Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-28
The Greatest Losses.

1t is impossible for people living IN
sheltered homes in cities where destruc-
ton has never been wrought by the ele-
ments. where rivers have always kept
their banks, where fire has never ragged
over wide areas, where the wind has
never wrought devastation on q large
scale, to appreciate the intensity Of the
sufferings of the people of those states
where within few days the forces Of
nature have taken terrible toll from hui
mainly The telegraph reports tell OF
here the loss of twenty-five lives in
small town, there of a hundred dead, and
again of thousand who have perished.
These are startling figures and the total
is appalling. But back of the simple
statements of the losses of life are tales
of suffering of mind and body that may
never be fully related. tales perhaps
without parallel in American history.
For every one who has died in the
foods and flames in the devastated Ohio
valley region there are doubtless hun
dreds, perhaps thousands, who have
passed through tortures even worse than
death. They were taken virtually un-
awares by rapidly rising waters. posi-
bly, ignoring warnings in tbs confident
assumption that the streams beside which
they had lived in safety for years could
not possibly flood beyond control. Some
were swept away, to cling desperately to
insecure places Of refuge, while others
remained waiting for rescue, the situa-
ton growing worse hourly. The rising
waters cut off their lights. their fires and
their food supplies. In some cases when
they tried. to keep warm by means Of
improvised stoves and crates in the up
per stories the flames communicated to
the buildings and destroyed them and
started the CONGREGATIONS that have add
ed unspeakable horrors to the situation.
Those who fed in advance Of the food
or who waded out through the rising wa
tiers to high places found themselves
without shelter or covering or food. AS
the waters fall the tales Of these sur
vivors are told in piteous terms. Many
will die Of the exposure, and many others
from diseases contracted through the
drinking of polluted waters. Not for
weeks will the full cost Of this visitation
be known in terms of life. while it will be
years before the country RECEIVERS from
the property losses incident to the floods
and flames.
The people of the United States, how
be in the matter of realizing the actual
distress caused by this appalling catas-
trophe, are nevertheless quick in sympa-
thy and there will be no lack Of substan-
tial means Of giving immediate relief to
those who have survived. Yet nothing
that is done in generous giving can salve
the wounds of the stricken region. Homes
have been utterly destroyed, the work of
many years of industry and thrift has
been swept away. personal ties have been
sundered, the whole adjustment Of life
has been thrown out OF order. Not for
the few hundreds who have died has
this disaster been of the most momen-
tous consequence, but for the hundreds
of thousands who have lived through the
successive perils and are now being slow
~ rescued and restored to the basis of
their security Of life. The prayers of the
country go UP for those who have thas
escaped. now to confront their losses and
To begin life anew, to face with courage
the empty places at home, to lay the
foundations for new careers. It is for
these that the greatest pity Is to be felt
and the utmost to be done In succor