The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1913-04-11

During Three Days Spent in the De-
wasted Regions About Cairo, Shaw
neetown and Elsewhere-StateM Must
Meet the Crisis.
Hundreds are facing starvation and
peStilence as the result of the south
ern Illinois floods, which have made
the Ohio river 100 miles in width at
some places, according to report OF
conditions mdae to Governor Dunno By
Speaker Mckinley of the house of
representatives.
The speaker returned to Springfield
after an exciting experience in the
flood district, which he visited for
three days with Adjutant General
Frank S. Dickson.
Smallpox is prevalent at Shawnee
town, Elizabethtown, Golconda,
Mounds, Mound City and Cairo" said
Speaker Mckinley. 'The people are
in dire need of medical attention and
supplies. DR. Jacob Frank, president
of the Chicago Medical society and
surgeon major of the militia, is on
the way to the food district with
plentiful supply OF vaccine points and
medical supplies.
600 Starving at Shawneetown.
"ConditiOrs are worse at Shawnee
town than at any other place. The
boat on which Adjutant General Dick
son went to the flooded district pre-
ceeded Immediately up the Ohio river
to Shawneetown We found that all
but eco of the 1900 residents Of the
city had fed before the flood to other
points in Illinois and Kentucky. The
900 were camped on hill outside the
city, surrounded by wa They
We're absolutely destitute and stary-
ing.
There was scarcely a morsel of
food eft General Dickson had on
board 10000 rations, most of which
were distributed among these 600 per
sons.
THE water in Shawneetown is
above the second stories. We went
around the city in beats and had to
cut through the telephone and tele-
graph wires to make progress. There
is talk of rebuilding the city on hill
away from the river. The farmer who
owns most of the land on the hill has
offered to donate it to the city in re-
turn for an equal amount of land
along the river fats, and there are
many Of the people who are arguing
for an abandonment of the old city
site and a rebuilding of the city on
this farm.
Gas we were proceeding up the river
to Shawneetown we scanned the miles
of water with a glass and saw tent
on a rocky hill. We sent boat to
the tent and found a mother and four
small children, all girls, marOoned
there, 900 feet from their home. They
had not had meal for two days and
the children actually were starving.
They would not leave their tent and
took food and other supplies which
General Dickson furnished them.
Boarding House on Boat.
cat Shawneetown woman who had
conducted boarding house had
enough Drescience to transfer most of
her household goods and supply of
food to a boat equipped with tents.
She is now conducting her business,
accommodating seven families on the
boat One of the picturesque features
on the boat is a SOW with a family
of six pigs.
''The real period of hardship will
come when the water recedes and the
people are left homeless, with no bust
ness in the cities and no facilities on
the farms in the rural districts. Dis
ease already is lurking over the hun
dreds of miles of flooded area.
1.-The condition brings our state face
to face with a crisis which must be
met by medical and sanitation eX-
perts The people of the state should
respond readily and generously with
assistance.