The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-05-20
FATAL DElUGE.
Terrible Loss of Life and Destruction OF
Property at Xenia, o., by Bursting Rain



Property at Xenia, o.. By a Bursting Rain
Cloud.
CINCINNATI, May 1.-THE storm Of
wednesday night, which did such fearful
work at Xenia, was far reaching. 1t is
heard of in Illinois, through Indiana and
Ohio and at Winchester, Va. Here there
have been unusual electrical disturbances
for the past three nights. On Monday night
there was almost uninterrupted lightning
from eleven p. IN. to six a. m. Tuesday a
similar condition existed, accompanied by
heavy rain and hail. the latter of very mar
row range. Wednesday night there was
another electrical storm with wind, heavy
rain and hail. The Xenia storm, however.
was much more furious. The counties of
Montgomery, Clarke, Butler, Warren and
Greene lie adjacent in Ohio and form an
elevated plateau, with but shallow valleys
and low hills. In these counties are the
towns of Dayton Springfield, HamiI-
ton, Lebanon and Xenia. In the
eastern county Of Indiana, adjoining
this district, is ConnersviIle. At all these
places the rain Of last night was of the
heaviest volume ever known, measuring
four and half inches in about three
hours. Xenia was situated so as to meet
the worst results. Shawnee river traverses
the portion of the city adjacent to the
Little Miami railroad, which lies lower
than the main portion of the city. The
railroad embankment rises above the gen.
eral level and the stream flows through it
in a large culverL The rainfall was en-
trely too much for the capacity OF that
cuIvert The water rose and at last swept
away the embankment and with accumulated
force rushed upon the small cottages
located upon the low banks and without
warning bore them from from their founda-
tiOns. The waves were fifteen or twenty
feet high and swept twenty or thirty houses
away and did 100000 worth OF damage.
The gas works were flooded and the town
was in darkness and terror. The cries of the
people in the flooded district were awful 10
hear. Many acts of heroism in saving the
drowning are reported. Bonfres were
lighted and the people worked all night.
Twenty-eight bodies have been recovered
and there are still number missing.
Whole families persisted in the flooded
districts. There was great damage to prop
erty all around in the country, and the ex-
tent now can not even be Appropriated.
The following is partial list of the dead:
Mrs Nellie Anderson and sister; Mrs
Carey, a widow; Mrs. Samuel Cochran and
two sons; Matt Evans wife and child;
Orrin Morris, wife and five children;
Stephen Dalton; William ROwell, wife and
six or seven children; Lewis Anderson and
wife; Mrs. Ed Lindsay.
TIE STORM.
About seven o'clock in the evening terri
BILE clouds were seen gathering and terrific
lightning was followed by peals Of thunder.
This lasted until nine O'Clock, when an ex-
traordnary clap of thunder seemed to open
the food 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 on that portion of
the CITY, For a stretch of $50 yards the
Little Miami railroad was swept away. The
spout struck the houses on Water street and
tore them to pieces as if they were shells.
A 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. When
the water reached the residence of Aaron
Ferguson it was swept away with nine in
mates and lodged against bridge where
they were afterward rescued, Tile next
damage was at the coal yard of Samuel
Stark on which was located a tenement
house occupied by family named Powell,
nine in number. Up to nine .. IN. 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 rail-
roads leading out of the city were swept
away so that it is impossible to hear from
outside points. Al 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 a 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, boy thirteen years of age, has
been found. The work of fnding the bodies
still continues. The mayors Office has been
turned intos a morgGe and there are now
twenty-five bodies there. The scenes are
Whole families lie disfig-
ured Oh cots. The loss of property is great,
whole lumber yards and all the bridges be-
ing completely gone.
SAD DROWNING.
Orrin Morris. wife and seven children,
lived in a little frame house on Second !
street. 1t was raised from It's mOOrings and
foated toward the Main street bridge. |
Cries came from it and man was seen at
the window with light, when it was
partly sinking. The light went
cut ana all was still. From the shore there /
was no way to reach them, and there was
no way for them to escape. Afterward |
two Of his little boys were rescued alive, |
clinging to debris, down the creek.