St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-02-18
RIVERS STILL RAGING.
ShawneetOwn Appears to Have
More than its Share of
Misery.
The Floods Still Rising in the Lower
Ohio and Mississippi.
The Relief Getting Well on With its Work,
Wich was Much Needed.


EVANSVILLE, Ind, Feb. 17.-At ShaYnee-
town at O'Clock this morning, the river had
reached ffty-fve feet four inches, rise of
nearly five inches during the night. At half
past ten the gauge marked fifty-fye feet five
and one-half inches, showing a continuance
of the rise at the rate of nearly two inches
an hour. A heavy rain fell all night and
during early hours of the morning, with in
dications of more. Latest news from Wabash
is, the river is again rising, and the Tennes-
see river is pouring great flood into the
Ohio. Taking these facts into
account, the Shawneetown people count
upon more water than they had last year. At
the hour mentioned the water is eighteen
inches below the highest point touched last
year, the highest water previously recorded.
Several more of the smaller, more exposed
buildings left their foundations last night,
and other disasters of this kind are ineyita-
BILE. Many of these houses are tied to the
neighboring trees, or securely anchored, and
will not float off. Many, however have been
carried by the swift current as far as the
southern embankment, and most of them
have gone to pieces. The sufferngs among
the refugees on the hills are increasing
Provisions are giving out. Fuel has been
scarce from the start, and many additional
cases of sickness are reported. But bad as the
situation now is, it will inevitably get worse.
Mayor Millspaugh is very active in his efforts
on behalf of those in distress, and has the
names of most of those in need, and is tax
ing prompt measures for their relief He
anticipates several weeks of hard work before
no ic act fuin Oh Il
more money than he now has. The citizens
Of Shawneetown, however, much as they
have lost during the last three years, are re-
spending nobly to the appeals for aid from
the distressed, and will permit none of their
people to suffer from lack of funds or cloth
ing. The news from Paducah is far from
assuring. Much of the city is now under
water, and the river is rising
steadily, and during the past thirty-six hours
has increased rapidly. The people there are
counting upon three or four feet more water,
which will carry the flood to greater height
than that of last year. The situation in several
of the smaller towns above and below is
already quite as bad as last year, but, owing
to the frequent recurrence of such disasters,
the facts are not so well known to the coun-
try at large. An Associated Press representa-
tive, just before leaving Shawneetown, was
informed that VIM. Atwold left Henry
Richerson's mill in a skiff, four days ago, to
go to his house, and has not been seen or
heard of since, and is believed to have per-
shed during the gale blowing at that time.
If drowned, this is Shawneetown's first casu-
ality during the present food. Many narrow
escapes; however, and it is . remarkable
that more drownings have not occurred.
Many persons are very reckless and go about
in boats of the rudest and most insecure
character, many Of them hastily and roughly
constructed, and leaking so fast they have to
be constantly bailed out. The risk run may
be understood when it is stated that the
depth of the water throughout the town ranges
from fifteen to forty feet. The skitfs pass
over good sized houses well weighted down,
the roofs of which can be scarcely reached by
the longest oars. AS the river rises, the cur
rent is increasing in force, and in many
parts of the town only the most expert oars
men can steer it. The situation at Union
town is growing more serious hourly. The
entire town is under water to the depth
of several feet, and the river is still
rising steadily. There was o rise
during the night of five inches, and the
river is still swelling at the rate of almost a
half inch an hour. 1t is now deemed GER
tain that last years highest stage will be sur
passed. Between Shawneetown and Union
town, the country on both sides of the river
as far as the eye can reach, is a vast sheet
of water, trees alone marking the dividing
line between the river and the shores, and
the general course of the rivers Several
houses have been swept away, and others are
threatened, while others are likely to follow
if there is an additional rise of a foot There
are still many corn pens in the water, though
most of the farmers, with the experience OF
the last two years before them, succeeded in
getting their corn to places of safety. The
loss in this direction is much less this year
than last. The people of the section named
are watching anxiously for the relief steamer,
said to have left Louisville on Friday night,
and now due.
BRAVE DEED.
CINCINNATI Feb. 17.-The river is reced-
ing about an inch and a half an hour, and
stands at sixty-five feet, eleven inches.
Hard rain in the forenoon, cloudy and warm
with light rain tonight. Three roustabouts
at the risk of their lives, undertook to re-
cover the bodies from the building, corner of
Pearl and Ludlow streets, which fell on Fri
day morning. They found the bodies of Mr..
and Mrs. Thomas Burke, and their two chill
dren, two and four-years-old, in bed, evi-
IDENTIFY drowned. The father and mother
each had child in their arms. They also
found the bodies of Mary E. Golfer, James
Ogden and j. W. Kyle. It is reported the
finding of Burke's body on Friday was a
mistake. The relief committee
of the chamber of commerce to-day made
an appropriation for the purchase or large
quantity of rope, to be sent Immediately up
the river on the steamer w. B. Cole, to be
used in towing and anchoring buildings to
their foundations. A most commendable
work has been inaugurated by the Grand
Army of the Republic, in furnishing, at small
expense, hand and steam pumps for empty
ing cellars. and also furnishing stoves and