Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-27
"CHINA'S SORROW"
Condensed Account of the Most Disastrous
Flood of Modern Times.

Condensed Account of the Most Disastrous
Flood of Modern Times.
The greatest of modern foods was that
which resulted from the overflow of the
great Hoang-Ho, or Yellow river, in 1897
This river, which has earned the title of
''China's Sorrow" has always been the cause
of great anxiety to the Chinese government
and to the inhabitantsof the country through
which it flows. It is guarded with the utmost
care at great expense. and annually vast
sums are spent in repairs of its banks. In
October, 1887, a number Of serious breaches
occurred in the rivers banks about 800 miles
from the coast. As result the river deserted
its natural bed and spread over thickly
populated PLAIN forcing for itself finally an
entirely new road TO the sea. -Four or five
times in 2,000 years the great river had
changed its bed, and each time the change
had eutailed great loss of life and property.
In 1852 it burst through its banks $50 miles
from the sea and cut new bed through the
northern part of Shansung into the Cult Of
Pechii The isolation in which foreigners
lived at that time in China prevented their
obtaining any information as to the calaun-
tous results Of this change, but To 1887 many
of the barriers against foreigners had been
removed and a general idea OF the character
OF the In 1daIson was easily obtainahle.
For several weeks preceding the actual
overthrow of its banks the Eoang-Ho had
been swollen from its tributaries. II had
been unusually wet and stormy in northwest
China, and all the small streams were full
and Overlooking. The first break occurred
in the province of Honan, OF which the CAPT
l. ,s- 81,
ance is Ching or Cheng Chou Tire latter is
forty miles west of Kaffeng and q short dis
tance ADORE a bend in the Hoaug-Ho. At
this bend the stream is borne violently
against the south shore Fos ten days con
tirmous rain had been soaking the enahank-
ments, and strong wind increased the al
ready great force OF the current
Finally breach was made. At first it ax-
tended only for hundred yards. The guards
made frantic efforts TO Close the gap, and
were assisted by the frightened people in the
vicinity. But the breach grew RAPIDLY TO
width Of 80 yards. and through this the
river rushed with awful force Leaping over
the plain with incredible velocity. the water
merged into-a small stream called the LII
Gina. Down the valley Of the Lz,-chia the
torrent poured tn an easterfy direction, over
whel,nng everything Ia its path
Twenty miles from Che1E Chou II encoun-
tered Chun-nou, a walled city Of The third
rank Its thousands q inhabitants were az
tending TO their usual pnfsssssS There was
no Telegraph TO Sarn than. end the first m
timacim OF disaster came with the muddy
torreot that rolled down upon them. Within
a shorszi,,1e Only ehe tops Of the high walls
r,earkeS. where Houriting city hsd been
Three hundred Villages n The dttrfcs disap
peezed utterly, and the lands about 500 otha
Villages were inundated.
The food turned south from ChunguE1,
still Keeping 20 the course Of the Lu-cata, and
stretched oussp With for thirty miles Th1
vast body of water was from tan 70 tz<enty
feet deep Several railas sorth Of Katfeng
the food struck a large river which there
joins TIE La-chia TIE result vas that the
food rose TO g staa greater height. and, pour
ing into low tying and very fertile plain,
which was denser popoiatai. submerged up
ward Of LOO villages
NotfW beFond this locality the sootr passed
into the pro<inos of Anhui, where h spread
very widely The aosuL loss Of lie could
not De ocnpnred accurately, buf the lowest
estimate placed Is az i,5Ol0o0, and
one aushoEsey fred It a. 7.no,0o Two NIL
sou people wsee rendered destitute By the
food, and the sxffsrtng that resulted was
-Four months hAar the rnuEaiated
pr1vfnces were ssil untT she mufiiy waters
Z De government officials whp were "a guard
when sbe HranS-io broke Ia banks were
oondennad 20 sssere lz,usihmenf. and were
placed Ii the pIssory l. srsae Of their pieaa-
IaSs that shsy had dnns their best @ overt
Ne disassen=.lzxAE TaniaSNA