The record-union., 1898-04-05

IL q SAW the wave ttl1f44At3. anu hItsA
riedly climbed a tree. The father and
mother had time to rush up stairs,
when the house was swept from it's
foundation. They climbed on the
roof as the house foated eff. and heard
their little son in the tree say: Good
~. papa and mama"
The agonized parents were pOwerless
to go TO his assistance. and in a few
moments the house had been carried
beyond the reach of the boys voice.
They fic2ted from the north levee to
the south levce a distance of a mile.
ard We're taken off in safety. The
little son was subsequently rescued in
the tree top by beat and the family
reunited. Mr.. Rookendoner said as he
floated down the current on the house
top he saw people drowning on all
sides.
The colored quarter of the city,
known as Negro Flats" was COM
pletely inundated by the rush of
waters. Il is believed q large num-
Der of colored people persisted. as the
ground was flooded in a twinkling and
tonight the water stands twenty-five
feet deep in that locality
WATER CAME WITH A RUSH.
]. T. Hogan of Omaha, H., left the
scene of the flood half an hour be-
fore the dyke broke: His brother-in-
law, Sheriff Galloway of Gallatin
County. whose home was in Shawnee
town, had the same good fortune. The
Sheriff's wife and two daughters were
swept away and their bodies have not
yet been recovered.
Hcgan's story Of the flood shows tn at
the townspeople had absolutely no
warning of the danger. About =
O'Clock last evening. he said, the levee
on the north side of town gave way
AT the north end of Market street. near
the Courthouse. An opening ten feet
wide was at first made, but it quickly
spread to twenty, and a wall Of water
ten or fifteen feet high poured through
the main street, sweeping everything
before it, About fifty small frame
houses along the line of the levee to the
south were crushed like toys. and none
OF the occupants, most of whom were
poor colored folks, escaped. Those liv-
ing in the more substantial houses
managed to climb to second and third
stories. where they chung for hours
through the chilly night Houses in
the western part of the town did not at
orce feel the effect of the flood. and the
residents made hurried steps for safety.
most Of them going to the levee on the
south side of the town A large num-
Der also reached the little hills which
are 2. mile from the town, and from
there saw their property crumble in
| the muddy waters. When daylight came
this morning the streets were full Of
water to a depth of ten or twelve feet
Only the most substantial buildings in
the central business district remained
standing
THE WORK OF RESCUE.
Ridgeway, which is twelve miles
from Shawneetown, was made the basis
of relief work. All rail communication
| being cut off for four miles out, boats
were constructed this morning, and at
once started to the scene They reached
a point within two miles of the flooded
town. More boats were secured. and
the rescuers crossed to Shawneetown
They found a sad condition existing in
the Inflated town. Hundreds Of those
who escaped the rush of water were
perched on roofs, trees and along the
top Of the levee. They were taken
from their dangerous positions as rap
idly as possible. Owing to the scarcity
of boats, the work was very slow, but
over 200 persons, including many
women and shildren, were taken to the
roadway, two miles from ShaWneetown.
and thence to Cypress Junction Here
the greater part of them are camped
tonight, with very little to eat. and
exposed TO the driving rain and pierre
ing wind
Cypress Junction is almost surround
ed by water which has overlooked the
banks of the Wabash and is covering
the entire country. The overflow from
the broken dyke at ShawneetoWn has
backed two miles inland, but is to-
night slowly receding. 1t will be I'M
possible to recover any bodies until the
waters recede very materially In fact,
the rescuerS are making very little eff
fort in that direction. but are working
to save those who escaped alive. The
Riverside hotel and Courthouse and the
Ridgeway Bank are intact, and we're
found to have been used by the fleeing
inhabitants for shelter.
HUNDREDS OF HOMELESS PEOPLE
Last night the Catholic Academy, the
sChoolhouse, city hall and the Riverside
Hotel, all situated on high ground abo"e
/ the water. We're crowded with homel SIS
people. Hundreds are tonight sleeping
on the water banks under such rude
shelter as they can construct from the
! floating debris. Absolutely nothing has
been saved in the city. The stores and
other business houses are flooded to the
second floors. all the streets are under
water from ten to thirty feet
Provisions are constantly arriving
from all the neighboring towns. X re-
lief train arrived here tonight, but ow-
ing to the high winds and roughpess OF
the water at the ferry crossing all at
tempts to transfer the provisions across
have been abandoned. They have been
taken to the waters edge and 1T the
break Of day will be ferried across
Governor Tanner this afternoon
started from Springfield with JOG tents,
blankets enough for 800 people aud a
sufficient amount of prepared 70 ii for
the immediate relief Of Loo people He
wiIed Attorney w. S. Phillips. President
of the Gallatin County Bank here, 10
/ draw on him for So 600 as an immediate
relief fund. As fast as relief supplies
are received they are taken by special
train 70 the waters edge. ferrie.} across
! in skiffs to Cypress Junction, and from
there taken by wagon to within two
miles Of Shawneetown All carpenters
/ in Ridgeway fell to making fiat boats
Il -