New-York tribune., 1886-05-14
SWEPT TODEATH BY AFLOOD.
TWENTY-FIVE LIVES LOST AT XENIA.
WHOLE FAMILIES DROWNED AND MANY
HOUSES WASHED AWAY.

ELEVEN PERSONS MIssING-DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS
OF THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN THE TOR
NADo's PATH IN OHIO AND INDIANA.
AENTA, Ohio, May 13.-The bright May sun
shone this morning on a dcsoate and stricken town.
After night OF darkness and terror 1t was grateful TO
have light and sun, but what awful 1t revealed
home laid waste property swept and worse than
oil, tho wholesale destruction of life. About eight
O'Clock last night wonderful rain, wind and electrical
storm came VI, which continued with unabated fury Tor
three hours The wind in continual gale with an
occasional gust which broke down trees slammed shut
ters and did other damage. The rain fell In sheets,
While the sky vid with wave after Of cleo
trca disturbances and the muerng of tho thunder was
hoa'se and continual. Most families were huddled
together in fright for knew at what moment tho
storm might terminate in a cyclone or tornado. Few
persons dreamed that food coming, which would
sweep away part OF the town and drown souls In
the midst OF the storm about 10 o'clock the fire bells rang
out their wild alarm but great number of people re-
sponded to the call they thought Only fire. and
that 1t could not co much harm in such stom but d.
recty the second alarm and brought out the whole
town, to sreak. The streets were dark and the raj
uOWh IN torrents, put IL was sOon iearHcu
that the trouble that Shawnee Creek. that hereto
fore harmless little stream had mad aud was out
OF Its banks and sweeping everything before it,
Standing on tho banks of this mighty stream in the
rain and darkness it was an appalling situation There
was no light and above the Of the waters and
the flashing lightning and thunder the cry for help
from frightened and in many cases drowning people.
calIv tha int wat
Others in other directions for ropes ladders lights
and boats. At Detroit and bonfire Of store
boxes kept with coal oil built which gave light
TO work by but which threw lurid glare over tie un-
told and fearful Here Norris Tarbox and Byers
did heroic work in rescung nine persons from the Fergu-
son House, and also some people from the old Heaton
House. Further down, at what is kzown as Barrs Bot
tom strip OF low land right along the creek scene OF
destruction was witnessed. bonfire was built which
threw glsring light the dark aud rushing waters
and yerythng was done assistance of the people
OF that unfortunate place that could be accomplished
OF the fifteen twenty houses that occupied the fiat
only OF three could be seen, the rest having gone
with the mighty rush. At the Main Street bridge, the
tide had fairly piled the debris of ruined houses in
which several dead bodies we're found this
morrns. Orrin Morris wife and seven children, lived
in little frame house in secondst. 1t raised from
It's moorngs and oa,ed toward the Main Street bridge
Cries from 1t, and man was seen at the window
with light when the building struck and was smashed
partly sinking. The light went and all was still.
From the sbore there way to reach the drowning
family and there way for them to escape Alter
ward two of Morris's little boys rescued alive
clinging to panls down the creek.
The scene at the Mayors office this morning is beyonu
a description for here nveyed the bodies OF tho
dead in their night clothes and had evidently
been caught in their beds, and most OF them bore evil
dcnce OF having been injured by falling tmbers as their
houses went pieces Many in their clothes and
probably died struggling themselves The under
takers and others engaged In dressing the dead
and arranging them I'm fames for here we're whole
families who had found simultaneous death. There
were apparently no immediate friends around. The
family OF Orrn Morris, father. mother and five Children
dressed and laid side by side
The destruction OF property heavy Correct
| figures are wanting but 1t is safo to say that
TO the city and its citizens 1t will reach $4,000.
while the railroads will suffer as much
more. Three bridges between here and Spring
Valley the Little Miami out and much as five
miles The first section OF the night ex-
press Cincinnati reached this place, but the next
large amount OF track below the valley is out and The
loss will be S5OO 900 One Of the of tho
destruction in Xenia small cuvert under the COL
| umbus and Xenia Railroad just east Of the
Wilmington pike. 1t being insufficient 10 let the water
through the flood the top OF the road, forming
lake which suddenly broke the embankment, letting
the with great rush. 1t came down into tho
doomed part OF the town in body carrying everything
| before IL.
| LIST or THE KILLED AND MISSING.
ANDERSON Mrs NELLIE and sister, Lydia Casey. coll
ored both widows past sixty years OF age lived in
Bars bottom
| CoEcoRAy Mrs. SAMUEL and two sons. ages about
twelve ana twenty seven; wido" ana SONS oi Samuel
EVANS MAT. colored, day laborer, wife ana child the
MORRIS ORRIS. white laborer, wife and five children.
three girls and two boys, the oldest girl fifteen
years OF age and younsest, babe oil ten months
| POWELL, WILLIAM cart driver. wife and six or eight
| uan,v Brszeltou. son.in.iaw OF Powell and two
children who were found this morning the rest arc
ASpERsoS LEWIS. and wife. coored; Mr.. Anderson is
| LINDSAY, Mrs ED.
| POWELL, MIR and two children.
| Another account is as follows: There q
wind and rain at 10 o'clock last night with a
| wonderful electrical display. Water backed up
| az the east end Of town to lake against
| the Pan. Handle Railroad. Tho bank gave way
suddeny and the flood dashIng through the town
along Shawnee Creek III waves HlIeon VI t"eny iec'
/ high, swept twenty or thirty houses away, ana diu
600 worth of damage The works Hooded and
,ho town ia I'm darkness and terror. The cries OF the
neople n the flooded district were awful to hear Many
acts OF herosm In saving tho drowning are reported
Bonres were lighted and the people worked all night
Twenty bodies we're recovered and there still number
missing. Whole families perisned In the hooded us
,rcts There was great damage TO property all around
f., IN. countrv and the extont OF damage cannot now
be even Appropriated.
The principal stream flowing through Aenia Is Archef
| Creek. which is generally small stream with
| no destructive powers. The creek flows through
culyert under the Pan Handle railway
| depot Last night tne S'oii' i"eoN 49,,
| q o,clock until midnight Tho stream became greatly
,volen on account of heavy Iains until the cuvert
was taxed to It's utmost to give the water passageway'
| whon drirt.wood began coming down the swollen