Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-02-10
GREATEST DISASTER SINCE THE FLOOD.

Several weeks ago dispatches were
published stating that there had been
tremendous loss of life by the overflow
of the Yellow river in China. Later
news tells of a disaster than which
there has been none greater since the
flood told of in the Bible. The Yellow
river has long held the ominous title
of 'China's Sorrow" Constantly sub
ject to overflow from freshets during
the summer and autumn, it has, year
after year, taxed the energies of the
Chinese government to keep its ELL
bankments in repair. These embank-
ments resemble the levees that have
been raised to restrict the waters OF
the Mississippi within their channel,
but the breaks Ill them cause INFINITELY
greater destruction because OF the
large volume of water hlllng the lel-
low river in the season OF great Hoods
and the enormous population crowd
ing the extensive plain through which
the great river flows. The TWO prov
inces most subject TO destructive
floods are those OF Hanan and Shan
tung These two provinces nave a
Joint population of over tifty-three
millions, nearly all of whom are en-
gagged in agricultural pursuits III the
low-lying plain through which the
Yellow river flows. Since the disas-
trous flood of 1852, when the river cut
itself new bedtnrough the province
Of Shantung, the government mas
raised fresh levees along its banks
and strengthened them with mattress
rs. as Captain Eads strengthened the
new channel Of the Mississippi below
New Orleans TO the sea. But The Nils
sissippi is manageable stream as
compared with the Yellow river, has
no such vast area TO overflow, and the
larger part of its surplus waters find
their way by other channels to the
sea. The province of Shantung alone
contains an area Of sixty-live thous
and square miles, a large part OF
which is subject to inundation, and a
population of thirty millions. 1t was
upon this population, and that OF
Honan, with twenty-three millions OF
inhabitants, dwelling in the great
plain through which the Yellow river
flows, that the destruction recorded
by the papers fell. The break in the
river occurred four hundred miles in
land from the sea, near Cheng Chow,
a third class city in Honan. There
had been incessant rains for ten days.
the entertainments were sodden, all
the local streams were filled to over
flowing, and added their waters to
those of the Yellow river. The pres
sure of the water on a bend of the
river broke through the protecting
fascines, and speedily made breach
twelve hundred yards wide, through
which was emptied the whole contents
of the river into the plain. Then came
the worst disaster that China has er o,
experienced. Below Changing, -
hundred village were swallo-,ad rn
and three hundred inn" a+ad ap'
enty miles below AZ -iua,eu: HeN-
images re submerged. The flood
liiep passed over other districts
equally densely populated, and from
Hung Hal to the sea the loss of life
and property was enormous. In the
province of Honan it is estimated that
from one to two millions persisted,
and it is stated from Pekin that the
total loss is put at seven millions
Surely, since the first Deluge, no such
frightful disaster ever before occurred
among any people known to history.