The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1886-05-20
Fearful Loss Of Life at
Xenia.
Reports from Various Points
Throughout the State.


Throughout the State.
XENIA, May 13.-At7 Z o'clock
last night, this city was visited
by a most terrible calamityAhe
parallel of which has never be-
fore happened in this section of
country. During the earlier part
of the evening the sky became
dark, and it seemed as if the city
was to be visited by a heavy rain
storm. But few were prepared
for the awful calamity that fol-
lowed. At few minutes before
Z O'Clock the lightning and thun'
der became most intense and a
heavy rain set in. This had been
in progress but short time, when
the whole heavens seemed to
open and deluge of water, new
er before experienced, fell upon
the city. While no part of the
place escaped this unprecedented
fall of water, yet that portion ly-
ing near Shawnee creek suffered
the worst. A short distance
above the Little Miami railroad
station, the lower branch of this
stream passes through a culvert
under the railroad and then un-
der a bridge over which the tracks
of the Springfield branch runs
After the waterspout burst the
drlftwood stopped up this culvert
and as a result the water backed
up on the south side of the rail
road embankment, turning the
low land there into a vast reser-
voir. But the railroad embank-
ment was not intended for such
service and could not resist this
terrible pressure. 1t gave away
and the water swept down upon
the homes of the poor people of
that neighborhood with mighty
rush. Houses were picked up as
if they were egg shells and car
ried in this mad rush of water
until they were dashed to pieces
against the bridge abutments and
whatever they might come in
contact with.
When the storm came up the
people took refuge in their houses
and therefore had no warning
When this mighty volume of wa
ter struck them it was impossible
to effect an escape. so that every
person who was so unfortunate
as to be in its path was carried
to watery grave,&
Barre bottom, a portion of the
city which lies along tn is creek
Immediately north of the Little
Miami depot, suffered the great
est loss. The north branch of
the Shawnee creek empties into
the main body at this point. and
here the vast volume of water
was increased by the flow from
above. This portion of the town
was inhabited mostly by colored
people, and but few of them es-
capped.
The mayors Office was turned
into a morgue, and at one time
TO- day there were % bodies laid
nut upon the floor, the largest
part of which were colored.pe
pie. The list of persons whose
bodies have been recovered and
identified up to this hour, is as
follows:
Mrs. Ed Lindsays colored.
Mrs. Lydia Casey, colored.
Mrs. Anderson. colored.
Mrs. Corcoran, white. 80
Samuel Corcoran, white.
Mr.. and Mrs. Lewis Anderson,
colored.
Steven Danton, colored.
Orrin Motris, wife and 5 chill
dren, white.
VIM. Powell, wife and 6 chill
dren. colored.
VIM. Evans and wife, colored.
Two sons of Mrs. Samuel Cor
coran.
A child of Lewis Anderson, col
ored.
The scene at the mayors Office
beggars description. All of The.
victims are from the ranks of the
working class, and necessarily
Lad to be cared for by he city.
The relatives Of those who were
missing gathered at the office
and eagerly scanned each body
as it was brought in. Now and
then a father would recognize a
son, a child his parent, or per-
haps one member OF a family, who
had happened 10 be away from
home when the accident happen
ed, would recognize a dear one
and then would follow scenes
which turn the hardest rt.-i
The city council held a meeting
today and appropriated $1,000 10
be expended in buryIng The dead.
A citizens meeting was held and
appointed to solicit
ard provisions for the 4,
homeless. The number of deaths