re Sny levee district below Quincy,
ILL.,, the situation was infinitely worse than
in the regions to the north. The creVaSse,
which completed the inundatlon, opened at
The upper end of the embankment and the
pent-JIp waters from the river poured
over the vast tract of rich farming land,
sweeping everything before them. The tor
rent rushed down in great wave several feet
high with force which nothing could with
stand The towns of Fall Creek, SeehOrn
and Halls were mere islands and hundreds OF
refugees were huddled together in limited
space.
The damage to railroad property was
enormous and it will be three weeks after
the water subsidies before trains can be
running on time. Quincy was cut off from
railroad communication north, west and
south The Quincy and Carthage track was
under water for a distance of several miles
The Quincy, Alton and ST. Louis track Is
washed for miles, the bridges are gone and
telegraph poles down.
Owino to the great confusion it is impos-
sible to obtain detailed losses, but the aggre-
gate will reach fully $4,000 ON from crops
alone The damage to the levees, houses
and railroads will approximate 5000, oOO.
Reports received at Quincy, Ill, record
the drowning of Samuel Moore by the floods
in the Indian Grave levee district and OF two
children of VIM. johnson in the Sny district.
Two families living in the Sny district were
unaccounted for and no trace OF them cOuld
be found. 1t is probable that many fatalities
will be recorded when all the facts regarding
the flood are fully known.