The record-union., 1899-07-08
A Thousand Refugees en- a Mound
Three Miles From Sealey
Are Reported to Be Slowly Perlshing for
the Want Of Food.
To Add to the Horror, the Unfortu-
mates Are Surrounded by Poi
sonous Reptiles and Ravenous
Polecats-The Situation at Duke
Very Grave.

ST. LOUIS CMo.), July IA special
to the "Post-Dispatch' from Austin,
Tex, says: Governor Sayers to-day re-
ceived a message from Sealey over the
telephone, saying that LOCO persons
who had taken refuge on a mounu
three miles below there are slowly per-
ishing for the want of food. To add
to the horror, the unfortunates are sur
rounded by poisonous reptiles ana
skunks Huddled together with the
human beings are several hundred
head of livestock A number of those
on the mound have received bites from
the reptiles, and skunks are gnawing
them.
A special to the POST Dispatch from
Dallas, Tex, says: M. B. Wyrick, CHIEF
of the line repairing forces of the Pos
tai Telephone Company, who was sent
out from Dallas on Wednesday to Sea-
ley, reported to headquarters here at
II o'clock to-day. He had to pick his
way from Smithville to Sealey, sixty
six miles, on railroad construction
trains, which could not make faster
time than five miles an hour. The
trains can get no further than Sealey.
which is at the northern edge of the
main flood district.
Mr.. Wyrick says the BrazoS River
at Sealey has fallen eight inches in the
last twenty-four hours; that while the
highest estimates of the loss of life
by the flood may have been somewhat
exaggerated, still the number is large,
and cannot be definitely known for sew
eral days, as everything is in state
of Generalization and confusion.
On the Dewey side of the Brazos,
four miles below Sealey, one and one
half miles of the Missouri, Kansas and
Texas Railroad track is completely
washed away, five miles more is under
water, and in such condition as to
make it probable that partial rebuild
ing will be necessary. The Dewey rail-
way bridge is twisted badly, and even
if it withstands the flood it will be In
such a dangerous condition as to be
useless until rebuilt.
Mr.. Wyrick says it is useless to at
tempt to describe the condition of the
country; it is simply awful. Relief
measures are now under good head
way, but hundreds of persons are still
to be reached and rescued from posi-
tions of peril in the bottoms.
SITUATION AT RICHMOND.
RICHMOND CTex), July 7.-Never
in the history of Richmond were such
scenes witnessed as are depicted to-
day. Business is practically suspend
ed. MANY plantations are under water.
All trains except those on the South
ern Pacific west have been abandoned.
Provisions are running low, and un-
oil
will be suffering in a few days. 1t is
believed there will be at least nve 10
seven thousand people to feed in this
place within a week. The water mas
reached the river bridge, and is dash
ing between the iron ~ ropes under
it, and for the first time the railroad
company has stopped all traffic over it.
GRAVE SITUATION AT DUKE.
GALVESTON, July IA special to
the Tribune from Duke says: The
flood situation is more grave to-day.
The river rose two feet during the
night and is still rising. The life saw
ers from Galveston started out soon
after daylight, and did splendid work.
The Galveston crews under Captain
Hutchins Captain Haynes, Fred w.
Chase and Pilot Joe Woolford brought
in sixty-eight refugees last night from
the high embankment and the bridge
over the Brazos, where the people had
to take refuge. Refugees are focking
from all sides of the river. Four
deaths from drowning are reported
near here in the last twenty-four
hours.
AID FOR THE SUFFERERS.
NEW YORK, July THE Mutual
Life Insurance Company, through it's
President, Richard A. McCurdy, to-day
telegraphed to Governor Sayers of
Texas to draw on that company for the
sum of $1,000 in aid of the sufferers
from Brazos River floods.