Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-03-08
VOL. V.-NO. 20.
A WASTE OF WATERS.
a Trip from Evansville, Ind, to Shawnes9
town, Iu.-Ravages Ofthe Floods Betweenl
Those Two LOeaIities-Scenes of DesoIa-,
ton and Destruction.
Especial to Chicago Tribune.l
EuA NySuTrT Ia -. :,

Especial to Chicago Tribune1
EVANSVILLE, In1., March /
Your correspondent arrived in Fvansvillea
yesterday morning, and embarked on the
steamboat Queen City at noon for the stricken
village of Shawneetown, which is some
seventy miles below here on the Ohio River.
The river at Evansville had not risen high
enough to damage any property. though the
back-waterin the sewers had flooded a NUM-
Der of Easements. The water has fallen some
seven or eight feet since the extreme high
water mark SWas reached and now everything
is high and dry here, much to the satisfaction
of the citizens. The Queen City had run less
than a mile down the river when the piano.
rama of desolation and waste began to unfold
itself on either side OF the river No one who
is unacauainted with these overfiows can be-
gin to realize what the water has done in the
-s-S of oaNasisaSr damage to property and suffer-
ing among the people. The sight as seen from
the boat for a distance of seventy miles was
awful, at times neither bank being in sight,
and only the tree-tops and house-tops being
visible above the surface of the water. The
weather was beautiful, and the bright sun
appeared to be mocking at the ruin it gazed
upon.
The pilot of the Queen City said he had trav.
eled on the river for twenty years, and had
never witnessed such sight before. and
other old river men aboard echoed the staue-
ment.
and barns were discovered floating down
stream with the current.
All along the river on either side corn-cribs
full to the top with corn could be seen half
under water, although built on stills to pro-
tect them from the usual expected over
flows; but this present one was much too high
for them.
Several times the pilot was obliged to slow
down and take his bearings, even in the bright
light Of day, as he feared to run into hidden
house, bank, or clump of trees. Indiana on
the right and Kentucky on the left could
scarcely be distinguished at times, and it
looked as though the boat was running upon an
open sea. This statement might appear IN
credible, but it is true, nevertheless. Ocoa-
sionally a high and hiliy bank would be en-
countered, upon which the householders were
safe from the flood; but the banks were gem
orally low bottom lands. What hills were to
be seen were usually on the Kentucky shore.
AT one point on the Indiana shore the boat
passed within fifty feet Of house half under
water, surrounded by watery waste.
Twelve miles below Evansville, Henderson.
KY, one of the wealthiest tobacco-shipping
ports in the State, was passed. It is situated
on high plateau, and has not been mOlested
by the food. The Indiana bank opposite is all
under water.
The plot said he had passed New Albany,
Ind, and the destruction there had BEEN very
large. The water there had receded and the
citizens were trying to wash their houses with
hose, but the water had frozen as it fell, and
everything was coated with ice. The railroad
track was in a frightful condition, being torn
up and wrenched out of shape by the action OF
the waves There was q great deal of suffer-
ing, too, he said, at Lawrenceburg, KY, which
he had just passed. Not expecting such
serious food, the citizens had neglected to re-
move their household goods to places of safe-
ty, and there was not cOok-stove in the town
above water. They had received flour and
provisions from Cincinnati, but could not cook
them.
Occasionally on the river the tops of fences
could be seen peepiug out of the water, but
the water had carried away nearly every
fence. One fine looking farmhouse, out
buildings, windmill and corn-cribs were SEEM
but the water had driven every one away. and
they were utterly deserted. In some places
fields of corn could just be distinguished by
waving tops above the water. In some of the
deserted houses the doors had been broken
open and the windows forced in by the swells
from passing steamers and the high winds
that have prevailed recently, and the water
could be seen surg.ng about in the halls and
parlors.
For the distance Of half a mileon the In.
diana shore nothing could be seen but scare
crow planted evidently in q field of corn. lis
arms tapped hercely on the breeze, as If de-
flying the elements. Once in awhile men could
skiRs, probably looking after property they
had been obliged to abandon in fleeing from
the flood. Then again houses could be seem
appended by the water, and everything in them
rendered worthless and inaccessible DC.
casionally submerged churches and school,
houses could be seen along the river front,
with doors broken open and windows battered
in, that had evidently been the center Of the
little village that had been washed away.
Right near one of these was the top OF a
dilapidated building bearing the sign DRY
Goods and Groceries
at one place number OF men were engaged
in saving the dry corn by loading # on a fat
boat Near by was q house that evidently had
not been deserted, as from one of the upper
windows woman waved her handkerchief at
the boat, and dog on the upper piazza barksd
1uriously in answer to the boats whistle. The,
first floor of the house was half under water,
and the water mark showed fall of four feet
Occasionally the pilot took it into his head to
make short cut to save time, and he would
run across places under which was what would
be high and dry land in low water.
The little village of West Franklin, Ind, was
nearly all under water, about fifty of the sixty
| houses being submerged But it IS tuated
| right at the bottom OF line of hills, and the
Inhabitants escaped in safety, taking good
deal of property with them.
Diamond Island, said to be the largest island
| on the Ohio River. was all under water. 1t is
the country, and is owned by one man, who
cultivates 20 acres. His losses will be enOr-
nous.
| Mount Vernon, Ind, forty miles below
| Evansville, is another billy town that escaped
! the ravages of the food, though some houses
on the fats below suffered. just below there
four little cottages were seen lodged in the
! branches OF trees, having been carried away
/ from their foundations.
Soon after the stricken Shawneetown was
| sighted. AS the boat drew nearer the i'm
preston that the disaster there had been ex-
| aggerated to the outside world was DIS
| PEELED. What was once popuIous little
town OF 1000 inhabitants, AMI the communi-
fy the richest in proportion to Its SIZE IN tIll-
/ noiS, was wrecked and scattered. Inc wharf,
boat, the hotel and the courthouse were the
| only buildings that were high above the, wa
| ter. BIZ. Fred II. Wines Secretary or Inc
| State Board OF Charities of illinois who was
| sent to ShawneetoWn by Governor Hamilton
| vile tn 8 Afternoon on the II. i. Dexter, and
/ sent the following dispatch to Springfield;
| EVANSVILLE, Ind, Marcn I.
| Governor John NJ Hamilton, Springfield, Ill:
/ az have arrived from ShaWneetoWn- met
the Legislative COMMITTEES going down. sSe-
ports are not exaggerated. The Inc anePo1s'
| Relief Committee. now here say tnat oilsLn
| neetoWn Is the worst on or any on Tue tlNoL-
| There are i've hundred or six hundred 1ousesf
| in the town, eyeFy Ose OF winch IS uEuSt tuS
! water. Only thirty are habIEaOle, alu tnoso
only IN the upper stories More Lnt.n o5S LUZ
dred have doated away from their
4 are