The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-04
HORRIBLE LOSS
OFLIFE BY FEOOD

I and blankets quickly collected by the
| city officials.
When the river is at it's normal stage
| 1t is 1000 feet wide at this point and
the citizens have long feared a catas-
| trophe such as occurred last night, as
| tremendous pressure is brought to
pear on the levee during freshets. Sew
eral years ago, during a flood. the
| water flowed over the levee and the
| streets were under two feet of water
| The levee was strengthened and built
up afterward and the town has since
| considered there was no danger.
| Chicago, April A special to the
record from Cypress Junction, Ill,
Two hundred and fifty persons We're
| drowned by the inundation of Shaw
neetown, six miles from this place.
The north levee broke at 1870 o'clock
! yesterday afternoon, and the Ohio river
| flowed over the town many feet deep.
Scores of houses are floating about
| and many persons are clinging to the
wreckage in the hope that rescuers will
| soon appear with boats to take them to
| places of safety.
All communication with the town is
cut off. Trains can not reach there and
telephone and telegraph wires are
down. The first report that reached
here was that the entire population had
| frmed.
The levee was built by the govern
ment, and was regarded as impreg-
nable, hence the people had taken no
precautions against a possible flood.
1t is reported that the flood now ex-
tends four miles inland, and the people
are fleeing for their lives from all the
low land hamlets.
Darlington, Ky, April AT s:45 last
evening, Superintendent W. S. Martin
of the Henderson and St. Louis division
of the Louisville and Nashville railroad.
stationed at Evansville, Ind, received
a telephone message from Cypress
junction, Ill, saying that the Ievee
surrounding Shawneetown. Ill, on the
ONO river, had broken and the waters
mad drowned every one in Shawnee
town. There had been no railroad com
munication direct between Evansville
account of the high water in the Ohio
river.
st. Louis, April A special to the
Republic from Girard, ILL., says:
A telephone message has been receiv-
ed mere from Shawneetown, ILL.,, saying
that at 4:3O o'clock yesterday afternoon
the levee about the city broke and the
water which had backed UP for five
miles rushed down upon the city like a
tidal wave. After the message was re-
ceived the telephone and teIegraphic
communication with Shawneetown was
suddenly cut off.
st. Louis, April At is reported that
the special relief trains on the way to |
the Shawneetown flood are having trou-
ole because of washouts. The trains !
as possible after the first information
of the disaster was received. |
Evansville, April 4.-Mayor Carney of |
Shawneetown appealed to congress for
aid this morning for destitute people of
his stricken city. He says the town is |
absolutely destroyed and that there is
not enough food in town for one meal
He says 800 people are drowned All !
goods in the city are lost and the sit
uat1on is distressing in the extreme. |
This city sent two steamboat loads of |
provisions last night, and should reach 1
Shawneetown this morning.
St Louis, April 4.-Inquiry at the Of |
fees of the several railroads having |
connection with Shawneetown Ill. !
where last nights flood occurred indi-
cate that all trains for that point got |
off this morning and are proceeding on |
their way Indications are that there |
will be trouble in getting near the town
as waShOuts on a number of roads have
prevailed for the past week, almost iso-
latIng ShaWneetown. Some of the roads i
from here cannot get within ten or 20 !
miles of the scene of the flood |
Flora, Ill,April 4--Reports at this point, |
20 miles distant from Shawneetown. bear
out the first impressions of the inundation
of the Ievee. The railroads have stopped !
traffic twenty miles south of here as the |
road to Shawneetown is deep under water |
Telegra phic communication is cut off
At Mills station the river is eight miles |
wide and the track is covered for six |
miles. The following telegram was re- |
ceived here this morning by Superintend-
ent Mills of the Baltimore & Ohio South |
western railway from Conductor Charles |
Ireland
Half of Shawneetown totally destroyed
All stores wrecked with contents Town !
contains Is to 20 feet of water. South
levee covered with dead stock and houses
and all kinds of debris.
Partial list of the dead follows:
Colonel Collicott.
w. c. Collicott and wife.
Three children of Paul Phaken.
Mrs: Galloway and two children.
Mary McAlister-
Ellen McAllster.
Annie Rhinehart.
Grandmother Holly.
Mrs. McLane
William Thompson and family.
Charles Creighton and family.
Mary Welch and family.
Mrs. Tanley
Mrs. McCloise
No bodies recovered.
The mayor of Shawneetown appeals for |
tents and provisions Help must come |
quickly. There is great suffering among
the unfortunates.
Only small sNiffs can be secured to ferry |
the provisions across the river and every |
thing possible is being done by people in |
the adjacent towns to hurry forward as |
Superintendent Mills also received the |
following from Superintendent Martin of |
the Louisville & Nashville at Evansville |
..The mayor of shawneetown reports $50 |
TO 200 people lost. Not enough food in |
town to serve one meal for the living"
tendent Martin of the Louisville & |
Nashville railroad will send a free car |
of provisions roundabout to Shawnee |
town from Carmi, Ill, and the mayor |
city are arranging to send more pro- {
visions by boat.