The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-05-23
TWO COUNTIES ONE VAST LAKE.
Homeless People Huddlcd Together in
Towns Which Are Now Only Small
Tslands-The Damage to Crops
Estimated at S3,0O0,OOO.


QUINCY, ILL, May 21.-The great
flood in the Mississippi, which will be re-
membered as without precedent in the
destruction and suffering created, is slow
" abating and it is thought that the
worst of the higt water is PASSED. But
the worst that could happen has already
occurred, hundreds of families having
been rendered homeless and thousands of
acres of growing crops ruined, to say
nothing of the loses entailed by demolisb-
ed dwellings, wrecked fences and wash
| outs. A trip through the submerged re-
gi0ns shows that the stories of loss and
suffering already published have not been
exaggerated in the least. From the north.
ern end of Adams county TO the southern
end of Pike county, the land on the IIli-
nois side of the river was protected by
system of levees, the region embracing
250, 900 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 sub
merged district hundreds of families are
camped, living in tents, huts and in the
open air. Before the flood, most of these
people were well-to do, prosperous farm
ers, but now they have little or nothing.
Much sickness prevails among the unfor-
Inmates, owing to want and exposure, but
prompt measures have been taken to al
leviate their sufferings.
A SCENE OF DEsoLATIoN.
The inundated regions are full of desc
lation. 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 inhabi-
tants fed to the higher land, a few were
not granted time to get away or mis-
judged the character of the breaks in the
the levees 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 nnmberless
houses have been lifted from their found
atoms and carried away with the irresist-
able current or demolished entirely.
In the shy levee district below Quincy.
the situation is infinitely worse than in
the regions to the north. The crevasse,
which completed the inuudation, opened
at the upper end of the embankment, and
the pentup waters from the river poured
over the vast tract of rich farming land,
sweeping everything before it. The tor
rent rushed down In great wave several
feet high with force which nothing
could withstand.
The towns of Fall Creek, Seehorn and
Huls are but mere islands, and hundreds
of refugees are huddled tagether in limit
ed space. Four or five families are living
10 each of the rooms in the few houses
above the water, and are suffering in
tensely.
RAILROAD PROPERTY GREATLY DAMAGED
The damage to railroad property il
enormous and it will be three weeks afte
the water subsidies before trains can b.
running on time. Quincy is cut off from
railroad communication north, west an,
south. The Quincy and Carthage tract
is under water for u distance of severa
} miles. The Quincy, Alton and st. Loui
track is washed for miles, the bridges ar
J gone and telegraph poles down. Th
: Chicago, Burlington and Quincy and th
+ Wabash tracks at East Hannibal wer
washed ont Saturday morning. On tn
west side of the river no attempt is mad
to run trains on any of the roads.
Owing to the great confusion 1t is i'm
possible to obtain detailed losses. but tn
aggregate will reach fully $4,000, 00
from crops alone. The damage to th
levees, houses aud railroads will approx
mate 100000.