The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-15
THE LOWER RIVER.
Evansville High and Dry-Distress Above
and Below the City.

ESahSNAle 11iSh anu ttry-DlSIfesS ABOVE
and Below the City.
EVANSVILLE. Feb. iA-The river is rising
steadily At IL o'clock there is forty-six feet
seven inches-fourteen inches below the highest
stage reached last year. No further damage in
this section is reported Evansville is sim sew
eral feet above the food and in no danger.
Tonight the river is rising slowly. 1t is now
forty -six feet eight inches on the gauge. There
is a more hopeful feeling. The weather is clear
and cold The river still lacks thirteen inches
of last years rise.
AT ShawAeetown, finding escape from the food
impossible, the levee was cut, and the water
gradually admitted. The town is now in three
or four feet of water, the citizens either occupy
ing second stories or leaving. Evansville and
Cairo packets are still running regularly, doing
great good in reseuing people, stock and perish
able property.
Uniontown is completely submerged and all
business is suspended. The people are all living
in upper stories of buildings. The boats find
great difficulty to land there, and citizens are OPP
posed to any attempts. The weather is clear and
very cold
The Wabash river is falling rapidly.
At Shawneetown the water is approaching the
second story Of the Riverside Hotel, and stead
Jy swells The officers of the last steamer from
there describe the scene of desolation as equal to
that of last year. No houses as yet have moved
from their foundations, but as the water swells
the danger increases, and there is great dread of
wind, which win inevitably do great amount of
damage. One hundred and twenty pens of
corn in the water were counted on the Indiana
side in a distance of ten miles below Henderson.
They cannot be reached. This represents twenty
thousand bushels, the loss on which will be at
least 80 per cent.
Paducah is entirely surrounded by water, but
there is no fear that the town will be submerged
Smithland and Caseyvilie are both in water, and
all communication between the houses is con
Quoted in ski4s
List reports from Shawneetown show no
disasters have followed the overflow. There was
some suffering last night from the cold it being
difficult in some cases and impossible in others
to procure fuel. The same is true of other sub
merged towns. The weather this evening is
milder.
A Cairo telegram says: The steamer Fowler
reports water on the first floor of buildings on
Front street at Paducah, and all landings on the
Kentucky side under water, but no suffering, as
the people have gone to the hills.
Jappa, small town on the Illinois side, is in
undated the water covering the tops of houses
Towns are completely deserted.
At Metropolis the water is over the first floors
in buildings Front street. and all business has
been removed to back streets
At Mound City everything is secure SO far,
and business is carried on as usual Mound
City, like Cairo, is protected by a
system of levees and the river will
have to rise about three feet more to cause much
inconvenience there. AT this point the river is
forty ight feet six inches and rising very slow
ly. 1t is four feet lower than the highest
wafer of last year, 1t is expected the river Will
reach ffty-one feet one foot four inches below
last year. Everything is going as usual at
Cairo and but little alarm is felt for her safety
II is reported that the towns CT Goleonda,
Rosielare, New Liberty and Shawneetown are
partly under water. but as no packets are run
ming it is impossible to give any estimate as to
the damage DONE though it is thought these
latter towns are in great need of assistance,