The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-06-02
THE WESTERN DELUGE.
A CONTINUED STORY CT DEvASTA
TION AND DEATH.

Aho l'ntlre country Betw90n st. LOuIS |
and New Orleans Threatened With Inun-
datIon--The Crescent City In Great Dam
ger.
SIOUX CITY, H., May 19-At the or
binary stage Of water the Floyd River
is as insignificant stream as eyer
meandered in pastoral insignilicance.
But, swollen by the continued rains
until its never well defined banks were
obliterated, it was in poor condition to |
Carry away the immense flood Of water
which fell in the cloudburst.
a wave moving as a solid wall of |
water swept down the narrow valley
of the stream. The Floyd flows through |
the centre of Sioux City, and along its
banks are the homes Of thousands. Te
these the flood brought death and de-
molition of their homes. One million
dollars will not cover the loss by flood
to this city alone. The water in Floyd
River receded rapidly last night, but
today is still outside of its banks, and
a considerable portion of the bottom is
still covered, but to no great depth, for
the most part.
The scene which is disclosed by the
recession of the flood is one which beg
gars description. Throughout the
flooded district it is one story of de.
struction and damage. The flood at
its hight extended from Court street to
the Floyd bluffs, and from the suburb
of Lynn to The Missouri river. This
comprises Il district four miles long
and mile and half wide. For dis
| tance of mile and half above the
mouth of the Floyd the bottom is
densely populated. a large portion Of
the inhabitants are poor people, who
are employees Of packing houses, rail.
roads, etc. There are a great many re-
tail shops throughout this region.
! There is confused scene of deSola-
tlon. At the height Of The flood the
current struck straight through the
residence streets. Among those near
est to the river scores of dwellings
were swept from their foundations and
carried long distances and either
smashed or turned bottom side up. 1t
IS no uncommon sight to see a dwell
ing turned over on its side or roof.
Many two-story buildings were swept
away. The buildings which are twist
ed, or carried short distances, are in
Vulnerable. 1t must be remembered
that over all this area, for six or eight
streets from the river, the water was
far above second story windows, with
a swift current and the wind blowing
a hurricane.
Everywhere. fences, outhouses, side
walks, wooden payements, railroad tic S
and timberS are scattered about among
the cOntOrted and overturned dwell,
lngs. Many of the streets are paved
with cedar blocks, and the water lifted
, hundreds Of thousands of them and car
rled them away. In some places there
are immense masses of dehris piled on
top of houses. Several thousand peo-
pie closely followed the receding flood
to search for their bones and missing
ones. Only few on the outer edge Of
the flood will be able to occupy their
homes at present. The streets are an
impossible mire. DOoryards are filled
with mud and drift. What houses are
not wrecked and carried away will be
almost uninhabitable. Furniture is
destroyed and many things in the
| houses lost.
The rescuing parties are hard at work
today. One lady named Mrs. Keenley,
aged sixty. seven, was found uD TO her
chm IN water at 1880 this morning. She
had put trunk on a table and sat on
1t fer tWenty-four hours. She will re-
| cover
| Boats are plying today over the tlood-
ed territory, searching the houses re-
manning for sick and dead people and
bringing to shore the valuables of their
poor occupants.
| The water in the stream has fallen
six feet, and by night it is hoped Il
large part of the flooded district may
be out of water. A public meeting
was held at the court house last even
ing, which was attended by all the
wealthy men Of the city. Committees
of workers were appointed for all feat
ures Of relief, and sufficient money was
subscribed to meet immediate necesSi-
ties.
According to the latest information
the flood mas been even more disastrous
in its results than was at first antici.
pated. The estimates as to the loss of
life vary from sixty to one hundred
No list can be given Of the dead. In
fact, the terrified people have sought
| impossible to exactly figure what their
number on the death roll will be.
At the manufacturing suburbs of
Leeds, directly in the Floyd valley, nine
persons are known to be drowned.
-Four were drowned at Springdale, just
below Leeds. Observers on the high
bridge counted fifteen bodies that swept
under it. One man attempted to wade
out, carrying two children, but was
struck by floating timber and was so
hurt that he dropped one. Matt Roe,
tbu Oiu Sd.lO' Cil6 lives vi
eight persons Mrs. T.. T.. West was
swept away and separated from her lit
tie five year old girl, who was dr. owned.
a woman who managed to wade to a
box car was seized with labor pain and
gave birth to child and two hours la
ter was rescued. Aiwoman named Hin
ton and three children were drowned
in their own house. Two Swedish
families were swept away and drowned
before rescuers could reach them. The
gas works and electric light plant are
under water and the city was in dark
ness last night.
Not less than seventy five houses
have been carried into the streets or
into the river, and it is estimated that
the foundations and contents of 500 are
ruined. Nellie Westshield, Mrs Louise
llorner and two children are known to
be lost, but SO great is the confusion
and excitement that it is almost i'm
possible to obtain anything definite re-
garding the loss of life.
ALARMING OUTLOOK AT NEW ORLEANS.