The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-19
DISASTER AT SIOUX CITY.

DISASTER AT SIOUX CITY.
The Place Flooded and from Twenty to 100
Persons Drowned-s,O0O Homeless
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
Sioux CITY. Ia. May 1S-A great food
disaster has overtaken Sioux City. This
q great wave came down the
Floyd river. which flows through the cen.
ter of the city and which was already
bank full. The wave came q few minutes
after o'clock. Warning had been sent o
short time time before to the inhabitan to
of the low lands. but only q few of them
had been notified. The first intimation
was volume of water spread
ing over the banks to depth of
three feet and throwing a mist of foam be-
fore it. In few minutes the water had
risen above the first floors aud several
thousand people fed to the interior to
higher ground. The water rose four feet
in an hour and q half, ana from
o'clock continued to rise rapidly.
Over one-third of the inhabitants
of the city live on the low ground, which
is overfowed. So rapid was the rise of
the tide that great numbers were unable
to escape and the work of rescue engaged
every energy of the people.
o,o al
ported drowned. At 10 O'clock the fire.
alarm was sounded to call out more work
ers. All the boats in the boat. houses on
ths Sioux river have been brought in and
are being used to save life and pro perty.
The Missouri river 10 very high. and when
the food in the Floyd river struck it the
water damned up and rushed over the ad-
jacent low grounds. The stock-yards and
psckinR.houses were situated at the con.
fiuencs of the two rivers. and they were
instantly inundated. About two thousand
head of live stock were drowned there.
Great numbers of dead stock have also
been found floating down the Floyd river.
The whole railroad yards and switching
track district is under water. and there
has been immense damage to the round
house and other railroad property. The
round house of tho Chicago. st. Paul. Mn
nespolis g. Omaha is damaged to the ex.
tent of $4,000. That road, the Illinois
Central and the Sioux City, g. Northern
enter the city by the Floyd valley. and all
are stopped. Not q trait has left Sioux
City to-day. at o'clock this afternoon
hoI IN
on Fourth street. The Hotel Fowler and
the Boston Investment Company's build
ing are surrounded with water. The Union
Depot was cut Oft at Q o'clock.
1t is estimated that eight thousand people
have been driven from their homes. Al
business is suspended. The Chambe- OF
Commerce organized this morning for re-.
lief work. Before. noon the women had
several soup and lunch. houses opened for
the flood sufferers.
At 10 o'clock tonight the reHef commit
tee has the names of fifteen persons known
to have been drowned ana authentic re-
ports of the drowning Of three OF four times
that number. Only one body has been re-
covered. 1t is believed that the death list
will not number less than hundred. The
waters to- night are recedIng aud the wind,
which blew gale all day, quieting. The
Floyd valley. q milo wide in places and five
miles through the manufacturing and rail.
road district of the city. and thlckly dotted
with homes, is tonight scene of desola-
tion.
The river commenced to rise about s
o'clock and before noon was thirty feet
dHan in ha oh
very swift. for it empties into the Missouri
river in the city. and soon fences, lumber.
sidewalks and houses were being swept
away. There are probably seven hundred
families In the valley, the ma jority living
In small houses, and as there was no ward-
ing the most they could do was to save
themselves and leave their possessions. A
rescuing corps was organized by citizens
and the homeless promptly cared for.
Hundreds of houses were swept away en-
tirely. Over half mile of paving on one
street was DESTROYED. All the railroad
yards. machine shops, warehouses, lumber.
yards, stove works. fcundries. shoe facto-
res. gas-works ana many retail business
houses were submerged. One of the lead
ing hotels was surrounded. and all the
depOts are inaccessible. The cable line
stopped and the elevated railroad is the
only means left of reaching eastern su burbs.
The Union stockyar were carried away
with one thousand head of cattle. All
packing houses are flooded tonight and
four bridges are carried away. Not rail
road train can reach the city. In the after.
noon fire In the flooded district added to
the horrors. The total loss in the city il
estimated at from Sl,OO0,OO0 to S2.OOO.OOO.
The first warning was q telegram re-
ceived from Hinton. twelve miles up the
valley. that a fourtesn-foot rise was
coming. Intelligence was sent Il
the police station. Chief Hamau
was notified. and. taking boat
boarded train and went mp the
Illinois Central track. The wave " as sooI
struck and the boat was launched. Th,
waves nearly made way with the boat
Several persons were taken from a house
Eight minutes after the house top
pied over and swept down tb,
stream. Five people were taken from
tree AT SpriDgdale. The debris piled up 9,
that it would bear the weight of q man an,
greatly hindered the work. When tn,
warning came Captain of Police Wlcke
and q posse made haste for th,
hats and warned ss many O