The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-06-08
THE FLOOD CALAMITY.
Greatest Desolati0n Ever Seen
in the South and West.
Hundreds of Lives Lost and Mil
lions of Property Destroyed.

From the very source OF the Father OF
Waters down to the louisiana delta the story
is one o. desolation. Farms ruined, houses
swept away, live stock drowned, railroads
idle, human livss in danger-such is the his
tory of the big food. Beginning at st.
Cloud north of Minneapolis. following the
Mississippi down to Keokuk, Iowa, where the
great Egyptian levee has yielded,
doodinc thousands Of acres OF the
richest farm lands on the continent; thence
in succession passing the cities OF quincy
and Alton, in Illinois. where the work OF
the wind and water has been disastrous, the
first great stage Of the desolate journey ends
at St, Louis Mo. 1t is impossible to MAKE
an estimate Of the damage to properly
in that city and vicinity, except to say
that millions will express it, and that
the loss embraces untold acres Of growing
crous destroyed, the wreck OF several wi.
laces, injury to factories, the stoppage OF
trains, and the decentralization OF business.
Devastation hovers over Dig ana prosper.
Gus manufacturing district. Already the
losses and damages turn over 81, 600, 900, and
hundreds Of men are in forced idleness.
Merely 10 name towns and villages in
Missouri and Illinois that have suffered
from the humiliation, would make a list Of
appalljng length The truth is that the de-
struction is so widespread and overwhelm-
ing in its character, as to be difficult not
only of description, but OF realization.
On the Missouri too, and its tributaries,
the waters are abroad to greater extent
than ever before known. Throughout the
Dakotas farms are under water, bridges
have been carried away and railroad tracks
undermined. The horror at Sioux City,
Iowa, is still engaging attention, ana tne
full story Of the deluge has not yet
been told. Even yet hundreds OF Peo-
rle are closely following the receding
foods searching for their ruined homes
months viii be required to repair the havoc
caused by the food, and it will probably
never be known exactly how many psrished
in the torrent. The loss by water even when
the buildings were not carried away, was
yery large. Everything is soaked or ruined,
or smashed by the waves or by the timbers
hurled along oy the current.
Down through Nebraska the Missouri and
its tributaries are on the rampage. The
Platte is especially turbulent, and all along
its course through the State until it empties
into Big Muddy at Plattsmouth it has left
desolation on either side.
At Kansas City the Missouri River 10
higher than at any time since 1S44 The
town of Harlem is left without 9 soul OF its
populace, and many houses have been carried
from their foundations.
A dispatch from st. Louis, No., saysa
Ten thousand people along the banks Of
the Mississippi have been rendered homeless
by the rayages of the food between this
CITY and Cairo, ILL., In some parts the river
ranges from ten to twenty miles IN width.
The river runs are swesping away homes,
drowning stock and submerging bottom
lands. Five hundred thousand acres OF
growing crops have bIen destroyed. As the
water begins to 60 down an estimate IS
being made OF the actual damage done, and
Il is believed that half a million will
not cover it. There are now In Har
lem. Argentine Armcurdale and West Kan.
sas over 1000 HOUSES which have been
deserted. 1t is impossible to make more
than rough estimate, but it IS believed that
the damage, actual and resultant, will
amount to fully IS, ,0OC, 000 In this immediate
$500 square miles are submerged to an e1-
tent which renders it impossible for ths far
rners to raise crops. At least Is, 900 persons
have been thrown out OF employment.
The following Louisiana parishes are af
fscted by crevasse water: East Carroll, Mad
ison, Tensas, Coucordis, Horehouse, Richlan!,
Caldwell, Catahoula. st. Charles, St. john,
Caddo and Bossier. The large crevasses now
running are two ON the Laiourche bayou
and two on the Mississippi proper.
A telegram from Shreveport La, says:
The whole country above here, with few ex.
ceprions, is one sheet Of water, aud the flood
sufferers have taken refuge In houses, barns
and gin-houses, from whlcu they are await
ing succor. Dispatches have been reosived
reporting pig rise at Garland
Bsnton to spare no pains to hold
the ievees. At 8 80 o'clock in the morning
the Dan Nicholson levee on the Bossler side,
a few miles below this city, gave away at u
point where no danger was anticioated. The
guards were seated In store near by, and
the store and contents were carried away.
Fifty armed citiz.ns cut the leves at Ot-
tumwa to save their property. The cutting
was calculated to injure tho propsrJy Ut the
Water Company, and the company appealed
to the City Marshall, but he was powerlesS.
Tho Water Company's superintendent at
tsmpted to stop the men, but he withdrew
when a revolver was levelled at his heal. A
dixie was soon opened in three places, allow
ing the water to escape.
The Secretary of War has authorized the
Chief Of Engineers to use Government boats
upon all Western rivers to save human life
where residents OF the flooded districts are in
danger.
Governor Boies, Of Iowa, after investiga-
ting the flooded districts resolved to issue a
proclamation inviting the people Of Iowa
and the country generally to contribute for
the relief Of the destitute people. The proc
lamation will state that 1900, 900 is needed
for this purpose.
A'teleeram from Castoria, Ark, stated
that 1900 meG, women and children were
water bound there and asked that a boat be
sent to their rescue.
The destitution among the food sufferers,
white as wei! as colored, between Little
Rock, Ark, and the mouth of the Arkansas
River, is appalling. Pine Bluff and its vi
cinity is covered with thousands Of refugees.
The cotton crop all along the river is totally
destroyed and it is hard to tell on what the
farmers will live this summer. The Gov
ernment boat c. B. Reece supplied 1890
alf-famished people on seventeen different
landings with provisions furnished by the
citizens OF Little Rock. Hundreds o. peo-
pie were taken up along the trip. and put off
on dry placed. At Eagles Landing 120 peo-
pie were found living in three houses. Two
men were seen drowning by the crew, and
four were rescued from housetops, where
they sor hours found refuge A aotilla
of Government boats Is continually on the
river bringing succor to the helpless victims
Of the food.
The entire Illinois Valley is desolate.
farms that are usually being worked at
this time Of the year are now under several
feet OF water. The farmers have aban-
of corn in this year, as the season will be
too late. 1t will take three or four weeks Of
tina mo- favorable weather to get tho water
OF the farms, and the ground will be tco
wet to work.
The American Red Cfuss Association has
decided to receive no more relief for distrib0-
tion in Russia. They recommend to the
-.zL A1nA