The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-03-02
q 4 NIGHT OF TERROR.

Three ThouaAnd People Fleeing for Their
Llyes-Ferribie Disfrueti0n OF Life and
Properly nj tLawrencebarE, Ind.
Tuesday, February 21st, viii long be re-
membered by the people OF Lawrenceburg,
Ind, on account of the sudden inundstion Of:
the town and the misery and disaster that fol-
lowed. All day on Monday and late in the
night strong force Of men were kept busy at
work strsngt thening the levee above town, but
at IL o'clock p. m. all hope Of keeping the
rising water from overlooking the levee banks
and pouring into the city was abandoned, and
the Mayor ordered all the bells of the different
churches to ring and give the alarm of the
coming danger, that the people might prepare
for the worst. At ! O'Clock q. m. the railroad
bank between the Ohio River and town sud-
denly gave way and the water, with the roar Of
. hurricane, rushed down Arch street, cutting
deep cutters and sweeping fences, out
buildings and every thing in its angry
course, surging on, growing wider and
wider as the 0umbling railroad bank yielded
to its resistless pressure, until the strong cur
rent struck the inside bank Of the faithful
leyee that held the mad waters of the Miami in
restraint. The double attack soon forced down
the barrier tnat prevented the waters meeting,
and with louder and deeper roar, sounding
eonsternation to many strong heart, the pent-
up waters that had ragged above the city rushed
through the broken bank, carrying back the
streams It met, filling the streets, over
moving houses and spreading universal
ruin IN its maddened career until it
met and mingled its course with the current Of
the Ohio River. In twenty minutes time over
three Thousand persons were driven from their
homes, many barely escaping in the dense
darkness that prevailed, with their lives. The
wholesale destruction Of property Was immense.
Hundreds OF poor people compelled to flee in
haste and abandon everything they possessed
Gprey to the waters. While the flood was re-
5oictng in its might, fire broke out in several
Pofuons OF the town, and the piteous cry for
help from this additional evi, mingling with the
hearhending call for aid from men, women and
children drowning in their houses, increased
the scenes Of terror and made the night
doubiy hideous. Two houses, belonging to
Isdel and McElfresh, were burned to the waters
edge and their entire contents destroyed. Says
correspondent: .sIhe loss Of life can not be
ascertalned before the water begins to reoede.
Al day have people been running back and
forth trantically inquiring for friends and rela-
dves separated In the darkness and haste that
ensued when escaping from peril. Many are
reported drowned, but the reports are based
only on the fact that their whereabouts are un.
known to their friends. Several hundred fam.
lies are sheltered in the upper stories of the
Public School Building. Betyeen four and five
hundred families have taken refuge in ths
Courthouse, and all the buildings that stanc
above the reach of the food are filed with thu
unfortunates whose homes have been subjected
to the invasion. Provisions have been ex
hausted, and much suffering ensues, not only
from hunger, but from cold, as It is impossible
in many places to kindle fires. The good sid
Of human nature is shown by numbers o.
sympathizing persons, who seek to succor anG
help those who stand in need of assistance
but the deprxyed character of others is exhib
tied in their attempt atextortions The loss o.
property viii reach 500, 900 or $500, 900. Al
communication with the outside world il tenn
porarily cut off,"