The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-05
UNDER WATER.
The Streets and Houses of
ShawneetOwn, Ill.,
Are Still Filled With Water
Many Feet i'm Depth.
20 BODIES RECOVERED
Work of Rescue Has Not Yet
Commenced.
Attention is Confined Entirely
to Survivors.

Ridgeway, ILL.,, April 5.-Almost two
score bodies of victims of the Shawnee
town flood have been recovered and
hundreds of homeless people are de-
pendent upon charity for food and shell
ter The death list is likely to be
largely increased when definite infor-
nation from the negro quarter, which
suffered the most, is secured. The flood
burst upon these people without warn
ing, and owing to the weak construc-
ton of their shanties, they toppled over
in the rush of water, leaving their in
mates no means of getting out of
danger. Hundreds of people who lived
farther from the river front sought
safety on roofs and in upper stories, or
made retreat to the hills at the west.
These are being removed as rapidly as
possible to places where they can be
given proper care. No effort has yet
been made to seach for bodies, the at
tention of the relief parties being di-
rected almost entirely to the distribu-
tion of supplies and making the home
less as comfortable as possible.
The missing, as far as known, are:
Colonel Callicot, Wash Callicot, Mrs.
Callicot, Mrs. Galloway, Dora Gallo
way, Mary Galloway, Mrs. Holly Mrs.
Greer, Mrs. Ed. Flake, Charles Clayton,
Anna Rhineholt, Clarence RhinehoIt,
Mrs. Paul Phalen, three Phalen chill
dren, nephew of the Phalens, Mrs. Nc
lister (colored), Mary McAlIister (coI-
ored), r. B. Hooker, telegraph operator
at Louisville & Nashville, Henry King
and four children (colored), Miss Cora
Sherwood, Frank A Morrison, and Mrs.
A A Hathaway.
1t is estimated that the loss of life in
the negro quarter may reach fifty, be-
sides those accounted for.
a Ia TxY1o 70
said there were fifteen people in his
house when the flood struck the build
ing. Only himself and one other sue
ceeded in escaping before the building
toppled over.
Marsh Callicot, the son of Wash CAL
l1cot, and wife, who persisted, made an
heroic effort to save his parents. He
secured a rowboat and got within 40
feet of where his mother and father
We're imprisoned. The swift current
prevented him from getting nearer. The
parents stood in the yard in water to
their waists awaiting the arrival of
the boat. Suddenly wave swept them
into the current and they were drowned
before their sons eyes.
David Rockendoffer and wife were in
their home, directly in the path of the
huge wave that swept through the
broken dyke. Their little son in the
yard saw the wave coming and hur-
riedly climbed a tree. The father and
mother had time to rush upstairs when
the house was swept from it's founda-
tions. They climbed on the roof as the
house hOated off and heard their little
son in the tree say Goodbye, papa
and mamma
The parents were powerless to go to
his assistance, and in a few moments
the house had been carried beyond the
reach of the boys voice. They foated
from the north levee to the south levee.
a distance of mile, and were taken off
in safety The little son was subse-
quently rescued in the treetop by a
boat and the family reunited. Mr.
Rockendoffer said that as he f1oated
down the current on the housetop he
saw people drowning on all sides.
J. T. Hogan, of Omaha, Ill, left the
scene of the flood half an hour before
the dyke broke. His brother-in-Iaw.
Sheriff Galloway, of Gallatin county
whose home was in Shawneetown. had
the same good fortune. The sheriff's
wife and two daughters were swept
away, and their bodies have not yet
been recovered.
Ridgeway, which is twelve miles
from Shawneetown, was made the basis
of relief work All rail communication
being cut off four miles out boats were
constructed and committee started to
the scene. They reached a point within
two miles of the flooded town. More
boats were secured and the rescuers
crossed to Shawneetown. They found a
sad condition existing in the Inflated
town. Hundreds of those who escaped
the rush of water were perched on
roofs, trees and along the top of the
dangerous positions as rapidly as pos
sible. Owing to the scarcity of boats.
the work was very slow, but over 200
persons, including many women and
children, were taken to the roadway,
two miles from Shawneetown, and
thence to Cypress Junction. Here the
greater part of them are camped, with
very little to eat, and exposed to the
driving rain and piercing wind. Cypress
Junction is almost surrounded by water
which has overlooked the banks of the
Wabash and is covering the entire
country. The overflow from the broken
dyke at Shawneetown has backed two
miles inland, but is slowly receding
1t will be impossible to recover any
bodies until the waters recede very ma
terially.
The stores and other business houses
are flooded to the second floors, all the
streets are under water from ten to
thirty feet.
The heavy rain still continued last
night, and at o'clock high cold wind
sprung up, adding to the misery of
the sufferers in the stricken town At
IL o'clock last night a telephone mes
sage was received from Shawneetown
saying that the south 1evee was crack
ing and threatening to go at any
minute.