The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-04-05
SHAVNDET0WNS FLOOD,
Further Details Of the Appalling
Illinois Disaster.
FIRST REPORTS EXAGGERATED.


Death L!st-Caring For stricken One
Ridgewny. Ills. April 5.-Almost tw
score of bodies of victims of the. Shaw
neetown flood have been recovered an
hundreds OF homeless people are de
pendent upon charity for food an
shelter. The death list is likely to b
largely increased when definite infor
nation from the negro quarter. whicl
suffered most, is secured. The fioot
burst upon these people without warn
ing, and owing to the weak construc
ton of their shanties they toppled owe
in the rush of water carrying the in
mates to death. The relief work fl
well organized. and the tents, blankets
and foods sent by the governor will b,
promptly distributed. Those who es
capped lost everything and their homes
are in ruins. 1t is now known tha
over hundred were drowned, and the
loss of life may be higher.
J. T. Hogan, of Omaha, Ills, left the
scene of the flood half an hour bsfore
the dixie broke. His brother-in-l law
Sheriff Galloway. of Gallatin county
whose home was at Shawneetown, had
the same good fortune. The sheriff
wife and two daughters were swept
away and their bodies have not yet
been recovered. Hogan's story of the
flood shows shat the townspeople had
absolutely no warning Of the disaster
About o'clock in the evening"" he
said. the levee on the north side OF
the town gave way at the north end
of Market street, near the court house.
An opening ten feet wide was at first
made. but it quickly spread to 20, and
q wall of water 10 or Is feet high
poured through the main street, sweep
ing everything before it. About 50
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 living in the more sub
stantial 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 once feel the effect Of
the flood and residents made hasty
steps for safety. most of them fleeing
to the top of the levee, on the south
side of the town. A large number also
reached the little hills, which are a
mile away, ard from there saw their
property crumble in the muddy waters
When daylight came the streets were
full of water to depth of IL feet. Only
the most substantial buildings in the
central business district remain stand
ing. The relief work is being carried
out under great difficulties"
Ridgeway, town IL miles from
Shawneetown, was made the basis of
relief work All rail communication
being cut off four miles out, boats were
constructed and committee started
to the scene. They reached Cypress
Junction, half way to Shawneetown,
and found dry land extending toward
the river. Following this. they arrived
within two miles of the flooded town.
More boats were obtained, and the
rescuers crossed to Shawneetown. Here
they found an appalling condition.
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
to the scarcity of boats the work was
very slow, but over 200 persons. in
Guiding many women and children,
were taken to the roadway two miles
from Shawneetown, thence to Cypress
Junction. Here the greater part of
them are camred, with very little to
eat and exposed to the driving rain
and piercing 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 dixie at Shawneetown has
backed up two miles inland, but is to-
day slowly recedlng. 1t will be impos-
sible to recover any bodies until the
waters recede. In fact the rescuers
are making very little effort in that
but are working to save
those who escaped. The Riverside hO-
tel and court house and the Ridgeway
bank are intact and are used by the
fleeing inhabitants for shelter. The
upper stories are crowded.
The lower portion of Carmi Ills, on
the Wabash river, is entirely flooded
The water reaches half way to the Sec
lnd stories of the houses.
Ed Flake. whose wife was drowned.
said there were Is people in his house
when the flood struck the building.
Only himself and one other succeeded
n escaping.
Mr.. Richard Barnett, who visited the
scene of the calamity, returned to
Mount Vernon on the relief tug Isa-
)ella. In an interview he said
1.-THE water is within three feet of |
he top of the levee. The levee is per-
laps Is feet wide on the top. and this
pace is crowded with men, women and |
hildren and live stock of all descrip-
ions. 1t was raining Sunday night |
md many people could not find shelter
4. ]. Harnett, editor of the Shawnee
Jews, is among the missing. The work
f reaching victims from trees and
ouse tops was carried on all night and
his morning. But few bodies had been
covered when we left there. The
oss to property will run into the hun
reds of thousands"
Mayor Larkin. of Mount Vernon, called
he Mount Vernon council together yes
arday and donation Of $500 was made
18th which to buy food.
The following is partial list of those
'ho are missing and probably dead:
olonel Callicutt, Wash Calicutt, Mrs.
allicutt, Mrs. Galloway and two
aughters, Mrs. Holly. Mrs. Greer, Mrs.
d Flake, Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Clay
IN and their four children. Annie
einholt, Clarence Reinholt, Mrs. Paul
halen and her three children,
ephew of the Phalens, Mrs McClain,
lorenzo Evans, r. S. Hooker. tele-
'aph operator: Miss Cora Sherwood,
rank A. Morrison, Mrs. A. A Hatha-
ay, Ellen and Mary McAlister (col-
'ed, Henry King and four children
olored, Noah Walsh and family,
RS. Zach Meier. Paul McAllister, Will
m Thompson, wife and three chill
en-; NJ. J. Harnett, Mr.. Holly, Charles
lttun and son.
|
What Watts appointment Did
The appointment OF Rev Robert Watt
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