The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-07-11
The People Were Thrown From Their
Beds Into the Dark Waters and
Swept Down the Ravine-An
Awful Scene of Suffering and
Devastation.

-hlS' W. W. DuuCdu.
Matte Duncan.
Mrs. Crawford.
Martha Duncan.
Crawford Cert.
Geo. Nevins.
Norma Nevins.
Little daughter of Norman Wright.
Maggie Cannon.
John Morris.
John Nevins.
The bodies of Rev. G. w. Duncan, wife
and daughter, George Nevins, Norma
Nevins and the Wright girl were recover
ed, but the others have not yet been
found.
A slashing rain, preceded by fierce
wind, set in at 3 O'Clock last night. While
the wind ceased the rain increased intense
ly, until at 10 O'Clock it became warning
tumult. AT 1918 p. m. four feet of water
was on the streets and in 10 minutes more
buildings could not longer stand the
strain and began to careen and disinte
CRATE into the waters. Vivid flashes of
lightning pierced the downpour which
came like the falls of Niagara. Houses
were smashed, and in the waters hun
dreds of men, women and children dashed
about like corks. 1t was like ship wreck
on land. Cries of terror and shouts for
help from the struggling humanity cling
ing to pieces of timbers made the scene
that baffied the efforts to save the help
less. The strong current rushing down
the ravine, or valley, carried many to
higher land and places of safety
When the torrent had to a degree sub
sided the men who had saved their own
families turned their attention to others,
and by 3 O'Clock in the morning the
worst was over. Those who had escaped
the sweep of the devastation stood SILVER
ing, without clothing or without an oppor-
tunity to dry themselves. When day
dawned there was nothing of their houses,
there was no shelter, no food and no
clothing
AS soon as Geographic communication
was restored Mayor b. Il. Evans tele-
graphed to this city for aid. Tonight
the inhabitants of WiOna are scattered
among farm houses or have gone to
neighboring towns.
In all, 80 buildings We're destroyed.
The A. c.. Carter Lumber building was
destroyed, loss, $4,000; Mrs. A. G. Scran-
ton, millner, building carried away, loss,
$1,000; j. j. Bowman, three buildings
carried away, loss, $4,000: Church and
Kissel Lumber company, loss $1,000.
house and Sill house were carried away.
The following individuals lost houses:
Tom McCOrd, William Howell, G. j.
Jordan, Wilson Randolph, John Norris,
George Hayden, four houses; James Hen
ley Jack Chilbert, Thomas Gilbert
Lloyd Wright, G. II. Roberts, George
FaIriS, Joseph Miller, Rev. G. w. Dun
can, d. w. Van and Daniel Holmes.
The total loss is not less than $4,000.
Rev. G. w. Duncan, who lost his life.
was pastor of the WinOna district, and
was but recently ordained. He was
formerly an engineer on the Iron Noun
tain road.
The bodies of Miss Matte Duncan and
Mrs. Crawford were found at o'clock
this morning. The others were recOv-
cred after daybreak. Some had tloated
down Pike creek to the northeast three
miles, and in the direction of Current
river, and were picked up by the res
cuers.
In places the water was II feet deep
in Winona.
1T is now known that Birch Tree, eight
miles west. had its worst storm at the
same time last night No lives were lost,
however.
COrtez Fisher, lumber dealer, lost $4,000
by the destruction Of buildings. Oother
WinOna, in point of population and
business, was the most important town in
Shannon county. Surrounding it are
the finest pine trees of Shannon county.
To the north, eight miles, the Current
river flows northeast and then bends to
the southeast, touching the Current river
branch of the Memphis railway at Cleo
pee, dozen miles east of WinOna.
Northeast and southwest of the town
are hills. The railway follows q valley
east and west and deep ravine goes
out northwest toward the river. Along
the sides of this ravine were clustered
houses occupied by the families of the
men who had been employed by the
Ozark company in their mills. When
the clouds burst, the water rushed down
this ravine, carrying all before it. The
railway was on a slight grade, but the
track was torn up and residence houses
and business buildings We're swept along
with it into the torrent. Church & ks
sell had the largest general store and the
Missouri Land company had one of the
buildings near the railroad. Both suf-
fered from the water.
WmOna at the last town census had
600 people.
ated Birch Tree. next in size in the
county, with 500 inhabitants. 1t had
similar timber interests and was thirty
ing place. On the morning of July
the town suffered from a downpour that
was almost equal to a cloudburst. Great
preparations had been made for a cele-
bratiOH and 81 mammoth dinner was
spread under the trees. The storm
swept everything away and many had
narrow escapes from drowning.
Again late in the evening there came
another flood that was more disastrous
in its results.