The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-06

and almost impossible. In the TOWNSHIP i'm
nediateiy north Of Shawneetown there was
not sufficient dry ground to-day fer a single
polling place, and there was, therefore no
election, and the other officers will mold
over for another term.
Many instances of heroism were uer-
formed by the townspeople in rescuing
their fellow-citizens. Prominent among the
leaders in this work was Lloyd Rowan an
old man. who with skiff saved thirty-four
people by his own individual exerticns.
FRANK Robinson. Marshal Callicott and
William Vaughn also did heroic work with
sklrs. Callicott is the son of Wash CALI
colt, and was within thirty feet of his
father and mother when they were drowned
lie made desperate efforts 10 reach them.
but they were borne down by the flood and
did not rise. again. The only way in which
those using skiffs could save people was bv
dropping down the current to points lower
in the town. The flow of water was sd
rapid that II was Impossible to make head
way against it, and very little rescue work
could be done In the neighborhood of the
qlke. Except in the three squares near the
dixie, all persons in the town escaped a. the
waters spread with less and less rapidity,
1t was an hour and half after the dixie
nrst broke that the town was completely
submerged. The family OF Charles CLAYTON
was entirely wiped out with the exception
OF Neil Clayton, Il grandson of eight wears
Oh age lie IN some manner managed to
reach the roof OF the house and was taken
off by Lloyd Rowan The family of Gallo
way, sheriff of Gallatin county was lost
one nephew being the only member to es-
cape. There was report that a young
woman visiting the family of Sheriff Cal
loway was also lost, but this report could
not be substantiated. Some said Tho Young
woman was with the family and Others de-
MED it. The sheriff is distracted, and it is
feared he will lose his mind as result.
Mrs. Reinholt, three of whose children
were drowned, was carried through the
town on a board, Which she managed Ia
grasp. When the reseuers reached her they
were unable to lift her into their skiff
she being a very large woman, and, throw
ing her a rope, they towed her half a mile
to place of safety.
"a ND v-ifo
their escape cut off through the door rushed
to the roof. By the time they reached it
their house was floating southwark In q
few minutes it parted. Mr.. Kookendoffer
being on one half, dlis wife ON the other
For the second time the roof parted under
Mr.. Kookendoffer and he sailed away on
what was left to him. Ill fortune still pur-
sued him and his portion of the roof was
mashed against tree He managed to
down, and for a few moments foated on
that. That broke under him just as hen
coop came along and he abandoned his roof
and got on the heRcoop. This proved his
salvation, and he was finally able to reach
the levee, where he climbed to safety. Mrs
Kookendoffer remained on her half of the
house and reached the levee without any of
the msfortunes that met her husband.
Charles Bowles, q young. man. saved his
Mrs. Parks, and a neighbor, Miss Pillow
He carried his mother and the other women
one by one through the .second-story win
dow, put them upon planks and in each in
stance managed TO reach the dry ground
without trouble.
Paul Phalen, whose wife and daughter
We're both drowned. had a narrow escape
from death. The two women reached the
roof, Mr.. Phalen being close behind them
The roof broke as he was about to emerge
pinning him in the scuttle hole. Being
slight man and a cripple, he was unable to
eXtricate himself. and to this fact he owes
his life. His wife and daughter were
washed from the roof and drowned Mr.
Phalen was carried about quarter of
mile before he was picked up. He is now
in a critical condition; and, it is feared will
not recover. rr
The break in the dixie swelled to-day to
a break of $50 yards 1t is said by those
who witnessed it's first giving away that
the disaster was caused by quicksands on
which its foundations rested. The first sign
of the disaster was a sudden whirlpool
about fifteen feet north of the dam, as
river. The water rushed into this hole and
proved too much for the quicksand under
the dam, and it sank downward. All wit
1.esses agree that the dam sank toward the
bottom of the river and was not carried in
ward by the rush of the water. The first
break was about seven feet wide. and grad
ually increased during Sunday, Monday and
Monday night, until this morning.
The total amount of damage done is estl-
mated by Tax Assessor Junius at 5000, 900.
Charles Carroll, chairman of the relief COM
mittee said to-day that the things most
needed were blankets, meat, bread, meal
and bacon There was enough food in the
town to-day and known to be on the road
to feed the hungry unit. Wednesday noon.
1t is expected byftiIat thine that all actual
suffering will have been relieved. Con-
tributiOns will be necessary for two weeks
until the people are able to enter their
stores and resume business.