Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-05
SCENES DURING THE DISASTER
Ma Search for Bodies Has Been Instituted
as Yet.
EFFORTS co TO RELIEVE THE LIVING
ros. n, Life indefinite. but Very iiea''
Hcartrendinr Scenes During the sweep
Of the Angry Waters

p,sreway. ILL.,, April 4.-Tonisht AZ
most two score bodies of victims Va y"
sbawneetown food have been reeoNeisU
and hundreds of homeless people a
dependent upon charity for food anu
shelter The death list is likely 10 DC
largely Increased when definite inior-
nation from the negro quarter winch
suffered most. Is secured. Tne "oVN
hurst on these people without wainihs'
and owing to the weak construction VI
their shantles, they toppled over in inc
rush OF water. leaving their inmates
no means of getting out of danger
Hundreds Of people who lived farmer
from the river front sought safety on
roofs and in upper stories or made re-
treat to the hills TO the west. Ihese
are being removed as rapidly as pos
sible TO places where they can be given
proper care.
No effort has yet been made to searen
for bodles. the attention of the RELIEF
parties beeing directed almost entirely
10 the distribution OF supplies and ma
king the homeless as comfortable 40
possible.
The relief work Is well organized.
Tents and blankets sent by the gov
ernor today will be promptly dis
tributed. Those who escaped lost
everything and their homes are in
ruins. Late tonight, 1t is esu-
mated that the loss of life In the
negro quarter may reach fifty. besides
those accounted for.
Ed Flake, whose wife was drowned,
came to Cypress Junction today and
said that there were fifteen people In
his house when the flood struck the
building Only himself and one other
succeeded In escaping before the build
ing toppled over. Mr.. Flake was hys-
terical from grief and could not give
the names OF the thirteen who were
lost.
Marsh Callicot, the son OF Wash CAL
licot and wife, who persisted, made an
heroic effort to save his parents. lie
secured rowboat and got within forty
feet OF where his mother and father
were imprisoned. The swift current
The parents stood in the yard In water
to their waists awaiting the arrival OF
the boat. Suddenly a 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 n tree. The father and
mother had time to rush upstairs when
the house was swept from Its founda-
lions. They climbed on the roof as the
house ioated off and heard their little
son In the tree say: Good bye, papa
and mamma"
The agonlzed parents We're powerless
TO go to his assistance and in a few
moments the house had been carried
beyond the reach of the boys voice
The floated from the north levee to
the south levee. Il distance OF mile,
and were taken OF In safety. The lit
tie son was subsequently rescued in
the treetop by boat and the family
reunited Mr.. Rockendoffer said that
as he hoated down the cuEent on the
housetop he saw people drowning on
all sides.
The colored quarter OF the city.
known as NEGRO flats" was completely
inundated by the rush OF water. II is
beloved that n large number OF colored
people persisted as the ground was
flooded in twinkllng and tonight the
water stands twenty-five feet deep In
that locality.
]. T. Hogan Of Omaha, Ill.,, left the
scene of the Hood half an hour before
the dyke broke. His brother-in-law
Sheriff Galloway OF Gallatin county
whose home was In Shawneetown. had
the Same good fortune. The sherlff's
wife and two daughters wer swepa
away and their bodies have not yet
been recovered Hog0n's story Of the
Mood shows that the townspeople had
absolutely no warning Of the danger
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 court house
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
fiftv small frame houses along the limo
of the levoe to the south We're crushed
like toys. and none OF the occupants
most Of whom Were poor colored folks
escaped Those living In the more sui.
stantial houses managed TO climb 10
SfAbNAl anu Aillii TANNlltNt NHtfk fnpN
clung for hours through the chilly
niFht.
Houses in the western uart Of the
town did not at once feel the effect of
the flood and residents made hurried
Tteps for safety, most OF them fleeing
IN the top Of the levee on the south
side u the town. a large number also
reached the little hills which nre n milo
from the town, and from there saw,
their property orumhle In tho muddy
waters. when dnyliSh. came This
morning. the streets were full OF wa
ter to n. depth NJ ten or twelve feet
Only the most substantial buildings In
the central business districts remain
standing. Water Is everywhere"
RidFeway, which Is twelve miles
from Shawneetown. was made the basis
Of relief work. An rail communication
being cut of for four miles out. boats
We're constructed this morning and a
committee started to the scene. They
reached a point within two miles NJ
the flooded town. More boats wore co. ol
ctrcd and the rescuers crossed Ia
Sha wneptown.
They found sad condition eyisflne
IN the Inflated town. Hundreds N
those who escaped the rush NJ wafer
were pcrchpd on roofs trees and nlong
the ton Of the levee, They were tnser
from their dangerous positions as ror-
IDLY ms possible. Owing To the scoroltv
OF boats the work was very slov- h.,
over 200 persons. Including man,
women and children. We're taken 10 tba
roadway, two miles from Sha,rpaa
town. sud thence to Cypress Ipnctio,
Here the greater mart of thor. a..
camped tonight with very little 10 eat