The times., 1898-07-10
WRECKED BY A CLOUDBURsT
Steeleyille, No., Nearly Wiped
Out by a Sudden Food.
THIRTEEN LIVES ARE LOSE
A Wall of Water Rushed Down Upon
Death and Destruction I'm Its
Path--List of These Who Were
Drowned.

st. Louis, April 9.-All but obliterated
was Steeleville, the county seat of Craw-
ford county. Mo-. by watersoout at
3 o'clock yesterday evening.
As il was thirty-fipe buildings were
destroyed and the pecuniary loss will be
5000. .006, while it is known that thirteen
lives were lost.
child. st. Louis, daughter of Charles
Abrams. OF ST. Louis; Mrs. John Woods
and two children; Mrs. James Taft and
three children; Mrs. William Slough and
Luther Slough, of Steeleyille. and an un-
known negro of Midland.
1t Is believed however, that the list
of fatalities will be much higher, as there
are many, missing and the majority Of
the houses destroyed were residences.
There are no names at present obtain
able OF the missing. Steeleville mad a
population of nearly one thousand. and
was built in narrow valley the average
of which was but 300 yards.
Through the center of the valley runs
Yadkin Creek. II Is a small stream, be-
ing a tributary of the Merrimac River,
but at times 1t has threatened to swamp
the town, and for this reason houses
erected in recent years have been built
on the side of the hill back and In front
OF the town itself.
Main Street. the business thoroughfare
Of the village. occupies about all the
room IN the bottom of the valley not
covered by the stream
For several days a furious storm has
ragged in that section of the State. The
Merrimac River and its tributaries have
been filled 10 more than bankful and
the little creek that traversed the val
ley had been transformed into a raging
river that extended over its banks and
Hooded dozens of the business houses and
residence cellars
Yesterday the rain Increased in vigor
The water fell in torrents and the stream
rose rapidly until il was almost level with
the streets Of the town. Because of this
many people IN the village did not re.
tire at night, but sat up hearing the re-
ports that the watchers brought in of
the rise of the creek. For this reason the
loss of life was not as heavy as il other
wise would have been.
As the night wore on the storm con-
tnued 10 increase. The heavens were
lighted by dazzling flashes of lightning
while the thunder crashed In the glare
of the lighting those who had been dele
gated 10 watch the stream and give the
| alarm, II threatened saw shortly before
) clock what appeared to be huge
coiling cloud that reached down and lick
ed the stream above the town and where
II rounded the hill and came down the
little valley into the town
While they loooken and remarked about
the strange cloud there was a burst of
lightning that turned the Egyptian night
into monday. while 1t was instantly fol-
lowed by deafening crash of thunder
The watchers saw the strange cloud rent
asunder with a terrific roar. Then was
darkness, but only for an instnat Above
| the crash of the thunder they heard an
awful roar. and in the flashes of light
| saw huge wave OF water rushing down
the little creek and into the town.
The wall of water came on with the
speed of an express train. 1t swept ev-
erything before it; residences crnmbled
like eggshells and business houses were
raked into the maelstrom and crashed
10 pieces Several people were caught by
| the flood. but managed TO cling to a tree
! or part of the wreckage and thus saved
| their lives.
| The thirteen unfortuHates were caught
some of them rushing from their homes
| and the others in their homes. IL was
! ali over in few minutes.
| The storm ceased at daylight. and wher
it was light the people saw that stacked
| up against the court house, which stands
| in the center of the city, was the wreck.
age of the buildings, its top falling into
| the structure through the second-story
| windows.
| courier was sent to Cuba, miles
away, for help. and, with the arrival OF
! the party from that town. began the
search for the bodies. The thirteen bod
| les were located
The pecuniary loss to the town will
amount to about 5000. 000 Several of the
| business houses built of wood were OBJ
| liberated and their stocks destroyed, while
many of the other business concerns will
| suffer from water. The majority of the
| houses washed away. however, We're resi-
| dences.
! After sweeping through the town the
wall of water spread out at the mouth
of the valley over the Merrimac bottoms
J overfiowing hundreds of acres of fertile
| land and drowning hundreds of cattle
| horses, sheep and hogs and almost count
less poultry.
| The loss to the farmers cannot be in any
way accurately stated, but conservative
men place it at s50e00. The destroyed sec.
| tiOu of the town will no rehuilf