New-York tribune., 1891-09-16
THE SPANISH FLOODS.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE DROWNED IN BED
BY THE OVERFLOW OF THE CONsUEGRA.
THOUSANDS OF LIVES LOST IN THE SOUTH os
SPAIN, BUT THE TOTAL NOT YET KNOWN
ENORMOUS DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
orrtrn NT7A STrRES
MEASURES.

RELIEF MEASURES.
Madrid, Sept. 15.-The foods which nave cauSea ~
much damage and which are already known 10 Ha'0
resulted in the loss of thousands Of lives have pee
general In the South Of spain. The damage oouo -
simply terrible in its extent Several rallroaa u'9
have been thrown off the tracks, ana raliroso u"oA9
and roads are everywhere washed away. In the
provtnoe of Toledo the rush of water from the Con-
suoera River was so sudden and unexpected that
hunereds OF people we're drowned in their beds lile
aspect OF the town is positively frighiu' Fouf hUu
d1 bodies have already been recovered and at least
100 corpses can be seen floating IN tie swollen rivers
National relief fund has been opened, ana oil INC
o,rsnaners announce that they ready to receive
subscriptions. The moment the Queen received the
news at san Sebastian she sent the superintendent OF
the palace to Madrid, and thence to Consuegra, to
distribute money clothes and provisions among the
sufferers and she herself gave $4,000 to start q
relief fund.
The troops and corps of citizens are doing their
utmost TO succor the sufferers Thousands OF families
are homeless and starving. Relief trains are being
dispatched TO the scenes of the disasters.
The overhowing of the Consuegra threatens to cause
further damage Two-thiTds of the houses practically
destroved are s standing but their foundations
sanped moderate estimate places the total Of the
death-lst at 1000. Large numbers of bodies still
rest where they were found. Unless they arc buried
an epidemic of fever is feared Along the river banks
near the scenes OF the most severely visited districts
hcarrendng scenes arc witnessed. the survivors of
almost exterminated families identifying their dead
and trying to save them from consignment to the com
mon deathtrench. The utmost praise Is due TO the
troops ply byscians and clergy and Sisters OF Charity
for their efforts in this emergency.
The worst is not yet known, and months of terrible
pryation and extreme suffering before the utterly
Impoverished survivors. The crops are gone, the
cattle swept away, houses and household furniture
4hotx hla a
has vanished beneath tho torrents of water which have
rolled over town and village, neld and farm The
pangs of hunger and the wailng Of starving women and
children have in several instances driven the men
to desperation, and they have been goaded TO plage
their luckier or more wealthy neighbors. In some
cases the rioters obtained limited supply OF Hour,
wheat and corn; generally they found that all food
had been removed TO a place of safety, or else ns-
tributed or sold to the starving peasantry OF the
neigbborhood The troops have been instructed to
take the most severe 10 protect property
Whom the Government delegate in charge of the first
consignment Of bread from the army bakeries arrived
in the flooded country he witnessed touching scene
on all sides he beset by the fanshng INHABITANTS
the majority half naked or clad in rags most of them
on their knees with hands upfted praying for succor
When all the bread was gone there st remained many
mouths untitled.
At Almeria. capital of the province Of that name,
the number of dead in many other places, Is stu
n,
6onses have been destroyed, and that large number
Of people have perished. IL. -. -,
ihe flood at Almeria has plunged the city into a'-
solute darkness, having stopped operations at me
electric light establishments and gas works. The
River Andaray has ovetowed It's banks ana eonVerleu
the valley into u vast lake.
Accounts from ConsuegTa say the town Is heap oi
ruins surrounded By vast expanse Of water. leav,
ing visible here and there tree tops, chlnneys ana
floating wreckage of all kinds. Some of the streets
have been partially cleared and nude passable put
they are almost deserted. Here and there may be
seen groups of destitute and weary people gazing
stupidity at their wrecked homes. With unceasing eX-
ertiOns the authorities are restoring something hKe
ORDER The police have suppressed pillage. Food Is
arriving for the sufferers. The burial OF vlcuHls
proceeds and with the constant discovery OF fresh
cOrpses II Will be long before the mournlul task Is
ended 1t is estimated that 5000 head of horses and
stock have been drowned.
Many gloomy scenes are witnessed at Consuegrn
Carts are Eep going from house to house collecting the
dead Survivors give narrowing accounts OF the onset
of the flood. Many mothers seen struggling in
the water TO hold up children, and finally succnmbig
to the rush of the torrent. Others were confined III
rooms with hope OF escape, until the collapse OF the
walls opened a refuge. One man who was caught on
a wooden bridge saw hundreds Of persons hOat past
him. CRYING piteOusly for help. The bodies OF Sixty
persons were found in public hail. where they lad
been Overtaken by the food In the midst OF weddlnG
feast. -. ~ -. -
National relief fund. The Bank OF spain mas sub
scrited SO 600, and other contributions are coming
from all quarters The members Of the editorial stalls
of all the newspapers will, on THURSDAY and Friday
make personal collections in the streets OF money,
f1Ad