The San Francisco call., 1898-04-05
THE BREAK IN THE LEVEE.

About o'clock last evening, he said, the levee on the north side of town gave away at the north end of Market street, near the Courthouse. An opening ten feet wide was at first made, but it quickly spread to twenty, and a wall of water ten or fifteen feet high poured through the main street, sweeping everything before it. About fifty small frame houses along the line of the levee to the south were crushed like toys and none Of the occupants, most Of whom were poor colored folks, escaped. Those living in the more substantial houses managed to climb to second and third stories, where they clung for hours through the chilly night. Houses in .he western part of the town did not at once feel the effect of the flood and resi- dents made hurried steps for safety, most of them going to the leveo on the south side of the town. A large num- Der also reached the little hills which are q mile from the town and from there saw their property crum,,le in the muddy waters. When dayligh- came this morning the streets were full Of water to depth of ten or twelve feet. Only the most substantial buildings in the central business district remain standing. Water is everywhere.
 Ridgeway, which is twelve miles from Shawneetown, was made the basis of relief work. All rail con- munication being cut off for four miles out. boats were constructed this morn ing and at once started to the scene. The reached a point within two miles of the flooded town. More boats were secured and the reScuers crossed to Shawneetown. They found a sad con- dition existing in the ill-fated town. Hundreds of those who escaped the rush of wate were perched on roofs, trees and along the top of the levee They were taken from their dangerous positions as rapidly as possible. Owing to the scarcity of boats. the work was very slow, but over 200 persons, in- cluding many women and children. were taken to the roadway, two miles Cypress Junction. Here the greater part of them are camped tonight, with very little to eat and exposed to the driving rain and piercing wind Cypress Junction is almost surrounded by water, which has overflowed 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 to- night slowly receding. It will be i'm possible to recover any bodies until the waters recede very materially In fact, the reScuers are making very little effort in that direction, but are eScAOR0 alive. The Riverside Hotel and court house and the Ridgeway Bank are in- tact and found to have been used by the fleeing inhabitants for shelter. The upper stories were crowded
 Last night the Catholic Academy, the schoolhouse, City Hall and the River side Hotel. all situated on high ground above the water were crowded with homeless people. Hundreds are tonight sleeping on the water banks under such rude shelter as they can construct from the floating debris Absolutely nothing has been saved in the city. The stores and other business houses are streets are under water from ten to thirty feet.
 Provisions are constantly arriving from all the neighboring towns A re- lief train arrived here tonight, but owing to the high winds and rough ness of the water at the ferry crossing all attempts to transfer the provisions across have been abandoned. They have been taken to the waters edge, and at the break of day will be ferried across.
 The heavy rain still continues, and at o'clock high cold wind sprang LID adding to the misery of the sufferers in the stricken town. At Il o'clock to- night telephone message was received from Shawneetown saying that the south levee was cracking and threaten ing to go at any moment. It is about sure that it will break before morning. This will not add to the depth of the water in the town, but will create a current through the streets that will prove dangerous to reScuerS in skiffs