The Russellville Democrat., 1889-06-20
FIFTEENTH YEAR---NO. P.

were in the attic and would have beer saved, but locomotive was hurled througl the house and knocked it down. The sur vivinE member of the family has since com mitted suicide.
 The sights and sounds heard that nigh were the most painful that human beingI were ever called upon to endure. In the darkness could be distinguished human be ings floating by the town on house tops ano rafts Some were crying for help, other were praying aloud for mercy, and q few were even singing as fl to keep up theii courage About o'clock big raft swept by the village within 100 yards of the shore There was an entire family on it, and they were singing Nearer. My God, to Thee !" In the midst of their song the raft struck a large tree and went to splinters QThere were one or two wild cries and then silence.
 Mrs Mary Tenn stood by a muddy pool of water trying to find some trace of once happy home. A reporter asked her con corning her loss She said she was left alone, her husband and seven children be- ing swept away. She continued:
 We were dr,yeu by the raging flood into the garrett but the waters followed us there. Inch by inch 1t kept rising until our heads were crushing against the roof It was death to remain. So I raised win
 
 ings on some driftwood, trusting to the Great Creator. As liberated the last one, my sweet little boy. he looked at me and said: Mamma, you always told me that the Lord would care for me; will He look after me nowr l saw him drift away with his loving face turned toward me. and with prayer on my lips for his deliverance he passed from sight forever. The next moment the root crashed in and hoated outs de to be rescued fifteen hours later from the root Of a house in Kern vile. II l could only find one Of my darlings could bow to the will Of God. But they are all gone"
 Near the. center of the city were three persons pulling apart the debris as best they could. They were an elderly woman, a young woman, quite pretty, and little girl all dressed in mourning. reporter stopped to watch them for moment, when suddenly the little girl cried 70, mamma, here's something Both women hurried over as the child held up water stained photograph album. Yes, that's ours" cried the younger of the women as she feverishly seized it and began to turn the dirty and water swollen leaves All three sat down on an uprooted tree near by, and they went through the album, utterly re- gardless of the crowd that gathered The younger one turned to the first picture in the album and carefully wiped the dirt away with her handker- chief She looked at 1t long and earnestly while the other two looked over her shoul- der "l thought we had lost it, she said, as the tears trickled down her face.
 In the gray dusk Of that fatal Friday evening q crowd of people stood upon the bridge at Bolivar trying to rescue the un- fortunates as they were carried down by the flood Ropes were dangling from the bridge for those in the water to grasp One poor womnn's plight was even so piteous that even strong men wept She was sit- ting high and dry on a substantial pile of timber that was bearing her down stream rapidly On each side of her lay little child. They were still and made no outcry as the woman clasped them close. As the craft neared the bridge the spectators saw that the children were