Typed version below clipping by : Becky Roberts

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FLOOD LOSSES

1892

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The Aggregate in Five States is $32, 000,000 – Illinois and Missouri the Greatest Sufferers.

            New York, May 28 - - Special advices to Bradstreet’s from regions affected more seriously by floods point to an aggregate loss in five states of $32,000,000 which includes damage to railway property, destruction of or damage to levees, to farm buildings, machinery, livestock and crops, as well as loss on other property. Louisiana and Arkansas have lost less in the respect than has been reported, and Illinois and Missouri probably more. Losses in Iowa and Kansas have been greatly exaggerated.

            Little Rock, Ark., May 28 – The story of the flood, suffering and destruction in the valleys of the White and Arkansas Rivers has not been half told. There is not a thousand acres of dry soil left in Desha County. The towns of Hollendel, Chicot City, Red Fork and Pendleton have been wiped off the earth, and not a living being is at any of them. All have been rescued and are now on high ground, but actually starving, so difficult of access are they to the relief streamers. All the big plantations for 40 miles in the Arkansas valley are utterly ruined.

            The first batch of mail in six days from Benton County was received here Thursday. It relates the story of the most appalling disaster that ever occurred in north Arkansas. The water spout which visited the suburbs of Siloam Springs last Friday resulted in the loss of three lives and the destruction of property worth $100,000.  About 9:30 o’clock in the evening the rain began to fall and by 10:30 o’clock all the low land in the town was submerged by water, which swept everything in its course. At Hico, an eastern suburb of Siloam Springs, nine buildings were washed away, and Mrs. Martin and her six children, as their dwelling went to pieces, hung to the limbs of trees until they were rescued. All the lower portion of the town was swept away. When the waterspout struck Dr. Swallow’s house the members of the family, being very old had retired for the night. It bore down all resistance, taking the Doctor and his wife and mother down the stream and drowning them. Dr. Swallow was a Frenchman and had retired from business. He leaves a daughter and a son in Kansas. His property consisted of several thousand dollars in notes, $500 in cash and a beautiful residence, all of which were swept away by the flood.

            As the river falls the terrible work of the flood is plainly seen here. Dozens of valuable farms are ruined, the water washing out ditches on some and on other leaving sand ranging from 3 to 5 feet in depth. All fencing has been carried away. No estimate of the loss can as yet be made. It will run far up into the thousands. The work of retrieving the sufferers continues, but reports of half-starved people are still being received. The river is still falling.