Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-05-25
HOMELESS AND HUNGRY.
Scores of Victims Of the Mississippi
Floods Reported Without
Food or Shelter.
Men. Women, and Children, in Scant
Raiment, Exposed to the Fury
of the Elements.
IN 4 TERRIBLE PLIGHT.

QUINCY, H., May 19,-The Quincy Whig
to-day organized three expeditions to the
| overfowed districts, and obtained minute
| particulars of the condition of the re.
| fugees camped on the highlands and
| bluffs north and south of the city. IL
| the Indian Grave district there are 15C
families rendered homeless, the majority
partially sheltered in barns and other
buildings on farms not inundated. A
| number, however, remain in the
| upper stories of dwellings in the sub
| merged area. They arc all suffering tC
some extent, but the attention and care
of neighboTs has thus far prevented actual
want. These more fortunate people, how,
ever, can not long stand the drain upon
! their limited resources.
The scenes of des olatien and depriva
tion have not been realized in their full
alarming extent. Everywhere there is
ruin and destruction, and the fortitude of
the distressed people inconceivable. The
names and location of these six hundred
refugees are given N the report. They
are not in such absolute misery and want
however, as are the much greater number
in the Sny District south of Quincy.
There the roadway, the bluffs, and all dry
places are occupied by
PERSONS IN TENTS,
under hastily constructed sheds, in
wagons, and with nc covering but the
most soanty clothing. Women and child
rem are weeping over the catastrope
which has overtaken them, and are in
sore need of clothing and food. They
are heroic band, however, for ever
those who had nothing but wagon and a
fou nj oh ipka HarIaral bot
would be able to get along, and urged the
relief committees from Quincy to go
further with the small amount of supplies
they were able to carry with them.
The women in many instances had
totally inadequate clothing. Some were
without shoes or stockings. Children
were in attire fit only for the hottest
weather in comfortable homes. Men
clad in very meager outfits showed the
effects of exposure and tell in endeavor-
ing to save the levee, and thus secure
their stock and crops. All came away
from their devasted homes in precipitate
flight thankful that they and their fami-
lies were not swallowed up by the torrents
which poured through the crevasses in
the levees. They are living the best they
can, existing only until the charitable
assistance, which is already extensive, can
be made available for their relief.
How many OF these distressed people
there are in within the Sny district can
not be told. 1t will be with
THE GREATEST DIFFICULTY
that some of taem can be reached. The
roads, the hills, the little haulets are
thronged with them, but the waste of
water has cut off access to several of the
communities most in need of help.
One of the most important results of
the trip is found in the report of the in
sPection of the damage TO ra.iss .ad prop
las not heretofore attracted marked at
tention. The Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy and the Wabash Roads at East
Hannibal are washed out for thousapd d
yards or more and the tracks are covered
with water the entire distance in the Sny
district. The damage to railroad proper
ty there will be enormous, and the inter
Tuption of traffic on both roads will be
disastrous. Communication between
Hannibal and the East is entirely cut off
and can not be restored for many days.
The branches of the 20" leading to Han
nibal and Louisiana are washed out for
miles, bridges and culverts being entirely
carried away. The force of thu flood in
side the levecs was much greater than
previous reports would indicate, hundreds
of farm-hOuses and other buildings being
swept away and demolished.