The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-04-09
WATERS WILD RUSH.
A Bursting Levee mandates City of
Shawneetown, Ill.
Torrent Comes Upon the People Una
wares-LOss of Life Estimated mt
from 200 to 5OO-somo Dis
trcssing Scenes.

hundred and fifty persons were
drowned Sunday by the inundation Of
Shawneetown, six miles from this place.
The north levee broke at AGO o'clock
Sunday afternoon and the Ohio river
lowed 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
mcnt and was regarded as impregnable,
hence the people had taken no precau-
tions against possible flood.
1t is reported that the food now eX-
tends four miles inland, and people are
fleeing for their lives from all the low
land hamlets.
tShawneetown, ILL., has population Of
about 1000 inhabitants. and is situated on
the west bank of the Ohio river. The
streets were parallel with the river, the
principal business street being but two
blocks distant from the water. The level
of the river Is about 10 feet above the city
and the levee bank is about 20 feet thick
Situated on this bank and level with the
river Is the Riverside hotel, a large four
i. story building built by Henry Docher
when the river Is at its normal stage II is
N,0W feet wide at this point, and the citi-
zens have long feared a catastrophe such
as occurred Sunday night, as tremendous
pressure Is brought to bear on the levee
during freshets. Several years ago dur
ing flood the water flowed over the levee
and the streets were under two feet of
water The levee was strengthened and
built up afterward, and the town has since
considered there was no danger.l
Latest Estimate.
Carmi, ILL.,, April 4, 3 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.
Avnlnnches of Water.
Evansville, Ind, April 4.-Shawnee-
town is GO miles below Evansville on
the Ohio river. 1t is Situated in a val
ley, high hills sk:rting 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, overturning
houses in its path and creating general
destruction. All wires are down and
details are unobtainable. 4 telegraph
operator travelled three miles in skiff
to high LAND and sent word here for aid.
IA hn &c, g., L
over town and that as far as known
200 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 SkiTs 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 skiiIs 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
munication has since been had with
the place. All telephone and telegraph
wires are now down and outside com
munication appears to be impossible.
Caught Unawnrcs.
The disaster came when the great Dla
jority of the people were in their homes
eating supper. 7 he break in the levet
occurred mile above the town ant
was within ten minutes more than hal
mile wide. A stream of water IL &c
90 feet deep, carrying half of the cur
rent of the foodraised Ohio, descended
or the unsuspectirg people. 1t 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 ovel
and over.
Houses Torn to Splinters.
Most of them were torn into splinters
Their inhabitants were drowned IN
them. Nearer the center of the towr
some brick structures stopped the on
rush of the water for n few minutes, but
about two-thirds of the dwellings were
lifted from their foundations ano
foated careening out into the black
current of the river. Lights were in
stantly extinguished and the towns
people climbed on the slippery roofs OF
sought to keep alive on floating objects
After few minutes the horror of the
situation was added to by the catching
fire of large house that had started
down stream with the others.
Added to the Horror.
The people on the roofs were alread,
in danger of being thrown off by col
lisions with other floating houses, bu'
the appearance of this floating fire
brand added horror. AS 1t struck on'
house after another in its zigzag course
some caught fire and their unfortunate
people were compelled to intrust them
.aIyas fn tho ,narcv of the SwlrIlnl