The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1935-07-18
TEN THOUSAND LIVES LOST
AS HAN RIVER FLOODS CHINA
Terrible Heat Wave Strikes Down
Many Working to Save HankOw
from Destruction

lost Monday as the Han river, near
Hankow, China, burst it's banks and
poured seething torrents over acres
of land for many miles.
The roaring Yangtze river moved
nearer toward engulfing Hankow
Sunday night when it ripped Sec
ton 100 feet deep and one-third of
mile long from the Changkung dixie,
principle bulwark protecting the city.
Alarms were sounded that the dixie
was disintegrating. The city took on
mad actifity to forestall. the pro-
specific disaster. The entire military
garrison was called out for dixie re-
pairs while civilian authorities order
ed tIousands of coolies and refugees
from other cities to help.
The scene on bikes resembled an
ant hill as swarming humans rushed
ballast into the weakening bulwarks.
Army and civilian trucks Numbered
across the city carrying relays of
men, materials, food and kerosene
flares.
Secondary Defense
While repairs went forward on the
Changkung dixie, other thousands of
workers began building secondary
defense behind the weakened dixie Sec
ton. Pile drivers drove great timbers
into the earth.
AS Hankow fought to live. advices
arrived from Chanking saying addi-
tional rains had caused the river to
rise three feet there which means
additional torrents here.
So scarce had ballast become that
earth was being stripped from any
available space, including private
gardens and grave mounds, leaving
coffins exposed. Five thousand bags
of beans went into one minor breach
whench earth-filled bags were I'M
available.
The rushing waters were laden
with many bodies. Although no par
ticular effort was made to rake them
in tonight, 200 were recovered, in
GLIDING a group of seven with arms
interlocked, presumably family that
persisted together.
Terrific heat which engulfed the
city took heavy toll. Many workers
fell because Of it and Boy Scouts and
Red Cross workers dragged them
from the emergency lines.
Loss of life and property was not
estimated. Frantic, residents of the
city of more than 100000, made their
way to Hankow.
From Peiping came report that
the steady rise of the Yellow river
aroused grave apprehension lest the
swollen torrent leave it's banks and
carve a new course through the popu-
lous Shantung countryside to the sea.
This happened in 1851, taking thou
sands of lives.
Kankow, one of China's first inland
cities to be opened to foreign trade,
has an estimated population Of about
100000. 1t lies on the north side of
the Yantze river at the junction Of
the Hankiang river with the main
river.
Although 900 miles from the ocean,
Hankow has become the focus point
of an enormous ocean traffic. 1t is
the chief entry port for central
Yantze provinces and for southwest
China especially for tea, cotton, silk,
timber, wood-oil and hides.
Because of it's close contact with
Europe, Hankow was early brought
under the influence of wester indus
trialism.- Hankow is important as an
iron and steel center, textile manu-
featuring and rice mills. 1t also plays
a very important role as banking
center.
Many merchants reside in Hankow
and it has a rather large foreign
quarter.