Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-02-14
THE TERRIBLE FLOODS
THE SITUATION IN LOUISVILLE.
Tho Loss OF Life In Cincinnati Greatly Ex.
aSseraeed-The OHIO tsiver on
tho rampage.

| tho Rampage.
| When the break Of the emhankment.
along the Ohio river at Louisville came on
Sunday night, and the cut Oft dam over
como by the terrific weight of water iron,
above gave way instantly with loud roar
the flood rushed over. 1t may be ina.
ined with what force the waters came
when they had :: fail of from fifteen to
eighteen feet to the low ground beneath
In less time than it takes to tell, the yel-
low tide was sweeping iu from all parts.
The unfortunate people were surprised in
their houses. With Il mighty rush the
waters swept from square to square, Ia
pidly rising in the houses and swerving
many from their foundations. The scene
was awful. TIE roar of the water
could not drown the screams of the
terrified ones escaping from the doomed
dwellings. Skitfs shot about from win.
dow to window men, women and Chill.
dren waded through the advancing water,
each with whatever household goods they
could lay hands on. Bontires glimmered
from the high ground which the Door
outcasts had gained. Hundreds of people
shivered in wet clothing about tho smoky
fires. To an observer, who stands at the
foot of Jackson, Shelby Or Clay streets, it
is impossible to understand why the loss
| oflife was not much larger. The scene
beggared description. People who were
blissfully sleeping in the foolish conf
dence that the embankmcnts would shell
ter them, werc rudely awakened by the
flood coming into their houses. Some
were even surprised in bed. When the
stroke came it was like lightning in the
darkness and cold they fled the watery
death, half clothed, and carrying nothing
with them save their children and help,
less ones. No scene of broken dyke in
Holland can be more terrible Or more
thrilling.
The panic was indescribaE,e, coupled
with the awful roar of the waters and the
shrieks of the terror stricken people as
they hurried to higher ground, leaving
their furniture and homes, and everything
to the mercy of the water. A large part
OF tEc city has constituted itself into a
relief committee with tho mayor at its
head, and all that can be done is being
done. The entire northeastern part of the
city is Il picture of utter destruction
Thlrty-tive squares are inundated. The
situation may be briefly summed up as
follows: All the point is under water
and the country beyond the cut Off, com
prisirs $50 houses, and known as Brown
vile, is flooded. Half of Portland and all
OF the shipping paIt are in waves.
Ali day long yesterday Il stream of peO-
pie passed up AID down the Shore Line
track to look at tire ruin wrought by the
swollen river. The outlook is appalling.
! Houses are overturned, some on their
side and some almost On their roofs.
Other buildings are crushed to pieces.
Most OF he houses are small cottages of
fra'i construction, and, perhaps, one third
OF those i'll the flooded locality have been
swept from their foundations. In the
lower hOllOws Of the bottor, lands, the
| water is within foot or two oi the roofs
CT the bou>es. The crtile ncighborhood
| Is doing Gil it can for the succGr of til
sufferers. Savera. persons were rescued
along tie wharf. Tho river continued to
rise slowly all dag and yesterday was
| about G6! feet at the fnt:a 0; the canal and
Al feet at the head. The weather was
warmer and e light rain falling, with indi
cations Of an increase dulin. the night.
| The Use is Low an inch above the food o!
lS4I and eight Inches below that of 1882
! OIl tho point wi:CT3 he disaster occurred
the Hood extends over 4 space more than ::
quarter oI & mile wide anl more than =
mile iii length. Over $50 houses ara either
under wafer or cls0 floating about. The
1act that the water Wa para:ive!y still
prevented most Of the houses from Hoa:inr
away, and most arc tied with cables.
| 4 gratifying feature OF the flood is that
comparatively few persons are thought
to have lost their lives. Many occlpaays
OF houses i'll the submerged districts had
moved awayand thus escaped. The fact that
Survivors are scattered over the city the
renders it impossible to make Il detiuite
statement IS to who are lost and who saved,
and it is sufficient to say that the dealt.
ratio is smaller than the circumstances in
| dicate ThOse known to be lost are John
| Finch and his SOD, 4 small boy, George
| Lynch, Edward Harris, George Bell,
Harry Browning. A lieutenant of police
| and his family, consisting of his wife and
| three children, are missing, but it is hoped
| That they have moved out. So far as
heard Of all those yet alive have been re-
| moved from the houses. \ man, who's
name was not learned, Was seen frantic.ll,
calling for help from the door of a house
floating down the river this afternoon
| and was rescued with 4 sisiff. IIo had
been in tho house all night and all sia...
Mayor jacob chartered the steamer
Mattie Hays, with corps OF men, ana
traverscd the submerged districts, takin.
off Il number of persons and supplying,
| food. Many were in this way succored, ;ts
| not all thc houses are entirely submerged.
the upper stories Of soire being habitab.e
and the owners still remaining. Oac man
was found cIinging to Il tree. As the men
approached he cried OUT, Go over to that
house. There is woman aud several
small children over there. | will hold on
until you save them The house was so
yards away. Tne men shouted, but before
they reached 1t the house turned over and
was carried away in the rush of the waters.
No noise vas heard from the housn, and
nothing is known as to whether the
people We're rescued or not The man
cllnglng to the tree was II scued, and de
clared that woman and several children
were in the house when it turned over.
He did not know their names. On Point
Shippingsport and Portland ono thousand
houses are under water, the vast majority
Of them owned by poor people. The |
authorities have taken steps to provide |
food and lodging. The board of trade is
raising fund and individuals are sub
scIibing liberal!y. Entertainments for
the benefit of the sufferers will be held.
TEE CINC,HE All DISASTER.
Tho Loss o: Life Not So Great as Reported. |
The situation in Cincinnati last night |
nr,f,y = -, Il