The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-04
ShawneetOwn Swept by a
Raging Flood.
A BREAK in THE LEvEE.
INCIDENTS OF THE CATASTROPHE

Chicago, April "A special from Carmi,
ILL.,, says: The disater at shawneetown, LIE.
cnme when the great majority Of the people
were in their homes eating supper. 1b
break in the levee occurred mile above tho
town ana was within ten minutes more than
half mile wide.
A stream of water Il 10 20 feet deep. carry
ing half OF the current Of the fl, od-raised
Ohio descended ON the unsGspccting people.
1t came down In great rush, like tidal
wave. There was no slow rising OF the wa
tiers to give warning. The houses on the ont
skirts were lifted up and rolled over ana
over. Almost all OF them were torn into splin-
ters. 1hcir inhabitants were drowned in
them.
Near the centre OF the town some brick
structures stopped the on-rush OF the water
for few minutes. out about two-thir@s of the
dwellings were lifted from their foundations
and foated cnreeningly into the current Of
the river.
After a few minutes the horror Of the situn-
tion was added to by he catching fire OF
large house thut had started down stream
with the others.
The people ON the roofs were already in
danger of being thrown OFF by collision with
other floating houses, but the Appearance Of
this floating irebrand added horror. As IL
struck one house after another III it's zig gag
courss some caught fire and their unfortunate
people were compelled to trust themselves: 70
| tn mercy OF the rushing water on pieces Of
wood to avoid more terrible death by fire.
The break In the levee flooded four miles
of the valley and cut off communication on
two railroads, the Baltimore g. Ohio South
western and the Louisville a. Nashville he
first rush OF the current did not do all the
d image When the water had slackened
somewhat many houses were still standing
but 1t was quickly seen tnat the frsme ones
would not last in the steady crush Of the
food.
BY means of RATS and swimming in the cold
water seventy or eighty people were tram
ferred from their garret windows and roofs
TO the fat tops OF the Gallatin County bank,
n brick and stone building, and Court House
which is Of brick.
II was hoped that these would withstand
the pressure and the undermining, but when
the single courier who rode for help to Cy-
press Junction left Shawneetown only those
two holdings showed above the broad sheet
Of the flood in the lower part OK the town ana
its full force was being thrown ngsinst them.
II was doubtful il they would not collapse and
throw the refugees into the river.
Besides the hundred or more who were on
the roofs of the two buildings it is known
that nearly 1000 of the inhabitants managed in
one wav or another to make their way 10
the high hills back OF the town or to houses
in the high sections Of the village itself. A
few of these survived tho sudden burst cf tho
waters but their FIRST, ana sometimes. their
second floors were under water. Those who
made their way TO them went only in the
clothes they were wearing when the water
rushed upon them. None had time to secure
either treasure or clothing. The property
loss is very heavy.
The scene in the streets at the upper end Of
tho town where men and women were strug-
Cling against the debris and water TO higher
ground. some carrying babies on their heads
where water was mp to their necks. others
half swimming. half floating on Odds and sndn
Of lumber from homes that had gone floating
down the river, many struggling in vain and
sinking in the roaring waters, was one that
Continued on Pago 2.)