Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-04-11
OVER 100 DROWNED.
Ar Illinois Town Completely Swept
Away.

Carmi, ILL.,, April 3.-Shawneetown,
place of 1900 inhabitants near here,
was wiped out of existence by levee
| burst just about dusk this evening.
The break in the leyee was very
| large and within an hour scarcely a
Vestige of the town was left.
1t is believed that 250 of the people
were caught in the sudden flood and
drowned. Hundreds of others were
swept into the Ohio, clinging to the
roofs of houses or floating on pieces
Of board.
Few of them were rescued and il is
| believed that one-third of the town S
population will be lost.
The disaster came when the great
majority of the people were in their
homes eating supper
The break in the levee occurred a
mile above the town and was Within
ten minutes more than half a mile
wide.
A stream of water twelve to twenty
feet deep, carrying half of the current
of the flood-raised Ohio, descended or
the unsuspecting people.
1t came down in a great rush, like
tidal wave. There was no show
rising 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 splin-
ters Their inhabitants were drowned
in them.
Nearer the center of the town some
brick structure stopped the onrush of
the water for a 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 instantly extinguished
and the townspeople climbed on the
slippery roofs or sought to keep alive
on floating objects.
After few minutes the terror of
the situation was added to- by, the
catching fire of a large house that
had started downstream with the
others.
The people on the roofs were al
ready in danger of being thrown off
by collisions with other floating
houses, but the appearance of this
floating firebrand added terror. AS
it struck one house after another in
it's zigzag course some caught fire
and their unfortunate people were
compelled to intrust themselves to
the mercy of the swirling water on
tiny floats of wood to avoid more
terrible death by fire.
The break in the levee flooded four
miles of the valley land and cut off
communication on two railroads, the
and the Louisville and Nashville.
It is rumored that over 100 lives
were lost.
Shawneetown ILL.,, April Given
ty-three known to be dead, possibly
the list may reach 80; people in need
of the necessaries of life; several hun
dred people homeless, damage to the
amount of $500, 000-these are the net
results of the flood which swept
through Shawneetown Sunday after
noon. There is no danger of further
damage to the town unless more
storms set in. The entire town is
buried under 10 to Is feet of water,
except houses on the embankment
Immediately fronting the Ohio river.
Water has begin to fall ard has
already receded eight feet from
the highest point reached. There
is no probability that any bodies will
be found until the water subsidies.
The flood was so quick that not ner-
chant, butcher, baker or drygoodsman
was able to save any portion of his
stock. In consequence Shawneetown
is without a loaf of bread, a pound of
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