AMERICAN MAIL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12303, 22 June 1903, Page 6

AMERICAN MAIL NEWS.

TERRIBLE FLOODS. San FeaXcisco, June 4. I.v the United States the absorbing topic of late has been the awful floods which have devastated large areas in Kansas, Missouri, and lewa. At least 50.000 people have been rendered homeless, several hundred lives have been lost, and the suffering of the afflicted has been severe. Kansas lands overflowed are more than 200 miles long and of width varying from 10 to 25 miles. Topeka and Kansas City, in Kansas, Kansas City, in Missouri, and Des Moines, lowa, are cities most affected. In Kansas City wholesale starvation was only averted by the return of sunshine at the- end of the week, and by the fact that the storehouses of the city were well filled at the beginning of the flood, which overflowed the banks of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers. Provisions were carried about by means of rafts, and these improvised boats were used to rescue hundreds, or probably thousands, of people, who had taken refuge from the flood in trees, on wreckage, and in buildings, which were in the midst of the waters. All the smaller cities along the affected rivers were* in a wretched plight. Electric light slants and water supplies were closed everywhere, and the sanitary conditions soon became, and still are, very threatening in many cities and towns. Refugees are everywhere sheltered in public buildings, and their wretchedness is pitiful. Huddled together as they are, there is constant danger of pestilence, and this is the present menace most feared. The Governor of Kansas has been obliged to issue a call for relief, as the State and cities aro entirely unable to care for the unfortunate people. The Federal Government is now sanding out tents, blankets, and provisions, but difficulty of transporting these makes the work of relief slow. The people of the farming districts are even more hopeless than townspeople, since they are often isolated, and are obliged to behold the waste of waters that has com© to take the place of what. 10 clays ago, were fat fields, comfortable homes, and well-stored barns. The loss in cattle, crops, fences, etc., will be enormous, though much more difficult to reckon than the loss in the cities. Kansas City, Mo., believes the loss there will bo anywhere from 10 to 25 million dollars, and this may be greatly augmented by the collapse of brick and other buildings, undermined by water, but still standing. Bridges, railroad, and others have been ruined everywhere. Depots, rolling stock, steel warehouses and factories, these and countless residences, have been ruined or swept away. A TORNADO: GREAT LOSS OF LIFE. Gainesville, Ga., June 2. The tornado which visited the towns of Gainesville, New Holland and White Sulphur, Ga., yesterday afternoon resulted in the killing of about 85 men, women, and children, according to reports which are as yet incomplete. It is estimated that 4-0 persons were fatally injured and many more hurt, probably 1000 persons are homeless. Two hundred houses, besides the Gainesville rotton mills, were destroyed by the storm, aggregating a property loss of 300,000 dollars. Last night brought increased misery to the tornado sufforers, for a steady rain set in late in the afternoon, attended by bitter cold weather. All night long physicians and volunteers pushed their way through the wreckage, guided to the suffering victims by their groans. Here and there a fallen tree would be in the way or a wrecked house would stop their progress. To the City Hall, Armoury, and Courthouse the homeless were taken for shelter. A. mass meeting was held to-day at which iOOO dollars was subscrilied to a relief fund. A. message has been sent to the Secretary of War asking for tents to shelter the homeless, md an appeal for aid is being made to the jublic. SERIOUS TRAIN WRECK. Another serious train wreck occurred in California on May 30, though by some miricle no one was killed. The south-bound norland passenger train, which left San Francisco on Satin-day morning at eight j'clock, was wrecked at Punta Gorda, 15 niles below Santa Barbara, at eight o'clock n the evening. The train was running at a ligh rate of speed when the dining-car left ho rails, pulling the parlour-car and one Bach over an embankment 40ft high, and nto the ocean below. The surf was rolling n, and the occupants of the cars narrowly scaped being drowned in their shocked and (founded condition. Forty persons were inured, but none will die. The uninjured aboured heroically in rescuing those who k'ere hurt. This work was attended by great 'ifficulty. A spread rail was tho cause of he accident.