The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-05

tidal wave. There was no slow rise OF
the waters to give warning. The houses
on the outskirts were lifted up and rolled
over and over Most of them were torn
into spilnters
! Their Inhabitants were drowned in them.
Nearer the center of the town some
brick structures stopped the onrush OF
the water for few minutes, but about
two-thirds of the dwellings were lifted
from their foundati tons and foated into
the current of the river.
After a few minutes the horror of the
situation was added to by the catching
fire of log hut that had started down
stream with the others.
The people on the roofs were already in
danger Of being thrown off by collisions
with other floating houses, but the APP
pearanee of this floating FIRE brand added
horror
As 1t struck one house after another in
Its zigzag course some caught fire and
the unfortunate people on them were COM
PEELED to entrust themselves to the mercy
OF the swirling water on pieces of wood
TO avoid more terrible death by fire.
The break in the levee flooded for miles
the valley land and cut off communica-
tlon on two railroads, the Baltimore ae1
ONO Southwestern. and the Louisville
and Nashville.
The first rush of the current did not
DO all the damage. When the water had
siaekened somewhat many houses were
stu standing, but it was quickly seen
that the frame ones would not last in the
steady crush of the food
by means of RATS and swimming In
colo water, seventy or eighty people were
transferred from their garnet windows
ana roofs to the fiat tops of the Gallatin
county Bank, a brick and stone building,
ana the court house. which is of brick
IL was hoped that these would Withstand
the pressure and the undermining, but
When the single courier, who rode for help
TO cypress junction, left Shawneetown,
only those two buildings showed above the
broad sheet of the food in the lower part
Oh town, and its fun force was being
throWn against them. 1t was doubtful il
they would not collapse and throw the
refugees into the river.
Besides 500 or more, who were on the
rcof OF the two sound buildings, it Is
known that nearly 1000 of the inhabitants
managed in one way or another to make
their way to the high hills back of the
town or to the houses in the higher sec
ton of the village itself
A few of these survived the sudden burst
OF waters, but their first and sometimes
their second floors were under water.
Those who made their way to them went
only in their clothes they were wearing
when the flood came. None had secured
treasure or clothes. The property loss is
very heavy
The scene in the streets at the upper
end of the town. where men and women
were struggling against the muddy water
to, higher ground, some carrying babie,
on their heads, where the water was up
To- their neclxs or other half swimming,
half floating on odds and ends of lumber
from homes that had gone floating down
the river many struggling in vain and
sinking in the roaring waters, was one
that Will live in the memory of every be-
holder
At one place a mother had reached a
safe spot and turned to help her hus-
bands who followed with their child. AS
she reached down from window for his
hand ne was throwntfrom his footing and
he and the child were swept away in the
seething current.
The woman saw him sink the second
time and then threw herself into the
water. Another family padded half way
to safety on a. broad plank that but dali
held them out of the water. side cur
rent caught them and swept them out to-
ward the middle of the stream, where, in
the trough of the water, they were seen
ito cal size and sink. I'll
An old man named O'Grifin, living on
high ground stopped in the upper story OF
his trembling house to secure a hoard OF
money hidden under the bed His son. a
young man of q, had to climb up the
porch to rescue him, so quick was the rise
of the water. and when the two attempted
| TO swim TO safety, the young man sup
porting the other, a floating house that
came rolling and tilmbling on the current
overwhelmed them
A school teacher whose name is sup.
posed to be Josephson was warned of the
danger in time TO get TO the high ground
but, ia turning back to help her mother
was caught with the elder woman in an
eddy and both were drowned.
One woman made an effort to save her
| lover by throwing a clothes lines to him
| from the roof of her house. His house
was swept away at the moment and he
was thrown into the water. He swan &c
1.-the aid of the girl, but she was stand
lYingFof the side of a gabled roof and was
pulled from her Insecure footing. Both
| were drowned A4
These are some of the incidents of the
disaster told by John Graham, who reach
ed Cypress Junction, from which place
he telephoned here for help
He said that he pulled u persons out OF
| the water.
A man who ventured out in a skiff al
great peril TO his own life to call on Evans.
willie for help for Shawneetown, said thai
the dam had shown weakness for severa
days. However, the people We're lulled int
security by the fact that guard was put
on the levee TO give warning In case OF
danger. This man, who did not give his
name and who was so much excited thai
he could not be prevailed on to stay long
at the telephone said that when he came
he fioated through streets ringing with the
frightened cries of drowning women and
children, and with brave words of exhorta-
ton by their rescuers.
He said the whole neighboring country
was flooded for miles.
ENGLAND'S DEMANDS IN CHINA.