Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-04-08

Those in the streets were car.
ried before the avalanche Of water and
probably majority were drowned.
Citizens came from the place by skiffs
to a telephone several miles away and
asked for aid from Evansville They said |
that more than 200 people were drowned.
They had reason to believe the number |
would reach 500 to 1000. The water stands
from 20 to 30 feet deep all over the town.
There are. of course, no fires or lights
in the place and total darkness envelopes
the desolate city. Consequently it was
impossible for them to have anything like
definite information. The men immedi-
ately left the telephone and no further
communication has been had. No tele-
graph nor telephone wires are working
and outside communication appears i'm
possible
About IL o'clock two steamboats, and a
couple of tugs started for ShawneetOwn
under full head Of steam and it il ex-
pected some of them will arrive there
by 2 a. m. They carry large supplies Of
food and blankets, quickly collected by
the city officials.
List Of Victims II Growing.
Chicago, April 4.At 1910 this morning
the operator at the long-distance tele-
phone company's Office at Mount Vernon,
Ind, informed the Associated Press that
the estimate on the loss Of life at Shaw
neetown was at that hour 200. Mount
Vernon is but 80 miles from Shawnee
town, and the information on which the
estimate is based is believed to be relia-
bic. The operator stated that the com.
pany's wires to the stricken city failed
soon after 4 o'clock yesterday. At that
hour it was known the dam was giving
way, but it was not thought that it would
go to pieces quickly enough to cause loss
of life.
BY 8 o'clock it was known in Mount
drowned, the estimate then being 100. A
relief boat bearing food, blankets and sur.
geons was started down the river and was
expected to reach Shawneetown before
morning. Gradually the reports Of loss Of
| life increased. the estimates of stories
coming from various points near the scene
of the oflod, showing clearly that the dis
aster was far more disastrous than was
at first believed. People at Mount Vernon
and surrounding towns beseiged the tele-
graph offices, flantically asking for It'd
ings from friends and relatives in the
flooded town. No attempt at an accurate
list Of the lost was possible, however, and
the crowds stood all night before the bull
letin boards, on which were posted the
meagre reports being received.
water IL Ten Miles Inland.
Chicago, April "A special to the Rec
ord from Cypress Junction, ILL.,, says
Two hundred and fifty persons were
drowned today by the inundation OF
Shawneetown, six miles from this place.
The levee broke at 4 o'clock this after
noon and the Ohio river flowed over the
town many feet deep. Scores Of houses
are floating about tonight and many per
sons 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 can not reach there and telegraph
wires are down. The first report that
reached here was that the entire popula
ton had been drowned, but this is no,
confirmed. The levee was built by thu
government and was regarded as impreg
nable. hence, the pople had taken NJ
precautions against possible food.
II is reported that the water extend
for 10 miles inland and people are flee
ing for their lives in all the lowland ham
lets.
Had Three Thousand People.
st. Louis, April 3.-Shawneetown has
population of about 5000 inhabitants an
is situated on the west bank of the Obi
. river The streets are parallel with tn
} river, the principal business street bein
but two blocks distant from the rive1
The levee of the river is about Is fee
above the city and the levee bank is abou
20 feet thick. Situated on this bank an
level with the river is the Riverside hote
r a large four-story building, built by Her
: fly Docher. The hotel is generally occr
pied fully all the year round, being nc
5 only a transient hostelry, but familie
also reside there. 1t is feared the hot'
has been washed away.