Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-02-22
LOADED FREIGHT CARS LOST.


ming OF trains will be stopped for some
time.
HOW THE DEPoTs WERE UNDERMINED.
The depot was situated over a sewer
eighteen feet in diameter. The avenue
formed an emb ankment nearly forty
feet high. The water on the Mill Creek
side softened the ground and cut sud.
denly through the avenue directly un.
der the depot. 1t lett two cars down
and one end of the freight depo. and
one end of the passenger depot.
Both structures were temporary
frames.
LOSS OF LIFE AT LOUISVILLE.
TIE greatest disaster that ever befeli
the city OF Louisville is now upon US.
the Hood crisis came about midnight,
and to-day nearly a square mile CT
territory is under water within the city
limits. From 5000 to 5000 people are
driven from their homes. To cap the
climax there has been loss of life.
How great it is, it is still impossible
to say. This morning the enti1e city
from Preston street east was cut off,
and the north of the Short Line fill is
in the river. The people there had
plenty OF warning, as stated yesterday.
The river all day just Tapped the top Of
Fulton street and cut off the en-
bankments, and in places the water
was trickiing over. AT three o'clock
a considerable break occurred at
Adams street, and 100 men worked Wig
orously t1 stop the waves, but in the
face of all this the infatuated inhab-
itants of the bottoms of old Beargrass
Creek remained in their houses, and
most of them went to bed as usual
At about IL o'clock last night the
break came. A cutoff dam, over
come by the terrific weight of the
water from above, gave away. In
stantly
WITH A LOUD ROAR
the food rushed over. 1t may be inn
agined with what force the waters came
when they had fall of fifteen to eight.
cen feet TO the low ground beneath. In
less time than it takes to tell it the yell
low tide was sweeping in from ali
points and the unfortunate people were
surprised in their houses. With a
mighty rush the water swept from
square to square, rapidly rising in the
houses and swerving many from their
foundations. The scene was awful,
The roar of waters could not drown the
screams of the terrified ones who were
escaping from the doomed dwellings.
Skitf5 shot about from window
to window. Men, women .and
children waded through the advancing
waters with whatever household goods
they could lay hands on.
Bonfires glimmered from the higher
ground which the poor outcasts had
gained. Hundreds of people shivered
in wet clothing about the smoky fires.
To an observer who stands to-day at
the foot of Jackson, Shelby or Clay
streets it is impossible to understand
why the loss of life was not larger. The
scene last night beggars description.
The people who were blissfully sleeping
in foolish confidence that an embark,
ment would shelter them were rudely
AWAKENED BY THE FLOOD
coming into their houses. Some were
even surprised in their beds. When
the stroke came twas like lightning.
In the darkness they fled the watery
death, half-clothed, and carrying moth
ing with them save the children and
the helpless. No scene of a broken
dixie in Holland can be more terrible
or more thrilling. The panic was IN
describable. With an awful roar and
the shrieks of the terror-stricken peo-
pie as their warning, they hurried to
higher ground, leaving their homes,
furniture and all to the mercy OF the
waters. A large part of the city has
constituted itself into relief commit
tee, with the mayor at its head, and all
that can is being done to lend help.
ing hand. The entire northeastern
corner of the city is "a picture of utter
destruction. There are thirty-fve
squares under water. The situation
may be briefly summed up as follows:
The point under and the country be-
yond the cutoff, comprising $50 houses,
known as Bowleville, is flooded; half
of Portland and all eff Shippingport are
in the water. All day long stream of
people passed up and down the Short
Line track to look at the ruin wrought
by the river. The outlook is appalling.
Houses are overturned, some on their
sides, some almost on their roofs; 9TH
er buildings crushed to pieces. Most
of the houses are small cottages OF
frail construction. and perhaps a third
CT those in the flooded locality have
been
SWEPT FROM THEIR FOUNDATIONS.
Doors, windows, sashes, pieces of furni-
ture, lumber, drift wood and shingles,
are all floating about in confusion. La
the lower hollows of the bottom lands
the water is within foot or two of the
roofs of the houses. The entire neigh
borhood is doing all it can for the
succor of the sufferers. There were
cases Of extreme individual suffering
last night which the public may never
know. Mothers hurried through the
rising waters with babies in their arms
In some cases sick people had to be
taken through windo US and carried in
skifls to places of safety. Several were
rescued from trees to which they had
. ~ q .