The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-09

dogs, cats. oxen, slow-moving fat hogs, and
with them the mole. the rabbit. the rat and
smaller creatures of the field went before
the flood. Many were not fleet enough and
were overtaken and they disappeared in the
nav of the water
All reports from the land north Of Granite
CITY are to the effect that the farmers were
ruby warned and escaped. Rumors of more
deaths in Madison and Venice are current
out investigation seems to show that ia
talities will not exceed fifteen, or. at the
most. twenty
+. u. Shipley general foreman of the
American Car and Foundry Company's
plant. was in the Madison works when the
Hood struck that city.
In the rear of our plant" said Mr.
Shipley. Stands pond about ten feet In
depth When the flood struck there were
about 100 persons in the plant. A majority
OF them were Polanders. who are very ex-
citable
There was a rush toward the rear and
saw several persons fall into the pond. The
rush to the rear was the most awful scene
| have ever witnessed I would not say that
any were drowned, but I feel sure that
some met their DEATH
Some of the surviving Polanders say that
1
two women and two babies.
William Mates. Polander, was reported
| drowned at Newport, and an unidentified
woman was drowned at West Madison.
IMPOSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY
PERSONS DROWNED.
Many report having seen persons drown
but efforts to identify them have proved
futile In most instances
| Lou Seace. an employe at the power plant
or the Venice street car line saw house
| floating down the river. Seace saw a man
fall from the roof Of the house into the
river and sink just as the drift passed the
| power plant.
Many skiffs were sent to the scene Of the
mood from North St. Louis, and many were
rescued. The North St. Louis Rowing AS
ISOLATION distinguished itself by rescuing
nearly 200 with these skiffs. Several scows
| appeared on the scene. One Of these, THE
JOKER" took away twenty and thirty
refugees at time. All the refugees vera
taken to tho approach Of the Merchants
BRIDGE where they were hoisted to the top
| by means Of ropes.
at least 300 women were hoisted to
| safe place in this manner. The ropes were
tied around their bodies and they were
| drawn to the top. and then transported to
piled by the Terminal Company.
Many narrow escapes were recorded dur
ing the rush of the flood. George Cooks,
who lived with his wife. his mother and
three children at Third and Main streets, in
Verice. failed to heed the warning of the
| river patrol and the flood had carried his
| homo away before he and his family were
| able to leave 1t.
| The house collapsed, but the members of
the family. by an heroic effort, grabbed
loose boards and kept afioat until they were
| rescued.
A boat was chartered by The Republic
correspondent yesterday morning and a cir
cult made Of the flooded districts. Many of
the beleaguered residents were taken to
| places Of safety.
WATER POURs OVER
| THE ALTON TRACKS.
From Granite City to the end Of the levee
water was pouring over the Chicago and
| Alton tracks. making a waterfall of two
feet for over a mile.
| At West Madison houses were in q topsy-
turvy condition and many Of the residents
were living on roofs. great many ne
groes inhabit this section, and. although
they were offered transportation to dry
land. they preferred to remain with their
property.
At West Madison 15o were found sheltered
in the schoolhouse. They had spent Sunday
night in this building and were practically
| without food. One Of the refugees, Mrs.
Mary Walker, had a baby days old, and
her case was pitiful one. There were two
other women in the building who were car
Ing for babies. The sufferers were without
means Of subsistence, were poorly clad and
were without medical attention. and their
condition was more pitiable than that OF
any others seen in the Tri-Cites.
NIGHT OF AGONH
FOR THE REFUGEES.
According to statements made by the ref
ugees Sunday night was one Of agony for
all Of them None Of them slept. and they
spent the night expecting every moment to
see the school building collapse.
The western part Of Venice is deserted
village. Not a house remains in the district
and the scene is one Of great desolation-
Mrs. Wilhelmina Lynch, an old, crippled
woman, together with Father Peter Kaen-
bas a Catholic priest, and four sisters Of
charity. are sheltered in a school building
in a remote section of the town. Mrs.
Lynch's home was washed away. and she
was rescued by Father Kaenbas. who wad-
ed 100 feet through water that reached to
his shoulders In order to save the aged
woman.
The police station on Edwards road In
Venice contains the greatest number OF
refugees, but here, as in all other places
| where nood sufferers are being sheltered,