Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-10-05

then made hole In the ROOF anu All "eic
cot ON II. Sinai, hand-holcs were made
h cling to. In short time the ROOF was
swept away from the buildings, the toe
carving them up the bay several miles:
Tbey drifted about Thursday night and
Friday at the mercy OF the waves, during
which time Mr.. Mckee and Mr.. Post got
r. i tree, when the norther came out on
Friday and drove them back down the
bay. OF the occupants Of the roof none
remained but Mr. and Mrs. West, Mrs.
pierce and one child, and Mr. Post. The
wind drove them across the bay and the
current into the mouth Of the canal. just
as the roof entered the canal II turned
over and Mrs. Pierce and child were
lf4t Mr.. West rose, clinging to bis
wife. and seized the roof again, the
current swept the roof over ON the east
aide. and when il struck the bank the two
were thrown up on the side OF the dump.
Post was able To reach the bank, West
was scnseless, and Mrs West stunned, but
moaning. The tug Coates had been driven
Inv the gale on the point, and lay on the
other side Of the dump. Mr.. Nelson, who
had brought her up from Red-fish
through the gale, and Mr.. Rhett, master
mechanic. were on board. Hearing the
means, they went over the dump and car
ried the rescued pair on board the tug.
About seven %. m, within half ar hour
after Mrs. West was carried on the tug,
she was taken i'll and gave birth TO boy.
These rugged men, fathers themselves, yet
unused TO such ministrations, aided by
Mr.. West faithfully performed the duties
belonging to gentler hands. The brave
little woman who had undergone all these
perils, seeing mother, child, sister and her
| four nieces swept away before her eyes,
gave directions which doubtless saved her
| fife and that Of the babe. As soon as
mother and babe were In condition TO be
moved and the gale would permit couch
was made, and the men OF the dredging
fleet carried them up TO the old Morgan
place, occupied by Mr.. Tom Edwards,
where every possible arrangement was
made for their comfort. Yesterday even
ing, when the Fowler left Morgan's Point,
both were doing well.-Houston 1ete-
gralaa, Sept 81.
THE FLOOD At IsDIAHoLA.
The New Orleans Bulletin Of Sept ~
gives the following particulars OF the ter
ribc effects Of the inundation at Indian
ola;
Thursday at ten IN. 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 wildfre Those who had boats
were plying about in the waves taking
women and children 10 places Of fancied
security. Families were sent up TO the
| highest portions Of the dwellings, house
hold goods were confusedly hurried into
| earrets and the whole town was one scene
! Of terror
There were no means of leaving the
town and SO all had 10 secure themselves
as best they could. Midnight Thursday a
heavy current set in, running through the
town. and then commenced the dull crash
on all sides OF falling houses The water
by this time had reached a 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 screaming Of the wind and the roar Of
the waters, could be heard the wall Of
despair from drowning women and chill
dren.
Frantically clinging TO the remnants OF
the wrecks, mothers with children in their
arms vainly implored for help when all
I
scene beggared description. Strong men,
overcome with emotion, wept like chill
dren, and some wanted 10 rush forth 10
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
Indianola 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 il had risen, and by noon IL was posi-
| BILE for people TO get about in the higher
portions of the town
The severity of the damage done was
then fully appreciated Not a house In
| the place but showed evidence OF
| the gale. Squares completely vacant
stores and houses having been carried of
by the current, leaving only the fouDda
ton to mark the spot where once they
| stood.
! As soon as the citizens were able to ge
out they set 10 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 timbcrs removed. II was sad work
and nobly did the people respond 10 the
call for duty IL was then that the mos
heart rending scenes were met Here q
| little girl, almost nude, wading In the
water in search Of father, mother and sis
ters, 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
stilled by the treachcrous waters.
No pen could portray the sad picture OF
Friday at Indianola. A town of 5000 in.
habitants under water for twelve hours,
with go of their number suddenly strick
en- down, could not but tear-stain the pa
per and make the hand OF the chronicler
tremble.
Up 10 Monday evening last ninety
bodies had been recovered and given
Christian burial. As there were no collins
left after the storm in indianola, friends
of the deceased were forced to devise from
dry goods boxes, in fact, from everything,
covering for those who died. Fathers
bore 10 their last resting place the flowers
of their family flock, and alone buried
those who were dearer 10 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
rarripd them hack In the lake In the rear