Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-10-01
TIE rtoop Ar iNp1ANonA.

The New Orleans Bulletin Of Sept. %
gives the following particulars of the ter
rible effects of the inundation at Indian.
ola:
Thursday at ten a m. the wind was
blowing fearfully, the water still coming
in higher, and in two hours rose six feet.
submerging most Of the town. The alarm
spread like wildfire. Those whohad boats
were plying about in the waves taking
women and children TO places of fancied
security. Families were sent up TO the
highest portions of the dwellings, house
hold goods were confusedly hurried into
garrets and the whole town was one scene
of terror.
There were no means of leaving the
town and so all had to secure themselves
as best they could. Midnight Thursday a
heavy current set in, running through the
Town, and then commenced the dull crash
on al sides of falling houses. The water
by this time had reached point covering
the whole place fully six feet
Looking out, nothing could be seen ex-
cept housetops and the white foam on the
heavy rollers. With every crash, above
the scrt aiming Of the wind and the roar of
the waters, could be heard the wall of
despair from drowning women and chill.
Jlren.
Frantically clinging to the remnants of
the wrecks, mothers with children in their
arms yainly implored for help when all
around were unable to render any. The
scene beggared description. Strong men,
overcome with emotion, wept like chill.
dren, and someIwanted to rush forth to
certain death rather than suffer to see the
victims perishing before their eyes whilst
they were powerless to render assistance.
Not an eye was closed that night in
lndianola. The loud splash and cracking
OF timbers proclaimed another house gone
and the sound was echoed by piercing
screams.
About daylight Friday morning the
wind lulled and the water fell as rapidly
as it had risen, and by noon it was posi-
bic for people to get about in the higher
portions Of the town.
The severity of the damage done was
then fully appreciated. Not house in
the place but showed evidence of
the gale; Squares completely vacant,
stores and houses having been carried off
by the current, leaving only the founda-
ton to mark the spot where once they
stood.
AS soon as the citizens were able to get
ont they set to work relieving those still
in peril. Those confined in the upper
stories of the dangerous buildings were
taken out and the cOrpses caught by fall
ing timbers removed 1t was a sad work,
and nobly did the people respond to the
call for duty. 1t was then that the most
heart-rending scenes were met. Here a
little girl, almost nude, wading in the
water in search of father, mother and sis
tiers, whose bodies lay bleaching on the
sand, miles distant; there, old men, pale
with emotion, looked for their grandchil-
dren whose prattling voices were forever
stillcd by the treacherous waters.
No pen could portray the sad picture of
Friday at Indianola A town of 1900 in.
habitants under water for twelve hours,
with $50 of their number suddenly strick-
en- down, could not but tear-stain the pa
per and make the hand of the chronicler
tremblc
Up to Monday evening last ninety
bodies had been recovered and given
Christian burial. As there were no coffins
a covering for those who hhs1la' died Irlengs g;
bore to their last resting place tho Fathers
OF their family flock. and o,c i'c MOWERS
those who were dearerf "9H ~ them than life
itself; husbands laid away beneath the
sands the remains of wives, children and
fathers.
Singular to say, most of the bodies were
not found in the town. The tremendous
current swept even many OF those who
were caught beneath fallen buildings, and
carried them back TO the lake in the rear
of Indianola. Along the shores of this
could be seen, protruding through the
sand, almost buried, the arms or heads OF
the victims. 1t was next to impossible to
recognize a single one. =,
The action of the waters and waves had
been such as in cases to completely be.
head the drowned. The last remnant of
clothing was torn from them, and only IN
cases where a bracelet or finger-ring re-
NAMED could friends identify the lost. II
would seem almost as though the demon
of cruelty had been at work. HeadlesSs
trunks, armless bodies, all were scattered
about on the beach, memorials OF the
storms dreadful work.