The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-04-05
THE SHAWNEETOWN FLOOD.
Many Perish in the Waters ana nun
dreds Are Homeless and Hungry.

dredS Are homeless anu iiuhSi!'
Cvnress Junction. Ills, April A.
Latest reports at $50 tonight say III is
feared the entire leyee in front of Shaw
neetown will be destroyed by morning
and everv frame house in Shawneetown
VIII h dashed TO pieces The wind is
blowing thirty-fve miles per hour with
rain that cuts like glass. Fear is felt
for the rescue force now in Shawnee
town. as nothing can stand the waves
which are rolling ten feet high. The
reports come from temporary tele.
phone station on the hill just this side of
Shawneetown. If the gale keeps blow
ING the entire town is doomed
THE WORK OF RESCUE.
Ridgeway. Ills, April 4.-To-night al
most two score bodies of victims of the
Shawneetown flood have been recovered
and hundreds of homeless people are
dependent upon charity for food and
shelter. The death list is likely to be
largely increased when definite informa-
ton from the negro quarter, which suf
fered most. is secured. The flood burst
upon these people without warning, and
owing to the weak construction of their
of the water leaving their inmates no
means of escaping. Hundreds of people
who lived further from the river front
sought safety on roofs and in upper
stories, or beat retreat to the hills at
the west. These are being removed
as rapidly as possible to places where
they can be given propr care. No effort
has yet been made to search for bodies,
the attention of the relief parties being
directed almost entirely to providing
supplies and making the homeless as com
Portable as possible The relief work is
we'll organized and the tents, blankets
and foods sent by the government to-day
will be promptly distributed. Those
who escaped lost everything and their
homes are in ruins.
7. G.. Hogan, of Omaha, Ills, left the
scene of the food an hour before the
dixie broke. His brother-in-law, 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 re-
covered. Hogan's story of the flood
shows that the towns people had abso-
lutely no warning of the disaster.
''About ) o'clock last evening" he
said. "thc levee on the north side of
the town gave way 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, sweep
ing verything before it. About fifty
small frame houses along the line of the
levee were crushed like toys and none
of the occupants. most of whom We're
poor colored folks. escaped. Those lv-
ing in the more substantial houses man.
aged to climb to second and third stories,
where they chung for hours through the
chilly night. Houses in the western
part of the town did not at once feel the
effect of the food. and residents made
for safety most of tEem fleeing to the
top of the levee on the south side OF the
town. A large number also reached the
little hills which are a mile from town.
and from there saw their property
crumbled in the muddy waters When
daylight came this morning the streets
were full of water to a depth of ten or
twelve feet Only the most substantial
in the central business district
and the relief work is being carried out
under great difficulties"
Ridgeway. a town twelve miles from
Shawneetown, was made the basis OF
relief work. All railroad communica-
ton being cut off four miles out, boats
were constructed. and a committee
started to the scene. They reached Cy
press Junction, half way to Shawnee
town, and found dry land extending to-
ward the river. Following this. they
arrived within two miles of the flooded
town. More boats were started, 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 perciled
ON roofs, trees, and along the top of
the levee. They were taken from their
positions as rapidly as posi-
BILE. 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 Shawneet0wn, to ny
rress< Junction. Here the greater par.
of them are camped tonight, with very
little to eat and exposed to the driving
rain and piercing winds