The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-16

CoNeTeu occasionally the gable emu OF
two-story structure can be seen. In many
cases nothing can be seen to mark the places
where the houses stand.
In some places the telegraph poles along
the line of the railroad are hidden from view
After passing through the lowlands of the
Miami, Lawrenceburg was reached, which
but week ago was lively little city and
ordinarily above the channel of the river.
Time makes changes. and so does the Ohio,
when she gets on a boom.
In passing the inundated city where al
most everything is under water, sight was
presented that almost beggars description.
The steamer did not put in at the Inflated
city, but sped on toward Aurora, sister
city, almost as badly inundated as Lawrence
burg. Between the two cities a story and
half house, floating in the middle of the cur
rent was oyertaken. 1t stood almost up
right as if built with the view of high water
and emergencies. At either end of the float
ing structure were body of youthful piartes
with their relief boats, ready to relieve the
house OF any of its contents.
For some distance the house served as an
obstruction In the progress OF the boat, for
when an attempt was made to land at Au-
rora it could not be effected from fear of col
liding with it, consequently it wars found
necessary to continue down the river almost
to the mouth of Laughery creek. After the
boat had been rounded to, the pilot guided it
over TO the Kentucky shore, and after some
difficulty landing was effected at the foot of
Fifth street, near the Crescent brewery The
whole population of the city seemed to have
turned out to welcome the boat. As in all
such cases there were a number of smart
Alexanders on shore who volunteered any
quantity of information to the boats officials
with reference to how a landing could and
should be effected.
LAwRENCEBURG's PITIABLE PLIGHT
To say the city is submerged and almost
drowned out is not half telling it. There
never was in all the history of the floods in
the Ohio valley, city, town or hamlet so
completely at the mercy of the angry ele-
ment as is the city of Lawrenceburg For
three days the citizens were almost without
a morsel to eat. In the lower portion OF the
city everything is destroyed save the dwell
ings, and they, of course, must be badly
damaged. Hundreds of the houses are from
ten to fifty feet under water. In the lower
districts was where the poorer classes lived.
Driven from their homes, they fled to the
public buildings for safety. All they pos
sessed is destroyed, and what is not totally
destroyed is rendered worthless by the con-
tinued water. The reporter steamed along
side the courthouse, wooen-mills churches,
furniture factories and public-school build
ings.
All of the above-named buildings were
crowded and jammed with people rescued
from watery graves. In the larger and
more secure residences the families have
been driven to the second and third
stories. Those of the more wealthy
classes extend to their less fortunate
neighbors the hand of assistance and give
them places beneath their roofs. On the
principal streets the water ranges from seven
to twenty-five feet Deep Although precau-
ton had in a measure been taken, and
property removed from the lower stories, but
little, in fact, has been saved.
But few of the merchants were able to save
their goods. Thousands and thousands of
dollars worth of household property has
been rendered worthless. There are many
families who possessed nothing more than
their household property, By losing that
they have lost all they owned. A great many
of the smaller houses in the low lands have
been swept away, and houses and contents
forever lost to the owners.
The damage to the factories cannot be
estimated. In the city there are great
many furniture factories, all of which had
on hand large stocks of lumber. In many
cases this has been carried away. The ma
chinery in some, if not all the factories and
mills, has been badly damaged, and no doubt,
wholly destroyed The county records have
all been saved, they having bccrl carried to
the top stories of the courthouse.
The interior of the public buildings, in
which are located great majority of the in
sad but interesting scenes.
A SAD SCENE.
In some instances wealth and beauty have
for their nearest neighbor the family of
the cart driver. All are upon a common
level and no distinction is made. The deli
cate hand upon which sparkles gittering
diamond is extended for the provisions fur
nished by the generous and sympathizing
public as willingly and wistfully as is the
horny hand of toll belonging to the day
laborer whose only wealth is that earned by
the sweat of his brow from day to day. The
saddest of all scenes yet enacted was the
death of a beautiful young German lady,
who, with her parents, had sought refuge in
one of the large factories. When conveyed
from her home in a boat to the factory, she
came near expiring but lasted until Tuesday
morning Under the circumstances ut mi ght
be said under water) it was almost next to
an impossiblity to procure burial case in
which to bury the unfortunate victim.
Loving hands were not allowed to caress the
departed one long; the last fond look was
hurriedly taken, and in less than seven hours
after the light of life had gone out the funer-
al cortege, under the cover of darkness and
within the sound of the moaning of the fierce
waves, moved in little boats from the second
story windows to the little city of the
dead far over the submerged district
In one part of the building death was
claiming its victims, while in another new
lives were being ushered into the world. 1t
was said upon good authority that no less
than fifteen babies have been born in the
different public buildings since the inunda-
ton began. The reports of the condition of
the people have not been exaggerated. In
fact the half has not been told. The entire
city, with population of some 5000 is in
want and at the mercy of the public.
Distress extends from one end of the city
to the other. The country surrounding is
doing its duty to the unfortunate people.
The towns of Moores Hill, Milan, Man
chester, Versailles, and other places are con-
tributing literally to the wants of the peo-
pie. On Wednesday several wagon loads of
provisions were sent down and distributed.