Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-04-07
WATERS WILD RUSH.
A Bursting Levee mandates City of
Snawneetown, Ill.
Torrent Comes Upon the People Unn-
wares-LOss of Life Estimated mt
from 200 to 5OO-SOme Dis
tressinE Scenes.

hundred and nifty persons were
drowned Sunday by the inundation Of
Shawneetow six miles from this place.
The north levee broke at 4:20 o'clock
Sunday afternoon and the Ohio river
flowed 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
rut off. Trains cannot reach there and
telephone and telegraph wires are
down.
The levee was built by the govern
ment and was regarded as impregnable,
hence the people had taken no precau-
tions against possible flood.
1t is reported that the flood now ex-
tends four miles inland, and people are
fleeing for their lives from all the low
land hamlets.
tShawneetown, ILL.,, has a population Of
about zoos 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 Is 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, large, four
story building built by Henry Docher
When the river Is at its normal stage It is
1000 feet wide at this point and the citi-
zens have hong feared a catastrophe such
as occurred Sunday night. as a tremendous
pressure is brought to bear on the levee
during freshets. Several years ago dur
VnC Ann tlSa a
and the streets were under two feet of
water. The levee was strengthened and
Quilt up afterward, and the town has since
considerea there was no dangerl
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 TIVE children by the flood.
AvnIanches of Water.
Evansville, Ind, April 4.-Shawnee-
town is 6s miles below Evansville on
the Ohio river. 1t is situated in a val
ley, high hills skirting in the rear and
20-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. A telegraph
operator travelled three miles in skiff
to high land and sent word here for aid.
He said the water was 20 feet deep all
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 sISiffs 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 skiffs 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
municatisn appears to be impossible.
Caught Unnwnres.
The disaster came when the great ma
jority of the people were in their homes
eating supper. The break in tine levee
occurred mile above the town and
was within ten minutes more than half
a mile wide. A stream of water IL to
20 feet deep. carrying half of the cur
rent of the fiood-raised Ohio, descended
on the unsuspecting people. 1t came
down in a great rush, like tidal wave.
There was no slow rising of the waters
10 give warning. The houses on the
outskirts were lifted up and rolled over
and over.
Houses Torn to SpIinters.
Most of them were torn into splinters.
Their inhabitants were drowned in
them. Nearer the center of the town
some brick structures stopped the on
rush of the water for few minutes, but
about two-thirds of the dwellings were
lifted from their foundations and
foated careening out into the black
current of the river. Lights were in
stantly extinguished and the towns
people climbed on the slippery roofs or
sought to keep alive on floating objects.
After a 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 already
in danger of being thrown off by col
lisions with other floating houses, but
the appearance of this floating fire.
brand added horror. AS it struck one
house after another in its zigzag course
some caught fire and their unfortunate
people were compelled to intrust them
selves to the mercy of the swirling