The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-25
A MILLION STARVING.
Terrible Loss and Suffering
Caused by Flood in China.
YELLOW RIVER BURSTS AGAIN.
Rescue u the British Seal II unters-
The New Brunswick Govern
msne Sustained.

SAN FRANcrsco. Oct 24-Further Particulars
have been received in letters from Gilman Flu,
China, under date of September IA. OF the fear
iul havoc wrought by the bursting OF Ehe banks
OF the Yellow river. The cable and mail ad-
vices have contained only nieager FACTS in re-
gard TO the food, which promises to rival tire
great disaster of three years ago in loss of life
and property. 1t is estimated that kle over
moved district is 80 miles in length, aud the
number OF people who are starving is fully
l0Jo,ooo The Gilman Flu correspondent says:
The Yellow river has broken looss again.
Fourteen distrlcts at least have suffered. Twenty
miles northeast of the city break onethird of
nile long Is reported, through whIcA seven
fenths OF the rivers water is pouring. The
other three-tenths 10 for the most part spreading
itself over the country through "A break in the
north bank about fifty miles from ghis city,
leaving The original channel without water.
This same thing happened SIX sewn years
ago The break twenty miles from tbs city is
al place called Sa-MoG, on the soutt: bank of
the river. From this break the water Il nds its
way 10 the sea through the districts 81 Chang
Shan, Chou Ping and Poa Shing, Chang Chin,
chi Tung. Ching Chen, Chang Chan and per-
haps others. The districts frst named suffered
mag state OF the Chi Chung district he
stated that so per cent. OF that dis
trict was under water. From the break 10
the sea is certainly not less thar fifteen
miles. Parallel with the Yellow riVer the
south Is small stream known tie Hsao
Choog Ho- At its mouth 10 small pos, here
tittle stsdlicI owned Dy SleDS IaotsX, fOrIl-
eriy oithe ros, terminates its route along the
southern shore OF the gulf of Pechili- At the
beginning oil the present year large force of
men, mum osring AT one time as high - Coco,
Were put TO WORK on this stream to widen,
deepen and straighten its channel. che idea
being TO make a canal OF it suitable for che pass
age o. nousenOats and small julks from The sea-
board 10 the capi:al. In this way il was hoped
tnat Cnlnan Flu, with her large Commerce.
would nnd better connection with the outside
world than through the grand canal, which is
TWO days overland Journey from here, and its
devious route to Tientsn. Already 700 % taels
had been spent on this work, and Sheng Taotax
had sent little steam launch 70 help
IN the work of opening commerce, but the
$1,000 taels is az good thrown away.
II Is stated that the money >3sed in
building the canal, and an equal anoaGt still
unexpended were contributed by benevolent in
divlduals, mostly in Kieng Su and Fukien prov
InceS. for the relief OF the shan Tune famine
sufferers OF three years ago. Why ii is rot spent
Tor that purpose does not appear. On the north
OF the river the yagrant waters al.o over
wheimed the channel OF q small river flowing
to the sea. The district to suffer most severely
there Is Chi Yam. ~ per cent. OF which * said 10
be under water, and not less than 1000, 100 peo-
pie hsve no food TO eat.
According to all accounts the devastation Ia
HIghtful. At the time of the break tie river
was between four aud five feet higher than it
IL ordinarily al food tide. Imagine. if sou eau.
stream OF water fifteen feet deep and one-third
of a mile wide breaking loose III your own
neignborhood. OF course the water quickly
spreads in all directions, but most OF the vii
lhges are near the break or are in the lire Of the
current. The poor wretches climb to &he tops
OF their houses, their clothes and tie little
ones about them, but they are scarcely upon
the roof before their miserable mud dwellings
crumbie beneath them and they are lost In one
town alone $500 families il in said half the
population persisted. The American Psssbyter-
lans, English Baptlsts and probably tie Eng
llsh Methodists have many converts in the
Hooded regions, and our sympathes are largely
drawn upon.