The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-19

lier's Hill in wagons, and ferried across i'm
passable places in the roads, and are turned
over to the relief committee at the engine
house. Five thousand hungry ones, who
but few weeks ago responded SO generously
to the appeals for aid of
their fellow-men across the seas, who
were suffering from the visitation of calam-
ity such as they are themselves burdened
with, are now calling upon their country
men to respond to their cry, even as they
did to that of Others when they were able to
do So 1t will be month before they will
be in condition to do for themselves. The
upper floor of the engine-house is crowded
with refugees, while the lower floor is the
supply depot. Barrels of crackers, hundreds
of loaves of bread, hams, dried beef, and
other articles innumerable are stacked
against the walls, and are issued on demand
to those who call for them.
Yesterday, the supply of meat gave out at
noon, and large portion of the population
was forced to go without that necessary
article of food until this morning. The
Methodist Church, near the engine-house, is
the only one of the churches not
flooded, and three hundred women and
children are afforded shelter in the audito-
rum, a room about the size of the Federal
Courtroom at indianapolis. The only cow
in Lawrenceburg is tied to the door-knob of
the church door, and is MIXED as often as
the process proves fruitful, for the benefit of
dozen or more infants whose tender age
precludes the possibility of their living on
the rough fare provided for the older people.
Box cars are crowded TO their utmost limit,
and every available foot of dry flooring is
occupied by fugitive. With all this, hun
dreds have not where to lay their heads and
it will be several days, even if the river con-
thues to fall steadily, before all can be ac-
commodated with even temporary shelter
SUFFERING FROM COLD.
Last night cold wave from the
northwest made its appearance, and
the mercury fell several degrees below the
freezing point, augmenting the already in
tense sufferings of the luckless villagers,
and adding one additional burden to the
heavy load upon their unprotected shout
ders Utterly destitute of bedclothing or
proper coverings, without fuel or a place to
build fire were combustbles ever so plen-
tiful, the hapless inhabitants suffered in
tensely. Crowds huddled together for COM
fort, and every plan devisable was resorted
to to keep off the cold.
There has been no loss of life resulting
from this overflow, which, considering the
rapidity with which the water rose, and the
meager facilities afforded for removing peo-
Il ~, -. e.. I.
markable. There have been many hair
breadth escapes, but SO far as is known no
one has persisted. In assisting family to
leave their house Hon. Will Cumback fell
from his boat into the water, but
was rescued without trouble. In
several cases, persons in frail boats have
ventured too far from shore, and getting into
the current, have been rescued with diff
Guilty. Every kind OF craft imaginable has
been constructed to afford means of nayiga-
ton. Flatboats have been made out of dry
goods boxes, piano boxes, and everything in
fact that was susceptible of being strength
ened so as to sustain the weight of an occu-
pant.
CASES OF ExToRTIoN.
There were very few boats available when
the floods came, and those were required by
their owners, those not fortunate enough to
possess them being dependent upon their
own ingenuity. There were very few in
stances of extortion on the part of the own
ers of skiffs, although few were reported,
some of them very aggravated cases. One
pirate charged Warren Tebbs, county clerk,
$35 for removing his sick child to place of
safety. Mr.. Emmett Slater, prosecuting
attorney, stationed a body of shoulder
hitters at the points used as landing places,
with instructions to exhaust all their pugl-
istic energies on any person found attempt
ing gouge; and, as a result of this, Rice
Colwin, who made an extortionate demand
for the use of his boat, had his head pounded
to pulp and his craft confiscated for the
use of the relief committee. The fact that
nothing worth stealing was spared by the
waters prevented thieves from plying their
nefarious vocation.
Your correspondent reached Lawrenceburg
by skiff from Guilford seven miles distant.
Back from the river the cornfields and
farm lands along Tanners-creek bottoms we're
under water, in many places, to a depth of
thirty or forty feet. Cattle and farm stock
were perched upon the knobs and high
places for safety, fowls resting on the roofs of
barns and farm-houses submerged to the
caves Telegraph wires were under water
and strung along in the tree-tops In
many places the boat passed over
tree-tops, and scarce fence
was visible above the water for the antira
distance between Guilford and Lawrence
burg. Many barns are still under water
and their contents ruined. Farm houses
are generally built upon the higher places,
and stand isolated from the other farm
buildings, the occupants being compelled to