Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-11
NEARLY DROWN ED.
Continued from page u

OF HE.
There is grave fear that many bodies
/ will be found in the flooded cottages
y and in this section of the city. 1t has
I been practically impossible to learn
of authenticated deaths, but from tho
most reliable sources it is believed that
. II persons We're drowned, last night
| four of whom persisted on the north
! side carly in the evening.
1t was currently reported, today. that
seven negroes, caught in the act OF
! looting houses, last night, were shot to
| death.
| The deaths of John Koolish, Polish
carpenter. and his three children, two
! boys. aged and !, respectively, and a
girl of II years, We're caused by trying
to save three kegs of beer. The bodies
were recovered, today.
As fast as scoWs could be secured,
| they We're launched and volunteers
| started on rescue missions. Rescucrs
| began work as soon as it was light
! enough to see and continued their work
for into the night. Word was sent out
for more boats and the government re-
| sponded through United States District
| Attorney Dyer in St. Louis, who issued
boats seen in and around ST. Louis ana
rush them to East st. Louis. The St
Louis fire department at once rendered
its hose and coal wagons and the boats
were brought to the desolated city.
Volunteer oarsmen promptly manned
every boat furnished, and soon scores
of craft We're rescuing flood sufferers.
In the eastern extremity of the city
at Washington Place and Rock Road
on the vacant area on high ground, 200
tents were utilized in erecting Camp
Refuge, and Il cOmmiSSary was eStab-
1iehcd. The City hall, churches, school
buildings and other structures were
thrown open and temporarily turned
into relief stations.
Attorney T. E. Dempsey who has
charge of Camp Refuge, said, tonight;
We must have food. East St. Louis is
cut off from sources of supply and
what she had has been largely drawn
upon daring the past week. Food
must be secured III some manner, or
people already in distress will suffer
more
AS night drew on another fear con-
fronted the inhabitants. The water
that had steadily been pouring through
the Broadway embankmcnt was be-
lieved to be undermining that bulWark
and it was declared that the street
could not long stand the heavy pres-
sure from the south side. The belief
that the river was rising was confirmed
by the St Louis government guage, to-
night. The guage registered 1875 feet,
a rise of Is of a foot in % hours No
=. ~.
except that the wind is forcing water
from the loWlands into the channels Of
the Mississippi and that the Missouri
river is swelling the torrent which
passes st. Louis.
Dcnversidd, a suburb Of East St,
Louis, was completely inundated, and
Alta sta farther to the east, was half
flooded, tonight. If the river should
rise even little more the water must
swamp Alta Sta.
Riot guns were collected by Chief of
Police Purdy, today, and were given
out. tonight. to guards to patrol the
streets where furniture is stacked and
to patrol the sand bag levees.
st. Louis, Mo. June 10.-Thc pres
sure Of the flood forced a passage
through the Illinois Central railroad
cn4bIukmcmt i'm the southeastern pof-
ton of East st. Louis shortly before |
O'Clock Wednesday morning. The
break speedily Wideno1 until Il torrent
lot feet wide and - feet in depth
Was pouring through, threatening East
- Louis and the village of Center
Vile adjacent. Precautionary lcVccs
that had been erected for just such
an emergency were swept through ana
the food sped onward.
just before the break Il negro en-
pl"ycd On the lcvec demanded his
Wages on Il threat to cut the water
barrier. Without parlcy he WAS shot
,ad.
The shooting SERVED to arouse the
citizens and when the rush of water
cHlnc soon aft"rWard they were not
caught in their beds. Runners tore
through the streets shouting 4 Wal ming
aud SON people half mad from fright
were fleeing for their lives. About 20
Gee people live in the part OF tn" city
Which is in the floods path and it was
believed that fully half that number
Wc u!l be rendered homeless by day
| light.
There is no way to reach East St.
| Louis from here except by boat from
| the east entrance of Eads bridge, as
The 1aduct over what was Cahokia
creek partially sunk, Tuesday and no
one can cross it.
Little can he learned from the strlck-
on district by telephone.
At first it was reported that the wa
ter was pouring into the central por-
ton of East St. Louis, but up to >
O'Clock that part of the city was sun
! Cry.
! The City hall. churches and other
public buildings have been thrown
uprn ANA are RAPIDLY being filed with
rt fuGecs. ana clothing is being pro-
cured for those sCantily clad.
PanGCmonium TCigned throughout the
! city. In the north portion, where there
was no immediate danger the alarm
vas sounded that the water was
sweeping into the city, and the m
habitants. scantily clad and badiy
frightened. ran about the streets. Later
Etuiet in that section was restored.
A great force of mon and cars OF sand
bags were Immediately rushed TO the
southern PORTIONS of the city ana ,ei-
fc!ts Immediately begun to erect dlkc
high ana strong enough to meet the