Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-05-22
SUBMERGED TOWNS,
The Overflow of the Mississippi Destroys
Millions OF Dollars Worth of Property
The waters Ahating.

Inc ON0FuO" VI the DSutfoys
millions OF Dollars Worth OF Property
The waters Abating.
QUINCY, I'LL, MAY 2.-The great flood in
the Mississippi which will be remembered
a. without precedent in the destruction and
suffering created. is slowly abating, and it
is thought that the worst of the high water
il passed But the worst that could hap
pen has already occurred, hundreds OF
families having been rendered homeless
and thousands of acres Of growing crops
ruined, TO say nothing OF the les entailed
by demolished dwellings, wrecked fences
and washouIs A trip through the sub
merged 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, the
land ON the Illinois side of the river was
protected by a system of levees, the region
embracing go, 600 acres, the soil being the
richest IN the State All the region is now
one vast lake from SIX to ten feet in depth.
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 uBfortunates,
owing to want and exposure. but prompt
measures have been taken to alleviate their
sufferings The inundated regions are full
of desolation Deserted homesteads with
the water lspping the caves are the most
frequent as we'll as the most pathetic sights.
But here and there is spark Of life not
yet extiuguished by the all-destroying
waters
While the vast majority OF the inhabi-
tantS hed to the higher land, few were
,,1..N Il .rraI
the character Of the breaks in the levee
and determined TO stay with their homes,
and are now living III the garrets or on the
roofs Every roof has been turned into q
place of refuge foi live stock. poultry etc.,
but numberless house have been lifted
from their foundations and carried away
with the irresistible current OF demolished
entirely.
In the Sny levee district below this city
the situation ia in infinitely worse than in the
regions to the north The crevasse, which
completed the inundation, 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, sweep
ing everything before 1t. The torrent
rushed down in great wave several feet
high with force which nothing could
withstand.
The towns of Fall Creek, Seehorn and
Hulls 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 are suffering intensely. The
damage to railroad property is enormous,
and il will he three weeks after the water
subsidies before the trains can I've running
on time THIS city is cut off from railrovd
communication north. west and south. The
Quincy & Carthage track is under water for
q distance of several miles. The Quincy,
Alton & ST. Louis track is washed Tor miles
and the bridges are gone, and telegraph poles
down. The Chicago, Burlington Quincy
and Wabash tracks at East Hannibal were
washed out Saturday morning on the west
side of the river No attempt is made to
run trains on any of the roads Owing to
the great confusion il is impossible to obtain
detailed losses, hut the aggregate will reach
fully S. 0O0, 900 from crops alone. The dam
age to the levees, houses aud railroads will
approx innate $6D 600