Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-06-28
DISASTROUS FLOODS,
BROUGHT TO MIND BY THE JOHNS
TOWN DISASTER.

IMMENSE POWER OF WATER.
History has recorded many in
stances of floods ia which the loss
has been enormous, but only in the
old country has the damage exceed
ed that caused by the JohnstOwn
deluge. In comparison with some
of these outpourings the latter Is
extremely insignificant, but has
been the more narrowing because
nearer home. The greatest of mod
ern floods was the overflow of the
Chinese river, the great HOang-ho
or Yellow. fChina's Sorrow" as
this stream is called, has always
been a source OF great anxiety to
the Chinese people aud has always
been carefully guarded, at a great
expense. In October OF 1887, sey-
eral breaches were forced by the
water about 800 miles from the
coast, and as a result the course of
the river was entirely changed. 1t
spread over a densely populated
plain. Four times previous to this
had the HOang.hO OverhOwed It's
banks, changing the bed of the
stream each time, with enormous
loss of life and property, For sew
eral weeks the HOang-hO had been
gradually rising, owing to long
aud heavy rains Ia the highlands.
A gap occurred in a bend where
the rapidly running current swash'
ed heavily against the bank and
through ii the river rushed with
awful force. When the bank com.
menced to give way the guards
worked frantically to close the gap
but the breach grew to be nearly
mile long in two hours. There
were no telegraphs to warn the
people down the valley and soon
village after village and city after
city were destroyed, leaving hardly
trace OF their Inhabitants or
dwellings. Three provinces were
swept by the deluge. In the first
800 villages and cities were de.
strOyed In the second, 1000, and
the third, 1900. The loss of life
has been placed at 100000, while
nearly as many more were render
ed destitute. The suffering was
frightful, cannabalism being noted
in more than one instance. Four
months after the food the prov
inces were still under water. The
officials guarding the banks OF the
Hosng. no, although they did all
possible to avert the disaster, were
punished severely.
The second greatest flood of
modern times was the inundatlOn
of Holland in 1880. There have
been many floods in that country,
owing to the breaking OF the dlkes
which keep the ocean from the
level lands, but none which com.
pared with this. The people were
unprepared and in their imagined
safety, 100000 met their death.
The destruction of property was
also very great. The river Mense,
in April, 1921, broke it's dikes at
Dortrecht, an ancient town OH an
island in South Holland. More
than 100, 900 people were drowned.
In January, 1861, a disastrous in
undatiOn occurred in this flood. !
swept country, sweeping over 49,.
600 acres, leaving 10000 destitute
and drowning $4,000. The last Sc.
we're food In Holland took place In
1876, but was not, however, nearly |
as disastrous as its predecessors.
The first food in Europe, of
which history gives any account,
occurred at Lincolnshire, England,
i'll the year 245, when the sea
swept over many thousands of
acres. The memory of this event
has been perpetuated by the poet,
in "High Tide on the Coast of
Lincolnshire" In 1853, at Cheshire,
England, a food destroyed 5000 |
lives. Four hundred families were
drowned in an overflow OF the
Clyde at Glasgow, IN 1853. In l014
an inundation destroyed number
of English seaport towns. A ter.
rble overflow of the Severn in 1883 !
came at night and lasted ten days,
covering the tops OF the mountains.
Thousands on thousands persisted. |
The waters settled on the lands |
aud were known for 100 years as
the Great Waters.
CATALONIA, Spain, was in 1917 |
visited by food in which 80, 900 |
persons lost their lives. One Of the |
most curious of foundations Occur
red at Yorkshire, England, in 1886.
A large rock was split asunder by
some hidden force aud a stream
spurted forth as high as church
steeple.
In September, 1887, the province
Of Navarro, France, was inund sted
by mountain loren is and 1000
persons we're drowned. Twice, in
1887 and 1902, the Lifiey river, in
ireland, over an its banks and
caused great damage. A reservoir
at Lurca, a Spanish city, burst IN
1909, In much the same manner as
the JOhnstOwn reservoir, drowning
1000 people. An overflow of the
nauuha sU.nt Away o. VilIaOps