The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-05-19

under the railroad, near the depot, damned
the culvert with drift, formed a great reser-
voir, which broke the railway embankment,
swept through the town, carrying houses
away, and, as reported, causing loss of life,
besides sweeping away 600 feet of the railway
track.
1915 a. m.-There is still no telegraphic
communication with Xenia or Dayton, but
from the railroad officials it is ascertained
that the water fell so rapidly that the cul-
vert under the railroad choked up, creating
an immense reservoir. which finally broke
the embankment and rushed through the
town, tearing down trees and washing away
houses. Twenty persons are reported 70 be
killed and large number wounded. A fear
ful wind blew down trees and telegraph
poles until there was no communication
with Cincinnati whatever.
Only the merest outlines of the great dis
aster are yet obtainable. From these il APP
pears that the rainfall last night was the
worst ever known in that part of the State.
1t was like a heightened cloud-burst, begin
mig at o'clock and continuing until after TO-
Shawnee Run, which runs through por-
tion of TIE town, with cottages built upon
its banks, rose to an unprecedented height.
Exactly how the great volumes OF water
acted, whether by being damned and then
breaking, or by its direct course, is not yet
known, but from fifty to 100 buildings are
swept form their foundations, and the in
mates suddenly found themselves helpless,
in an angry food. How many lives we're
lost is not yet known. but at 1890 the rescu-
ing party had recovered twenty-four bodies.
1t is thought number more Will yet be
found.
The storm is described as the most disas-
EnnU-n the Little Miami Rail-
road. The,nesrest approach any train could
make to the city was three miles. Bridges
were all washed away, and in places the
track was also taken. Trees were down,
fences destroyed and crops ruined. 1t will
require days to repair the railroad. but
meanwhile eastern travel will be conducted
via the Muskingum Valley Railroad.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE XENIA HoRRER.
XENIA, o., May 13.-About Z o'clock last
evening terrible clouds were seen gathering
and terrific lightning, followed by peals of
thunder. This lasted till 8 O'clock, when an
extraordinary clap of thunder seemed to
pen the gates and the rain fell in torrents.
The people living in houses on Water street
escaped by every way possible. The spout
seemed to vent its fury OF that portion of
the city, For a stretch of $50
yards the Little Miami Railroad is
swept away The spoU. struck the houses
on Water street and tore them to pieces as If
they were shells. 4 resident of the street
states that within two minutes after the
clap of thunder he stood in water to his
waist, he being about twenty FIVE yards from
the creek. Whel the waters reached the
residence of Aaron Ferguson, it was swept
away with nine inmates and lodged against
a bridge, where they were afterward
rescued. The next damage was at the coal
yard of Samuel Clark, in which was located
tenement house, and occupied by family
named Powell, nine in number. Up to 9
p. m. none of them had been heard from.
The next point of destruction was in what is
known as the bottoms. A dozen houses,
occupied mostly by colored people, were
here swept away. Dozens of horses were lost
and railroads leading out of the city were
swept away, so that il is impossible to hear
from outside points. At least dozen trains
are here and within few miles of the city.
Telegraph wires are down and business has
been suspended.
one family by the name of Morris were
swept away. The last seen of them was at
the Miami street bridge, when & man was
seen at the window by the terror stricken
crowd waving lighted lamp. The next
instant the house collapsed and they were
gone only one. "a small boy thirteen years of
age, has been found.
The work of finding the bodies still con-
tinues TO night. The Mayors Office has been
turned into a morgue, and there are now
twenty-one bodies there. The scenes are
heartrending. Whole. families lie dis
figured on cots.
The following is a list of the killed: Mrs.
Lindsay (colored, Mrs Casey (colored, Mrs
Anderson (colored,) a child named Ander
son, Mrs. Crane white crippled IDIOT
named Crane, Mrs. and Mr.. Lewis and son,
Stephen Dundon, Orin Morris, wife and five
children white, VIM. Paul (colored,) wife
and five children, William Evans and wife.
The loss of property is great, whole lumber
yards and all bridges being completely car
ried away. Forces of men are busily en-.
gagged clearing away and hundreds of people
surround the places. Strangers have begun
to pour into the city from every direction.
The Council has appropriated 81, 900 for i'm
mediate use in the burial of the victims. A
private subscription has already reached into
the thousands. A committee is doing the
city for clothing and bedding. The rink
has been turned into refuge for the home
less who are many. All aid possible is
needed from every source.
Among losses are Mcdowell & Terrence,
lumber, $4,000; Miami Powder Company,
S25 900; Little Miami Railroad, Sl25,000
private individuals, $4,000. The city en-
gineer places the city loss at 5000. The
Little Miami road has about sixteen miles
swept away. In addition to the above, two
more bodies were found this evening, being
children, and they are not identified. The
complete number of deaths whose bodies
have been found is twenty-five, with eleven
still missing.
The following are the killed and missing
Mrs. Nellie Anderson and sister, Lydia
Casey, colored, both widows past sixty years
of age, lived in Bars Bottom; Mrs Samuel
Corcoran and two sons aged about twelve
and twenty-five years, widow and sons OF
the late Samuel Corcoran; Nat Evans, col
, ored, day laborer, wife and children, three
children missing, Orrin Morris, wife and five
children, three girls and two boys, the eldest
girl fifteen years of age, and the youngest
a baby ten months; Stephen Dunton, colored
laborer; William Powell, cart driver, wife
and six or eight children, one child escaped
from the house, as did Henry Brazelton, SON.
| in-law of Powell, and two children, who
were found this morning, the rest are miss
ing; Lewis Anderson and wife (colored), Mrs.
Anderson is missing; Mrs. Ed Lindsay, Mr..
Powell and two children. The scene at the
Mayors Office is beyond all description, fol-
here were conveyed the bodies of the