Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-05-21
The Western Floods.

QUINCY Ills, May 2l.-The great fool in
The Mississippi which wl! bo remembered
as without e precedent in the destruction
and suffering created is slowly abating and
it is thought that the wors; Of the high Wa
ter is passed. But The worst that could hap
pen has already occurred, hundreds of fami
lies having bseu rendered homeless and
thousands facres Of growing crops ruined,
to say nothing of the loss entailed by demol
ished dwellings, wrecked fences and wash
cuts. A trip through the submerged regions
shows that the stories of loss and suffering
already published have not been exaegerat
ed in the Toast. From the northern end Of
Adams county TO the southern end of Pike
county on The Illinois side of the river
the land was protected BY system of
leveea, the region embracing $50 600
acres, the SSH being the richestin The States
All the region is now one vast lake from six
to ten feet in depth. Along the bluffs on the
eastern edge Of tbs submerged districts hun
dre1s of families are campsd, living in tents
huts and in open air. Before the Il oad most
of these people were we'll to do, prosperous
farmers. but now they have little or moth
ing. Much sickness prevails among the un-
fortunates owing to want aud exposure, but
prompt measures have been taken TO allie
via,e their sufferings. The inuod tied re-
gions ara full ofdeaola!ion Deserted home
steads with the water tapping the caves are
the most frtqneat as we'll as The most Ia
thetic sight. But here and there is spark OF
life not yet extinguisbed by theall-destroying
waters. While the vast mel ,rity of the in
habitants llsd to the higher land, few were
not granted tims to get away or misjudged
the character of the breaks ia the levee and
determined to stay with their homes, and
are now living in the sarrets OF on the roofs.
Every roof has baen turned iuyo place Of
refuge for live stock, poultry, etc, but mum
berless houses have bsen lifted from their
foundations and carried away with the ir.
resisii5ln current OF demolished entirely. L.
the Say levee district bslow this city the sit
ua!ion is infinitely worse ihaa in The regions
to the north. The cceyesse which comp!ete
ed tbs nundetion, opened 1T the upper end
OF the emban5n,snt and the pent up water
FROM the river poured over the vast track OF
rich fayuiiug land sweeping everything he-
fore ii. The torrent rushed down in great
wave several feet high with u force which
nothiog could Withstand THE towns Of Fsli
Creek. Seehorn and iIulls are but mere is
lands and hundreds of refugees aie huddcd
together in limited space Four OF five fa,ni
lies are Living in each OF tho rooms in tho
few houses above tho water and ara suffer-
ing intensely.
The damage to railroad property is enor
nous and it will be three weeks after The
water subsidies before trains can be running
on time. This city Is cut eff from railroad
communication north west, anal SOUTH The
Quincy and Carthage track is under water
for 6 distance Of Several miles The Quincy,
Alton and s.. Louis track is covered for
miles, bridges are gone and Telegraph poles
down. Tae Ch!cngo, Burlington and Quincy
and the Wabash tracks ct East Hannibal
were washed out Saturday morniug. On
the west aide of ths river no attempt is made
to run trains on any OF the roads.
Owing to the great confusion it is impos
sible to obtain detailed Losses, but the aggre.
gate will reach fully 50 100000 from crops
alone. The damage to evees, houses and
railroads will approximate $780, 900.
The Presbyterian Assemblies.
PHILADELPHIA. Nav 21.-In the Preshv