Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-02-14
me WESTERN lnunbATleI.
Hundreds Of Homes Dismantled Of
Swept Away.
Dreadful Stories Of Human Misery and
Loss Of Life.

CINCINNATI, Feb Is.
The river at Il o'clock was "a #. IL in.
high, and rising slowly, and will certainly
reach IS feet before il begins to fall. The
weather 10 cloudy and warm. The water
works engines are all idle. and the water in
the reservoir will last six days. The police
report that there was NO increase of crime
consequent upon the lack of gas light last
light.
CINCINNATI, Feb Is.
Both freight and passenger depots OF the
Cincinnati Southern Railroad were under
minded. and fell into the surrounding water
today. carrying with them . hundred or more
people. The dep0ts we're one story frame
structures, resting on McLeon Avenue, and
was almost covered BY water.
the water 80 or 40 feet deep. The earth has
become so soaked q to melt, and the catas-
trophe was further FASTENED by the breaking
of . sewer, which sent . current along the
bank. Crowds of people have been in that
vicinity looking at the floods, and it is sup
posed these are the victims.
CINCINNATI, 2 P. NJ.
1t 10 impossible yet to tell the extent of the
disaster to the Cincinnati Southern Railroad
depot, only that when tie freight depot went
down, q great crowd of people were there
looking At the flood, when suddenly the whole
depot collapsed and sank in the water. The
track at the same time WAS depressed, and the
cars standing close by ran into the depression,
the water covering the people who had gone
down with the falling timber. Not one body
has been recovered at one O'Clock, nor could
the bystanders give any intelligent account
Of how many escaped. The work of recover
ing the drowned will be exceedingly difficult
a. the place is isolated, with the danger of
other parts Of the street melting as this por-
tiOn did. The common council today, voted
to recommend an appropriation of S75 900.
and to ask aid of the legislature.
Later information makes it definite that
three boys, two freight handlers and four
members Of Coup's circus are drowned by
the fall of the Southern Railroad depot. No
bodies have been recovered. The names of
the members Of Coup's circus reported miss
ing are Harry CardOni of England, Miss
Fanny Reind Of New York, VIM. F. Frank
lin and VIM. c. Matthews of St. Louis. The
baggage master says he is sure, at least, that
80 people were thrown in the water. 1t now
appears certain that the disaster was caused
by the breaking of the great sewer. Twenty
five feet Of one end of the freight and halt
of the passenger depot are gone, the latter
being separated at the portion between the
waiting-rOOm and the ticket Office. Books.
tickets, safe, etc., were gone in an instant.
CHICAGO Feb. Is.
The bridge of the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy Railroad south of Ottawa, Ills, the
abutments Of which had been undermined by
the freshet, gave way this morning while a
freight train was passing over it. The bridge
and five coal cars were wrecked.
LOUISVILLE. Ky, Feb IL.
Business 10 almost at . stand still, owing
to the food. The mayor has distributed
food to the sufferers with q liberal hand
The board of trade turned over $500 to the
assistance fund. The German flood suffer
ers fund has been DEVOTED to home use The
greatest disaster that ever befell Louis
vile is now upon US. The floods crisis cam
about midnight and today nearly a square
mile of territory is under water. Within the
limits of the city 5000 to 5000 people are
driven from their homes. To cap the climax
there has been some loss of life, but Tow
great it is impossible to say. This forenoon
street east of the cut of and north of the short
line fill, is in the water.
The river all day has just Topped the top
of Fulton street and cut of the emba nkments
and in many places the water trlckled over.
At O'Clock considerable of a break occurred
at Adams street and hundred men worked
vigorously to stop the waves, but in the face
of all this the inhabitants of the bottoms OF
Old Bear Grass Greek remained in their
houses and most of them went to bed as usual.
About l o'clock last night the break came
and cut of the dam, which was overcome by
the terrific weight Of water from above 1,
gave way instantly and with loud roar the
food rushed over. In less time than it takes
to tell it the yellow tide came sweeping in
from all points. The unfortunate people
were surprised in their houses with the
mighty rush of water which swept from
square to square, rapidly rising in the hocses
and sweeping many from their foundations.
The scene was awful. The roar of the wa
tiers could not drown the screams of the ter.
rifed ones escaping from the doomed build
ings. Skiffs shot about from window to win.
dow; men, women and children waded through
the advancing waters, each with whatever OF
household goods they could lay their hands
on. Bonfires glimmered from the higher
ground which the poor outcasts had gained,
and hundreds of people shivered in their we,
clothing about the smoky fires.
The scene last night beggars description.
People who we're sleeping in confidence that
the entertainments would shelter them, were
rudely awakened BY the flood coming into
their houses. Some were even surprised in
bed, when in the darkness and cold they fed
from the watery death, half clothed and car.
rying nothing with them but the children and
helpless. large part Of the city has con-
stituted itself into relief committee, with the
mayor at its head, and all that can is being
done. The entire northeast corner of the
city is picture Of utter destruction, thirty.
five squares are under water. The situation
may be briefly summed up as follows: All
the points under water and the country be.
yond the cut OF, comprising $50 houses. know n
a. Bonneville Is flooded; half of Portland
and all of Shippingport are under water. All
day long stream of people has passed M
andy down the short line track to look a,
the ruin wrought by the river. The outlook
is appalling. Houses are overturned, some
on their sides, some almost on their roofs,
other buildi. - are crushed to pieces. Most
of the houses are small cottages of frail con.
struction, and perhaps q third OF those in the
flooded locality have been swept from their
foundations. Ia the lower bottoms of the
bottom lands the water 10 within . foot or
two of the roofs Of the houses The entire
neighborhood 10 doing all for the succor of
the sufferers; several were rescued Along the
wharf the river 10 still rising an inch an Der
hour, within few inches of 80 feet of the
canal. 36 feet and 8 inches in the chute on
the falls and "a feet and 2 inches over the
rocks.
The river continued to rise slowly, all day
and is nov about 662 feet The rise 10 now
an incl ah<sv HhnA 49, e