Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-05
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT
FOOD OR SHELTER.
SHAWNEET0WN INUNDATED.
Dyke Above the City Broken md
Homes Are Swept Away without
Warning-ReIief Work Proceeding.
Water Falling.

The death-list is likely to be largely
increased when definite information from
the negro quarter, which suffered most,
is secured. The flood burst upon those
people without warning. and owing to
the weak construction OF their shanties,
the latter toppled over in the rush OF
water, leaving their inmates no means
Of escaping.
Hundreds Of people who lived farther
from the river front sought safety on
roofs and in upper stories, or made a
retreat TO the hills at the west. These
are being removed as rapidly "a possible,
to places Of safety, where they can be
given proper care. No effort has as yet
| been made TO search for bodies, the atten-
ton of the relief parties being di
rected almost entirely to providing sup
| plies and making the homeless as com
| Portable as possible
The relief work is well organized, and
| tents, blankets, and foods sent by the
| Governor to-day will be promptly dis
| tributed.
Those who escaped lost everything and
| their homes are in ruins. j. T. Hogan,
| OF Omaha ILL.,. left the scene of the food
an hour before the dyke broke. His
brother-in-law, Sheriff Galloway, OF Gal
latin county, whose home was in Shaw
neetown, had the same good fortune
The Sheriffs wife and two daughters
were swept away. and their bodies have
not yet been recovered. Hogans story
Of the flood shows that the townspeople
had absolutely no warning of the disaster.
BREAK IN LEVEE.
about 5 o'clock last evening" he
said, the levee on the north side OF the
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 10 twenty, and
wall OF water ten or fifteen feet high
poured through the main street sweep
ing everything before it. About fifty
small frame houses along the line of the
levee to the southwark were crushed like
toys and none Of the occupants, most
of whom were poor colored folks, es-
capped. Thse living in the more substan
tial houses managcu to climb TO second
and third stories. where they chung for
hours through the chilly night. Houses
i'm the western part of the town did not
at once feel the effect of the flood. and
the residents made for safety, most OF
them fleeing to the top of the leyee on
the south side of the town. a large num-
Der also reached tho little hills which are
a mile from the town. and from there
saw their property crumble in the muddy
waters. When daylight came this morn
ing the streets were full Of water TO a
depth of 10 or Y feet Only the most
substantial buildings in the central
business district remained standing. |
Water is everywhere. and the relief wofk |
is being carried out under great difficult |
ties"
Ridgeway, a town twelve miles from |
ShaWneetoWn, was made the basis or re- |
lief, and all rail communication being |
cut off four miles out, boats were col |
lected and a committee started for the !
scene They reached Cypress Junction, |
half way to ShawneetOwn, and found dry |
land extending toward the river. Fol
lowing this they arrived within two miles /
of the flooded town. More boats were
started and the rescuers crossed to Shaw
neetovn.
SAD SITUATION.
They found a sad condition of things
in the Inflated town Hundreds Of those
who escaped the rush Of the water were
perched on roofs. trees, and along the top
Of the levee. They We're taken from their
DANGEROUS positions as rapidly as posi-
Die. iDWlNR 10 lilt StdiNlNS VI b'fl'Sf Ai4N
work was very slow. but over 200 persons,
including many women and children,
were taken by the roadway two miles
from Shawneetown TO Cypress Junction.
Here a greater part Of them are camped
tonight. with very little TO eat, and eX-
posed 10 the driving rain and piercing
wind.
Cypress Junction is almost surrounded
by water. which has overfowed the
banks of the Wabash, and is covering the
entire country. The overflow from the
broken dyke at Shawneetown has backed
up two miles inland, but is tonight slow
ly receding 1t will be impossible to re-
cover any bodies until the waters recede
very materially. In fact, the rescuers
are making very little effort in that di-
rection. but are wording 10 save those
who escaped alive. The Riverside Hotel
and courthouse, and the Ridgeway Bank
are intact. and were found 10 have been
used by the fleeing inhabitants for shell
ter. The upper stories were crowded.
Several hundred people were prone
nading on the top Of the levee Sunday
afternoon. The Sunday schools had just
closed. and the children trooped merrily
along the smooth walks, enjoying the
bright sunshine. This proved a blessing :
to them. A large crowd had just passed
Market street when the break occurred.
Luckily. no one was passing there just at
the moment. Mrs. Harriet Dumont, in
company with a friend. was walking :
along the levee at the time the break oc-
CURED. She says:
THE ALARM.
ut was about 4:45 in the afternoon, s
when we were suddenly startled by hear .
ng the bells of the different churches !
throughout the city changing People be- i
gan running i'm all directions and some
Jody shouted that the levee had broken 9
We ran three blocks TO my friends home
md went upstairs. Within ten minutes
he water came pouring down the street,
md within twenty minutes more il had
isen almost 10 the second floor Of the ;
louse. Ny friends husband soon came
o US with a skiff. and took Us 10 the
riverside Hotel. The first alarm was Z
.iven by Father Buchanan. who began
inging the bell of the Church OF the
Immaculate Conception.
WABASH VALLEY FLOODED.
Below Carmi, ILL.,. the whole Wabash Z
alley is flooded The water reaches
alf way to the second stories Of the
ouses. The water is level with the floor
( the iron road bridge. but the railroad 5
ridge is still two feet above. At one
oint on the Big Four. a mile north of
'armi. the track is but one foot above :
,ater for a quarter OF mile.
Governor Tanner this afternoon started
rom Springfield 100 tents blankets enough )
Or 800 people and sufficient
mount of prepared food for the imme-