Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1898-04-07
WATERS WILD I. D RUSH.
A Bursting Levee mandates City of
Shawneetown, Ill.
torrent Comes Upon the People Una
wares-Loss of Life Estimated Mt
from 200 to 5O0-Some Dis
IS ~ tressinE Scenes.

hundred and fifty persons were
crowned Sunday by the inundation OF
-onawneetown, six miles from this place.
Ihe north levee broke at 1920 O'Clock
sunday afternoon and the Ohio river
howed over the town many feet deep
scores OF houses are floating about
and many persons are clinging to the
wreckage in the hope that rescuers will
soon appear with boats to take them to
places of safety.
All communication with the town is
cut off. Trains cannot reach there and
telephone and telegraph wires are
down
The levee was built by the govern
ment and was regarded as impregnable,
hence the people had taken no precau-
tlons against a possible flood.
1t is reported that the flood now ex-
tends four miles inland, and people are
heelng for their lives from all the low
land hamlets.
lShawneetown. ILL.,, has a population of
aeout 2Od0 inhabitants, and is situated on
tue west, bank of the Ohio river The
streets were parallel with the river, the
prlncipal business street being but two
level
OF the river is about Is feet above the city,
ana the levee bank is about 20 feet thick
situated on this bank and level with the
RIVER IS Inc Riverside hotel, a large four
story building built by Henry Docher,
Wnen the river is at its normal stage it is
l'ovo ieet Woe at this point, and the citi-
ZeAS nave long feared catastrophe such
as occurred Sunday night, as a tremendous
pressure Is brought to bear on the Ievee
uur4hs ireshets Several years ago dur
ing HOOD the water flowed over the levee
anu me streets were under two feet of
"&ter. Inc levee was strengthened and
punt up afterward, and the town has since
considered there was no dangerl
Latest Estimate.
Carml, Ill, April 4, 5 a. m.-Another
courier has just reached here from
Shawneetown. He estimates the loss
OF life at from 200 to 500. His name is
jackson Phillips, and he has lost wife
and two children by the flood.
Avalnnches of Water.
Evansville, Ind, April 4.-Shawnee-
town is 60 miles below Evansville on.
the Ohio river. 1t is situated in val
ley, high hills sllirting in the rear and
a 2O-foot levee in the front, the levee
running from hill to hill The river is
unusually high and went through the
levee mile above the town, 20 feet
wide, like an avalanche, catching the
people without warning, overturninp
houses in its path and creat ting general
destruction. All wires are down and
details are unobtainable A telegraph
operator travelled three miles in skiff
to high lanG and sent word here for aid.
He said the water was 20 feet deem all.
over town and that as far as known
zoo people were drowned; that the num-
Der might reach 500. No word has since
been received. Two steamers have
started from here to the scene with
food and supplies. ..-
Send Skiffs for Assistance.
Those at home sought refuge in Sec
ond stories and on housetops. Those in
the streets were carried before the
avalanche of water, and probably ma
jority was drowned. Citizens came
from the place by sliffs to telephone
several miles away and asked for aid
from Evansville. They said that more
than 200 people were drowned, and
they had reason to believe it would
reach 500, or even 1000. The water
stands over 20 feet all over town. There
are, of course, no fires or lights in the
place and total darkness envelopes the
desolate scene. Consequently it was
impossible for them to have anything
like definite information. The men
quickly left the telephone and no COM
municaticn has since been had with
the place. All telephone and telegraph
wires are now down and outside COM
10 unication appears to pc impossible.
Caught Unnwnres.
The disaster came when the great ma
jority of the people were in their homes
eating supper. The break in the levee
occurred mile above the town and
was within ten minutes more than half
a mile wide. A stream of water IL to
20 feet deep, carrying half of the cur
rent OF the flood-raised Ohio, descended
on the unsuspecting people It came
down in & great rush, like tidal wave.
There was no slow rising of the waters
to give warning. The houses on the
outskirts were lifted up and rolled over
and over.
Houses Torn to Splinters.
Most OF them were torn into spllnters.
Their inhabitants were drowned in
them. Nearer the center Of the town
some brick structures stopped the on
rush of the water for few minutes, but
about two-thirds of the dwellings were
lifted from their foundations and
floated careening out into the black
current of the yivfr. Lights were in
stantly extinguished and the towns
people climbed on the slippery roofs or
sought to keep alive on floating objects
After few minutes the horror of the