The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-05-20


like an avalanche, running in waves ten and
twenty feet high. Two more bodies have
been found. and the total loss of life will moi
fall below thirty souls.
The railroads in all directions are so washed
out that travel will not be resumed for sew
eral days. and the town is full of travellers
The town tonight is enveloped in almost
total darkness, the only light visible being
that afforded by clouded moon. The town
is patrolled by force of special police ap
pointe9 by the mayor, but a somber quiet
prevails, and the gloom is appalling. The
victims Of the disaster tier 'eSei are laid ID out s
relatives, friends and sight-seers. and
funerals to commence at nine % O'clock In the the
morning. They will continue all day. The
expenses will be borne IN great part by the
township. TOW The city council IL met this morn
relief, and authorized the Street committee
to employ every one that wanted to work at
Instructed to appoint a relief committee
of ladies and gentlemen from each ward to
begin work as soon as possible. The Mayor
Bertha Richter did a noble thing last night in
rescuing her mother. The waters rose rap
idly in the house and their terror was great.
and Miss Bertha secured this and picked her
mother up in her arms and carried her out
OF the house. The water was up to her arm.
reached the residence of Samuel Hypes,
where she sank exhausted. Her mother
tainted away from sheer exhaustion.
While George Thompson was trying to get
his mother and grandmother, Mrs. DR.. Crum,
across Water street, through the stream,
Geerse ~ ths
fell, but soon recovered himself, and man
aged to get them all out.
George Wilmer had a miraculous escape
He was attempting to cross the Springheld
bridge when the bank gave way under him
and he was hurled down into the raging wa.
low the Cincinnati pike where hem he mapa@ed mn pe to
catch onto tree and climbed to a place of
safety. He called to passer-by and told him
he was an Xenian, but would not give his
name until he was rescued for fear word
would reach his parents.
Harry Arnold made q narrow escape from
scene of destruction this side Of the depot,
and knowing that his fathers family would
be uneasy started to cross the bridge on the
safe. As he STEPPED on the bank it caved in in
with him. and he fell into the raging tor
rent beneath. His long rubber coat was
almost impossible to help himself He
crowded against the side wall, and with al
most superhuman effort managed to get of
bring him a rope. But before he got rope
some one came to his rescue, and he threw up
his coat, which just reached to the top of the
Dank- BY that means he was drawn out OF
his unpleasant quarters. Harry says he
thought his last hour had come, sure.
1uo uSI VI tue QcdQ lS rs IOllOWS: MrS. NelQe
Anderson and sister, Lydia Casey (coloreD,
both widows past sixty years of age; lived in
Barr's Bottoms. Mrs. Samuel Corchoran and
two sons, aged about twelve and twenty-five
years, widow and sons of the late Samuel
Gorchoran, better known as .Sam Patch;
live lived Just across the creek, on King street. in
@ asar fas asoss4 depot 1fs Mfs
man street, The child is missing. Orrin Nor
ris, white, labOrer, wife and five children,
ri
Of ten months, lived on Vest Second street,
borer;, lived in Barr's Bottoms. William
Powell, cart driver for Sam Clark, wife and
six or eight children, lived on De-
forks of Shawnee. One child escaped from
the house, as did Henry Brazelton, son-in-
law. Powell and two children were found
son and wife, eolored, lived in Bars Bot:
Lindsay, lived on the foot of the creek near
the depot; Mr.. Powell and two children.
The incidents of an exciting nature are
almost beyond description. A lineman was
standing on an embankment, and before
and swept mile by the raging waters. A
telegraph operator got into the water, and
after floating some distance he caught onto q
tree. A house came down in the flood and
sank the tree he was perched on. He climed
on the house and started down with the cur.
rent until he came across another tree. He
rescued several hours later.
NJ. E. J. Smith, of Pittsburgh, worked no
bly, all night assisting the suffering. A lady
n She
and the lady who was there to help rushed
out and was caught in the deluge. Mr.. Smith
she was nearly dead from exhaustion He
drew a flask from his pocket and poured
good, stiff slug of whisky down her throat
thereby bringing her to and saving her life.
A mans wife called to her husband that she
thought water was running into the cellar OF
their hou g. The husband lighted lamI
an instant the water was up to his chin il
the room where he and his wife had beer
sleeping:
been disabled and rendered useless and tn,
electric wires were down, the citizens gath
cred wood and started bonfires to enabl,
them to see how to carry on the work of res
The electrical display on Wednesday nigh
is described as being perfectly grand ant
flash followed so fast and furious that j
really was a constant illumination SO brill
liant as to be bliadi1g LIN the sky was one i'm
with vivid streaks that seemed to tangl,
with each other, SO closely were they blen
ded.
Joe Walton is one of the unheralded heroes
VIII risked his life more than once by taking
boat and r. scuing people. He took the Fer
guson family Of f nine MI people out It OF tn.
Immediately after which their house tumblet
to pieces as though it were shell.
HAMILTON. O., May 13.-The wind and thun
der storm which passed over Butler Count!
Wednesday night cut OF Hamilton from al
communication with the outside worl'
Surrounding p country Come in slowl:
and are very. meager. Four barn
were struck by lightning, and the building
this vicinity were carried away. Two rail
bridges on the C.. H. & b. were carried away
H. s. D. The loss to grain, trees houses, etc
in Butler County is very heavy.
In this city the schwab brewery and Kahl
stove foundry were submerged. The Meth
odist church and public school at Sever
Mile were badly wrecked. Throughout th'
country there are reports Of of houses uses un
gether with all the implements and cor
tents. 1t was the finest barn in the county
insured for 81, 100. The barn and contents o
Samuel Dalzell, in the western part of tn
county, were also struck by lightning and dc
ave been IaS Waste and small osse
innumerable go to make up an aggregat
that will fall not far short of 100000.
DAYTON. O., May 13.-At $50 last night
sharp thunderstorm came up, and rain a
most Immediately fell in torrents, alternate
| with hail. the hailstones ranging in size fror
a haZel-nut. to an almond, and were gath
| cred IN us great cuflOSluleS- Reports cam
| in gradually of disasters near the center o
| town and matters grew serious, but abou
| IL O'Clock the message cam" to the center Q
news that Wolf creek levee, which protect
| Miami City Tor West Dayton, had broken
| and Kemptown, us it is called, being the lowe
part of Miami City, was swept away. PeoPl
| hurried to the scene only to find that the dit
| ast.r was more than was told. Some 81
| hundred feet of the levee had bee broke
| by the sudden to rent which came rushln
| down Wolf creek, and 150 acres of that pal
| of the city were c. vered with water.
| In kemptown terrible distress occurred. .
score or more houses with their sleeping o.
| cupants were swept away from their found,
tions and overturned, or lodged against wall
or carried into the Miami and borne away, n
one knows where. That portion of the cit
| was aroused, and the entire male populatio
| that dare engage in the busines
were cropping their way through tn
flooded district carrying out the distresse
and ShriekinE women and children
places of safety. 1t was in vain to teephou
| for aid to the east side of the Miami, for
was apparently impossible, and at least higl
| ly dangerous to attempt to reach the seen
| with horses and carriages. There was nc
| much to do but wait for dawn. To add t
the distress the electric light works wei
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