Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-05-24
THE FLOODS.
Hundreds Of Families Camping on the
NILS without shelter.

Quincy, May 20.-The Quincy Whia
organized three expeditions to the over.
flowed districts aud obtained minute par
ticulars Of the condition OF the refugees
camped on the highlands and bluffs north
and south of the city In tho Indian
Group district there are $50 families rem.
4 ted homeless, the majority partially
sheltered In barns aud other buildings on
the farms not Inundated. A number,
however remain In the upper stories Of
dwellings IN the submerged area. They
are all suffering To some extent, but the
attention and care of the neghbors has
thus fNr prevented actual want Those
more unfortunate people, however. can.
not long draw upon their limited re.
sources
Tho scenes of dosalatlou and privation
have been realized Everywhere there Is
ruin and destruction and pictures of the
fortitnde Of the distressed people are in,
conceivable. Names aud locations of 900
refugees are given in the report They
are not in such absolute misery and want
however, ms are the greater number In
the Sny district south Of Quincy. There
the road by the bluffs aud all dry places
arc occupied by persons In tents. under
hastily constructed sheds In wagons and
with no covering but the most sCanty
clothing The women aud children are
weeping over the catastrophe that has
overtaken them and ARE In sore need Of
food and clothing They are n heroic lot
however, for even those who had nothing
but wagon, u few pigs and chickens dc.
rlarcd that they would he able To get
along and urged the relief committee
from Quincy to 90 further with u
small amount Of supplies they were
able to carry with them The women in
many cases had totally inadequate cloth
ing, some being without shoes or stock.
lngS, the children In garb 1T only for the
hottest weather aud In comfortable
homes, and the men had only very mcagro
outfits. some Of them showing the effects
Of exposure IN cndcavoring to save the
lcvee and their stock and crops. So all
came away from the devastated homes in
prccipitous flight, thankful that they and
their families were not carried oil by the
torrent. They are living as best they
can, existing only until charity, which Is
already widespread, can bG ,nado avail
able for their relief The number of these
distressed people within tho Suy cannot
be told II Is with great difficulty that
some of them can be reached. The roads.
hills and little hnmlets arc all thronged
with them. hut the flood cut of access to
several communities most In need Of help.
One Of the most important results Of
the trip Is found In the report Of the In.
spcction Of damage TO railroad property
on the Illinois side of the river which has
not heretofore attracted attention. The
Chicago, Burlington II Quincy and Wa.
bash roads ut East Hannibal are washed
out for thousand yards or more, and the
tracks nre covered with water the entire
distance In the Sny district. The damage
to railroad property will be enormous and
the Interruptions Of traffic on both roads
will be disastrous. Communication be-
tween Hannibal and the East IL entirely
cut of and cannot be restored for many
days, Branches Of tho 20" leading to
Hannibal and Louisiana are washed out
for miles, bridges and Cuvcrts being en-
tirely carried away. The force of the
food inside Of the levees was much greater
than previous reports would indicate,
hundreds Of farm houses and other build
ings being swept away and demolished,