The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-05-20
RUIN AND DESOLATION
Sad Scenes Disclosed by the
Receding Waters.
THE DEAD NUMBER sEvENTY-FlvE.

Sioux City, Ia.--Rescuing Parties still at
work-Immense Damage to Railroads.
Reports From Many Afflicted Points.
SIOUX CITY, Ia, May 20.-The scene
disclosed by the recession of the food
is one that beggars description.
Throughout the flooded district il is one
story of destruction and damage. 1t is
still impossible to accurately ascertain
the number of lives lost, but it is be-
lieved that at least 70 persons were
drowned. The money loss will be far
over a million dollars.
The food at its height extended from
Court street to the Floyd bluffs and
from the suburb of Lynn to the Miss
ouri river. This comprises a district
our miles long and a mile and a half
wide. For a distance of a mile and a
half above the mouth the Floyd bot
tom is densely populated. A large por-
tion of the inhabitants are poor people
who are employees of packing houses,
railroads, etc.
At the height of the flood the current
struck straight through the residence
street. Among those nearest the river
scores Of dwellings were swept from
their foundations and carried long dis
tances and either smashed or turned
bottom side up.
1t is no sight to see a
dwelling turned over ON its side or roof.
Many two-story buildings were swept
away. The buildings which are twisted
or carried short distances are innumer-
able. 1t must be remembered that over
all this area for six or eight streets from
the river the water was far above Sec
ond-story windows with a swift current
and the wind blowing a hurricane.
Everywhere fences, outhouses, side
walks, wooden pavements, railroad ties
and timbers are scattered about among
the contorted aud overturned dwell.
ings. Many of the streets are paved
with cedar blocks and the water lifted
hundreds of thousands of them and car
ried them away. In some places there
are immense masses of debris piled on
top of houses.
Several thousand people closely fol-
lowed the receding flood to search for
their homes and missing ones. Only a
few on the outer edge of the flood will
be able to occupy their homes at pres
emit. The streets are impossible. Door
yards are filed with III and driftings.
What houses are not wrecked and car
ried away will be almost unhabitable.
The rescuing parties are hard at work
to-day. One woman, named Keely,
aged 81 years, was found up to her chin
in water. She had put a trunk on a
table and sat on it for "a hours. She
will recover.
Boats are plying over the flooded ter
ritory, searching the houses remaining
for sick and dead people and bringing to
shore the %valuables of their poor occu-
I | mantle Tho hiUh Mind thaf avvapt tho
valley yesterday made it next to impos-
sible for rescue or the most experienced
boatmen 10 hold out more han two
trips. Several persons have been found
/ in overturned houses where they spent a
night of terror. Oscar Anderson, who
worked all day yesterday and who wit
messed the drowning of a little child
torn away from its mother when the res
cuing party had almost reached her, lost
his reason, and is %raving to-day about
the beautiful baby that was swept under
the muddy waves.
The damage to railroad companies
will be greater than early estimates.
Every road that enters the city suffered.
Tracks of all road yards are more or less
washed out. The st. Paul, Milwaukee
& Omaha gets off with less than others,
but its track up the Floyd river is
washed away in many places for
distances of thirty miles. Its round
house was greatly damaged the night
before the food. The Sioux City g.
Northern is almost wiped out, so far as
the Sioux City end of the track is con-
cerned. For "a long distance its bridges
and culverts are out and the track car
ried away. Its round-house is a total
wreck. The turntable was taken up
% overturned and the interior of the circle
l & "a - II I1. --
house of the Omaha road was likewise
covered with a perfect network of tracks
and in many places these are taken out
and twisted up and the embankment
melted away.
ST. LOUIS, May 20.-The weather re-
ports show that Il rise of three feet is
coming down the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, rivers. This will cause the river
8 here to rise at least a foot. This means
/. that the entire country from here to
New Orleans will be flooded, as the le-
wees are not able to stand SO great a
, body of water.
OTrUMwA, Ia, May 2O.-The severe
storm which has swept over here caused
E the river to reach the highest point since
r the food of 1851, filling the cellars to a
, depth of five feet, and breaking the
dyke. A good portion of the south side
and all that portion between the river
: and railroad tracks is under water. The
south approach Of the bridge was slowly
, carried away this morning. The rail
roads nave suffered severely and traffic
Is practically suspended. Eddyville,
Wooledge and other points report a big
- rise. The electric light and water sup
e ply plants are inundated, rendering the
machinery imperative.
ALTON, H., May 20-Thousands OF
! acres of wheat in the bottoms of Union
I and Alexander caunties are flooded by
: the overflow of the rivers. Farmers
/ are fleeing TO the hills with their stock
and household goods. Merchants at
the river landings are removing mer-
, ~chandise from their stores in skiffs.
: There is much suffering, and the loss of
! property will be great. The river has
been rising at the rate of half an inch
2 per hour. 1t has been raining heavily
/. and almost necessarily for the past 81
? hours, and the downpoor continues.