The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-05
TVOSCORE
DROWNED.
Town Of ShaWneetOVl
Still Threatened.
BREAKING OF LEVEE
Carries Death and Destruction
in It's Path.
FURTHER DANGER IMMINENT
A Thirty-Five Mile Gale
Threatening.
MORE DEAD WILL BE FOUND.
The Water Twenty-Five Feet Deep In
the Negro Quarter-The Lcvces
Broke Without Warning and
Caught People i'm Their
Homes-First Alarm
Given by Brave
Priest p mpt
Measures for
Relief by
Tanner.
MORE DEAD WILL BE FOUND.

CYPRESS JUNCTION. ILL, April A.
Latest reports at $3.50 o'clock tonight say
1t Is feared the entire levee in 'front.' 81
Shawnectown will be destroyed by morn
Ing, and every frame house in Shawnee
town will be dashed to pieces.
The wind is blowing thirty-hvs miles
per hour. with rain that cuts like glass.
Fear is felt for the rescue force now
in Shawneetown, as nothing can stand
the waves. which are rolling ten feet
high.
The reports come from temporary
telephone station on the hill jus. thfn
side of Shawneetown.
If the gale keeps blowing the entirs
town Is doomed.
TWO SCORE DEAD.
RIDGEWAY. ILL, AprIi 4.-To-night
almost two score bodies OF victims OF the
Shawneetown food have been recovered
and hundreds of homeless people are de-
pendent upon charity for food and chel<
ter.
The death list Is likely to be largely in-
creased when definite information from
the negro quarter, which suffered mosts
Is secured.
Ine uOOQ DQFSt upon lNtSc pcOllc VIM
out warning and owing to the weak cone
struction OF their shanties they toppied
over in the rush of water, leaving their
inmates no means OF escaping. Hum
dreds OF people VINO lived further from
the river front sought safety on roofs
and In upper stories, or made retre4t
to the hills at the west. These are being
removed as rapidly as possible 10 places
OF safety where they can be given proper
. Ha1 A. val
search for bodies, the attention OF tno
relief parties being directed almost entire
ly to providing supplies and making the
homeless as comfortable as possible.
The relief work is we'll organized ana
the tents. blankets and foods sent by the
Governor to-day will be promptly distrib-
uted. Those who escaped lost everything
and their homes are la ruins. j. L. no
gan. OF Omaha, Ills. left the scene or ,ns
food an hour before the dyke broke. his
brother-in-law, Sheriff Galloway, or Cal
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.
STORY OF THE FLOOD.
Hogan's story OF thu flood shows mas
the towns people had absolutely no
warning OF the disaster:
About s 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 II
quickly spread to twenty and n we'll Of
water ten or fifteen feet high poured
through the main street; sweeping every
thing before It, About fifty small trans
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 living I'm the more substantial
houses managed 10 climb TO second and
third stories where they clung. for hours
through the chilly night. Houses In the
western part OF the town did not at oncs
feel the effect OF the 'ntxd and residents
made for safety. most OF them neeiIng
to the top OF the levee on the south side
OF the town. A large number also roach-
ed the little hills, which are a mlls from
the town and from there saw their prop
erty crumble In the muddy waters"
When daylight came this morning. the
streets were full OF water TO a depth oE
ten or twelve feet. Only the most suo-
stantial buildings In the central business
district remained standing. Water u
everywhere and the relief work Is being
carried out under great dificulties.
RELIEF MEASU Rtss.
Rldgeway. b town twelve miles from
shawneetown, was made the basis Of re-
lief. all rail communication being cut az
four miles out. boats were connected and
a committee started 20 the scene. They
reached Cypress Junction. half way -
Shawnee town. and found dry land ex-
tending toward the river. following this
they arrived within two miles OF the
flooded town. More boats were started
and rescuers crossed 10 shawneetown-
They found a sad condition existing IN
the Inflated town. Hundreds OF thoso
who escaped the rush OF the water were
perched on roofs. trees. and elonx the
top of the levee. They were taken from
their dangerous positions as rapidly ~
possible Owing 20 the scarcity OF hoa1n
the work was very slow. but over ~
persons. including many women ana ehI)>
dren we're taken by the roadway tve
nilcs from Shawnsetown TO cybf41n
fcentiausd on Sa1nDd Pagol a.