The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-23
THE BROKEN shy LEVEE.
HALF THE SUFFERING YET UNTOLD.
Families Destitute, Camping in the Few
Dry Spots-LittIe Clothing, Food or
shelter for Hundreds - DAM
ages Estimated at Millions.

QUINCY, H., May 21.-The great flood in the
Mississippi, which will be remembered as with
out precedent in the destruction and suffering
created, is slowly abating, and il is thought the
worst of the high water is passed. The worst
that could happen has already occurred, hun
dreds of families having been rendered home
less, and thousands of acres of growing crops
ruined, to say nothing of the losses entailed by
demolished dwellings, wrecked fences and
waEhOuts. A trip through the submerged re-
gions shows that the stories of loss and suffer
ing already published have not been exagger-
ated in the least. From the northern end of
Adams county to the southern end of Pike
county the land on the Illinois side of the river
was protected by system of levees the region
embracing $4,000 acres the soil being the rich
est in the state. All the region is now one vast
lake from six to ten feet deep.
Along the bluffs on the eastern edge of the
submerged district hundreds of families are
camped, living in tents, huts and in 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
prevails among the unfortunates, owing TO want
and exposure, but prompt measures have been
taken 10 alleviate their sufferings. The inun-
dated regions are full of desOlation. Deserted
homesteads, with water tapping the caves, are
the most frequent as well as the most pathetic
sight. But here and there is a spark of life not
yet extinguished by the all-destroying waters
While the vast majority of the inhabitants fed
to the higher land, few were not granted time
TO get away, or misjudged the character of the
breaks in the leyee, and determined TO stay
with their homes, and are now living in the
garrets or on the roofs. Every roof has been
turned into a place OF refuge for live stock,
poultry, etc, but numberless houses have been
lifted from their foundations and carried away
with the irresistible current or demolished en-
tirely. -r,r- r.-1
In the Sny levee district below this city the
situation is infinitely worse than in the regions
to the north. The ereyasse, which completed
the inuandation, opened at the upper end Of
the embankment and the pent up waters from
the river poured over the vast tract of rich
farming land, sweeping everything before it.
The torrent rushed down in great wave
several feet high with force which nothing
could withstand. The towns of Fall Creek,
Seehon and HILLS are but mere islands and
hundreds of refugees are huddled together in
limited space. Four or five families are living
in each of the rooms in the few houses above
the water, and suffering intensely. The damage
TO railroad property is enormous and it will be
three weeks after the water subsidies before
trains can be running on time. This city is cut
of IRON railroad communication north, west
and south. The quincy q Carthage track Is
under water for a distance of several miles.
The Quincy, Alton d ST. Louis track is
washed for miles, the bridges are gone and
telegraph poles down. The Chicago, Burling-
ton & Quincy and the Wabash tracks at East
Hannibal washed out Saturday morning. On
the west side of the river no attempt is made to
run trains on any roads. Owing TO great con-
fusion, ii is impossible to obtain detailed losses,
but the aggregate will reach fully S5,00O,OOO
from crops alone. The damage to the leyees,
houses and railroads will approximate 100000.
Reports received to-day record the drowning
of Samuel Moore, by the floods in the Indian
Grove levee district, and of two children of
William johnson in the Sny district. Two
families living in the Sny district are unac-
counted for and no trace of them can be found.
1t is probable that many fatalities will be re-
corded when all the facts regarding the flood
are fully known. Much sickness prevails
among the destitute people in the inundated
districts, but the relief committee of Quincy
is rendering every possible assistance to those
in distress. The river to-day is falling slowly,
having declined nine inches from the highest
point reached Trains the western roads
will be resumed tomorrow and the damage to
all roads in this locality will be repaired as
speedily as possible.