The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-05-22
DEADLY DELUGE.


DWELLINGS With Their Inmates Swept
Away and Upwards Of Twenty.
Eve Persons Drowned
1t XeRia.
XENIA, O., May 13.-Tbere was
terrible wind and rain storm at 10
o'clock last night with a wonderful
electrical display. Water backed
up at the east end of the town to a
lake against the Panhandle railroad.
The bank gave away suddenly and
the flood came dashing through town
along Shawnee creek in waves fifteen
or twenty feet high, and swept TWEEN
ty or thirty houses away, and did
500, 900 worth of damage. The gas
works are flooded and the town is in
darkness and terror. The cries of
the people in the flooded district
were awful to hear. Many acts of
heroism in saving the drowning are
reported. Bon-fires were lighted
and the people worked all night.
Twenty bodies were recovered and
there is still a number missing.
Whole families persisted in the food
ed districts. There was great dam
age to property all around in the
country and the extent of damage
cannot now be even Appropriated.
THE SUDDEN FLOOD.
The principal stream flowing
through Xenia is Archer creek,
which is generally small stream
with no destructive powers. This
creek flows through culvert under
the Panhandle depot. The stream
became SO greatly swollen on account
of heavy rains until the culvert was
taxed to it's utmost to give the water
passageway. When driftwood COM
menced coming down the swollen
stream it was caught at the culvert
until a perfect dam was formed. Cit
liens, perceiving the danger, worked
hard to dislodge the timbers and
driftwood, which kept increasing,
but the force of the current wedged
them in so tightly that their efforts
were futile. The water backed up
and soon overfowed it's banks, and
ere long formed an extensive reser-
voir. People all over the city began
to grow alarmed, but before any def
mite action was taken the water
broke the embankment and rushed
through the town, tearing down
trees and washing away houses.
Many residences were swept down
the current with their inmates. One
of these, that of Aaron Ferguson,
contained nine persons of his own
family and three of John Burch's,
who had fed there for safety.
The complete number Of deaths
whose bodies have been found is
twenty five, with eleven still missing
The work of finding the bodies still
continues tonight. The Mayor
Office has been turned into morgue
and there are now twenty two bodies
there. The scenes are heartrending
Whole families lie disfigured on
cots.
The Council has appropriated
81 900 for immediate use in the bur.
ial of the victims. A private sub
scription has already reached the
thousands. A committee is doing
the city for clothing and bedding
The rink has been turned into a ref
noe for the homeless. who are many
THE PROPERTY LOSSES.
The loss of property is great
whole lumber yards and all bridges
gone completely. The scenes in thu
devastated district are indescriba
BILE. Forces of men are busily en-
gagged clearing away and hundreds
of people surround the places
Strangers have begun to pour int
the city from every direction. TIL,
Little Miami road has about fifteel
miles swept away.
THRILLING DETAILS.
Vivid lightning followed by ter
rife peals of thunder continued from
Z until 8 o'clock, when an extraordi
nary clap of thunder seemed to opel
the gates and the rain fell in tor
rents. The people living in houses
on Water street escaped by ever.
way possible. The spout seemed t.
vent its fury on that portion of tn
city. For stretch of $50 yards tn
little Miami railroad is swept away
The spout struck the houses Of
Water street and tore them to piece
} as if they were shells. A residen
i of the street states that within tw
minutes after the clap of thunder b
stood in water to his waist, he bein,
about twenty-five yards from tn
creek. When the water reached tn
residence of Aaron Ferguson it wa
swept away with nine inmates an
| lodged against bridge, where the
were afterward rescued. The mex
damage was at the coal yard of Sam
uel Clark, in which was located
tenement house and occupied by
7 family named Powell, nine in mum
Der. Up to 8 P. NJ. none of them ha
, been heard from. The next point {
destruction was what is known a
the Bottoms. A dozen houses OK
cupied mostly by colored people wer
9 here swept away.
Dozens of horses were lost an
railroads leading out of the city wer
swept away, SO that it was imposs
. BILE to hear from outside points. A
! least dozen trains are here an
within few miles of the city. Tel
egraph wires are down and bushes
, has been suspended.
One family by the name Of Morri
! were swept away. The last seen {
D them was at the Miami street bridg
e when a man was seen at the windo'
by the terror stricken crowd wavin
lighted lamp. The next instar
the house collapsed and they wei
t gone; only one, boy. ID years {
: age, has been found.
= Gen. Thomas L. Rosser, who ha
spent most of the time since the wa
in the, West but is now living in Alb
marie county, Va, says in con
n munication published in last week
= Charlottesville Jefersonian: II
;. my opinion we are about entering
new era in the history of the Soutl