Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-16
A MODERN DELUGE.
Terribly Destructive Floods that Have
Visited Spain.
MANY THOUSANDS DROWNED,
And Great Distress Prevails Throughout the
Stricken Proviocs-ln kniis Wedding
Party Meet Death in the Rising
Watss-COrpsss Fund on All
Sld@-Awful Situation

MADRID, September 15.-The floods
which have caused so much damage,
and which are already known to have
resulted in the loss Of thousands OF lives,
have been general in the south OF Spain.
The damage done is simply terrible In
its extent. In the province OF Toledo
the rush OF water from the Consuegra
river was so sudden and unexpected
that hundreds of people were drowned
in their beds. The aspect OF the town
is positively frightful. Four hundred
bodies have already been recovered, and
at least hundred corpses can be seen
floating in the swollen rivers.
The overhowing Of the Consuegra
threatens TO cause further damage.
Two-thirds OF the houses practically de-
stroyed are still standing but their
foundations are sapped and they threat
en- TO fall at any time. The families
saved from drowning are camped near
The dwellings formerly occupied by
them and are in the greatest distress
from want of food. An estimate based
as a moderate one and which is within
rather than over the actual number.
places the total Of the death list at
1000.
Large numbers Of corpses still rest
where they were found. Unless they
are soon inferred an epidemic OF fever
IS feared The municipal government
authorities are exerting themselves 10
the utmost in order to relieve the dis
tress existing. So far as possible the
bodies OF the drowned are being gath
cred from the streams, mud banks ana
ruins and are being buried In trenches
dug for their reception.
Along the river banks, near the scene
of the most severely visited districts,
heartrending occurrences are witnessed
hourly as the survivors OF almost eXter-
| minated families recognize their
dead and try 10 save them from con-
sgnment to the common death trench.
| The utmost praise Is due to the troops,
physicians and clergy and Sisters OF
Charity, who in this emergency have
shown themselves to be capable or
almost superhuman eXertlons a. oonaii
J = asU~"IuTs Of Ii.'s inOsJ uIsdStr0uS
food. UDhappily the worst is not YET
known and months OF terrible privations
| and extreme suffering are before the
utterly impoverished. The crops are
gone, the cattle swept away, houses and
household furniture ruined, and all that
would enable them TO earn their bread
has vanished beneath the torrents OF
water which have rolled over towns and
villages, fields and farms.
When the government delegate In
charge of the first consignment OF bread
from the army bakeries arrived In the
flooded country he was beset by the
famishing inhabitants young and old,
male and female, the majority half
naked or clad in rags, most OF them on
their knees with hands uplifted, pray
ing for succor. The villages Of Puerto,
Lapiche and Vilafranca in the prov
ince OF Cindad Real, have been severely
ravaged by the floods, and at Almina
over 500 houses were washed away and
large number OF people drowned.
Accounts from Consegrua are appall-
ing In the extreme. The town is heap
of ruins, surrounded by a vast
eXpanse OF water, leaving visi-
bic here and there flowing wreckage
OF all kinds. With nnceasing exertIons
the authorities are restoring something
like order. The police have suppressed
piIlage. Ii is estimated 5000 horses
and stock have been drowned.
The Queen has subscribed $4,000
more TO start a national relief fund. The
Bank OF Spain has subscribed So, 600 and
other contributions are coming
from all quarters. Many gloomy
scenes are witnessed at Consu-
egra. Carts are kept going
from house TO house collecting the dead.
The bodies OF sixty persons were found
In public hall, where they bad been
overtaken by the food in the midst OF
wedding feast. The Mayor OF Con-
suegra puts tho fatality there at three
thousand. The officials have tele-
graphed for lime to prevent an outbreak
Of disease.