The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-05-25
A ResistIess Torrent.


In the valley of the Floyd River. The
loss of life is appalling, but its exact
extent is not yet known. Fifteen bodies
have already been recovered, ard it is
feared the victims will be at least double
that number.
Reports of the missing sh W fully 100
persons are not yet accounted for.
Most of them are children, and 1T is
thought that the ma, orlty of them have
wandered away in their terror and ale
being sheltered by strangers.
The valley OF the Floyd, flom the
manufacturing suburb of Leeds down TO
the Missouri, is from one TO two miles
wide, low fiat, and includes the manu-
featuring and industrial districts OF the
city, the railroad yard and shops, and
the houses of large part OF the labor
ing classes OF the city. The water came
down with rush and in an hour the
valley was a roaring sea from river TO
bluff. The river continued to rise, COM
ing up Third and Fourth streets in the
Missouri bottom at the rate Of two
bio ks an hour and reaching across
most of the business part Of town.
The people were taken by surprise and
some were so struck by terror as to be
unable to make u move to escape. One
rider in a sulky was met by the wave as
it came up Fourth street and was
drowned. Many fled but half dressed.
Others were unaware of tho danger and
their first warning was when they were
snatched by the rescuers, placed in
wagons and hurried to places of safety.
There were many helpers, but most OF
them, having no boats, were powerless.
Early in the day woman was seen
cd, Ill IL 4
above her head. A rescuing party went
for her in boat, but the current car
ried them by, and the woman and child
were seen TO disappear under a mass Of
rubbish and were drowned. Nellie West
and man named Polly and three chill
dren were also drowned and when last
seen the mother was wildly waving a
piece of carpet out OF second story
window as the house foated away. One
old lady was found sitting astride the
roof of house up to the caves in water
and was rescued.
house containing man, woman,
and large family of children floated
down the center Of the stream. 1t struck
q bridge and went under. The rescuers
made for the spot and the woman was
rescued after four attempts. Cheer on
cheer went up from the throatS OF the
watchers on the road. A house with
seven occupants noated down, and a
barge made several unsuccessful at
tempts and finally saved all OF the<l.
One man was seen swimming ashore
with woman and a child on his back.
The woman was chilled and frightened,
and dropped the infant. One woman
gave birth 10 girl baby, and both will
survive the terrible day.
rescuing crew of two men, whose
names could not be learned, saved sew
eral families and finally in order to get
a family out, cut into the roof of a
house They got the family of three,
man, wife, and child, and started for
the shore. The boat capsized in the
middle of the stream and all five were
drowned. Twenty-one bodies were seen
to pass under the structure of the ele-
waited railroad in space Of two hours
after the flood came. To add to the
horror the rising water Stacked lime in
the Queal & Co. lumber yards. Pieces
of this huge raft Of blazing lumber float
ed down the stream, setting fire to
houses In their path.
The first note of warning was a tele-
gram received from Hinton, twelve
miles up the valley, saying that four
teen-foot rise was coming Intelli-
gence was sent to the police station,
and Chief Hawman was notified. He
sent at once for an engine, loaded a
boat, and started up the Illinois Central
tracks for Leeds. The wave was struck
when but short distance up, and the
boat was launched at once.
From one house three children were
taken, but the mother could not be res
cued and persisted. From another house
seven people were taken who had
crawled into the attic. Five people
were removed from a tree. The debris
piled up so that it would bear the weight
Of a man and greatly hindered the work.
When the word came Captain OF
Police Wicks an a posse made haste
for the fiat and warned as many as
could be reached before the flood came.
Many would not listen to words
of warning, saying they had seen high
water before. They stayed and were
drowned. Others were saved, with lit
tie OF their belongings.
The water rose four feet in one hour
and half, and from 8 O'Clock continued
to rise steadily, but not so rapidly.
Probably 1000 inhabitants of the city
live on the low ground which is over
flowed. So rapid was the rise Of the
tide that great numbers were unable TO
escape and the work of rescue engag ed
every energy of the people.
At 10 o'clock the fire alarm was sound
ed to call out more workers. All the
boats from the boat houses on the Sioux
River were brought in and used to save
life and property.
At l o'clock p. m. the water had
reached to jennings store on Fourth
street. The Hotel Fowle and the Boston
Investment Company's building were
surrounded. The Union depot was cut
off at o'clock.
1t is estimated that 5000 people have
been driven from their homes. All bust
ness is suspended. Before noon the
ladies had several soup and lunch
houses opened for the flood sufferers.
At noon 375 people had registered for re-
lief and the applications had then only
just been begun. The scenes along the
verge of the waters were pitiful. There
was neither gaslight nor electric light,
/ as both plants were under water.
The water was slowly receding a.
night. A citizens meeting at the court