The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-06-18
FLOOD SWEEPS CITY
RIVER BREAKS EMBANKMENTS At
EAST ST. LOUIS.
Thirty to Fifty People Are Reported
Observation-Disclosures Aroused In the
Night by Bells and Whistles Flee
from Their Homes in Panic.

Factory whistles and men shouting
through megaphones awakened people in
The southern section of East ST. Louis in
the middle of the night. and they fed to
the north end, leaving tones and goods
behind. Before noon a break was re-
ported in the Baltimore and Ohio South
western levee at the north, and the whole
:ity was in danger.
A long procession of disheartened.
homeless residents whose houses are
from two to five feet under water wend-
ID their way across the great Eads
bridge, seeking safety on the Missouri
,ide. Others, panic-stricken, ran about
the streets knowing not whittier to 60.
The river rose to $40 feet, and the
army of levee builders no longer could
heal the breaks. Business was suspend
I'd and the city hall, filled with food vic
inns, was entered by the water.
Bridge the Only Way Ont.
Women with children in arms, men car
Tying household furniture, horses, dogs
and cats were in the streets. At sunrise
The Eads bridge was virtually the only
means of crossing the river open to the
throng. Traffic to East st. Louis from
The west side was suspended and police
men turned back all who attempted the
trip. The southern half Of East st.
Louis was deepest in the flood, and $500
men fell back on Missouri avenue in the
attempt to save the remainder of the
city, menaced by swelling waters from
three sides.
A few hou-s before the break in the
evee Ned Roberts. a negro employed as
levee builder, was killed b. members
If the levee patrol for attempting to tear
lown a part of the dixie. HIS act was
the result of anger because he was not
allowed to draw his pay at once.
An appeal from Mayor Cook to Lieut..
Gov. Northcott for State troops to aid In
guarding property was answered with
the promise that details of militia would
be sent to East St. Louis at once.
Relief boats started from st. Louis
for East st. Louis early Wednesday
morning. By order of Park Commission
er Aull the skiffs used for recreation on
the park lake were collected, to be sent
to the east side on a ferryboat.
During the forenoon the water was
threatening the north and east sides, pre-
served temporarily by the Baltimore and
Ohio Southwestern Railroad embank-
ment, and had reached the viaduct only
seven blocks east Of the city hall. In
the city hall a foot and half of water
had collected. 1t 10 believed many fami-
lies in frst-story cottages awoke when
it was too late to escape. Levee work
ers who lay down to rest on the embank-
ment, worn out with hard labor. were
H. Go
rats. 1t may never be learned how many
died in this way.
Messengers Arouse People.
When the break occurred warnings
were sent first through the Dexter addi-
ton by messengers, who discharged FIRE
arms, blew horns and shouted in stento-
rian tones. Lights cleaned in houses
where the occupants had retired, conf
dent that the embankment would hold.
Persons scantily attired emerged from
their homes, and in a few moments the
whole populace Of the low district were
fleeing to higher ground.
As the noise of the approaching flood
was heard, the fight, at first rapid re-
treat with a semblance of order. became
a panic. All efforts to assure the people
that there was time to escape unless q
gap was washed through the embank.
ment failed, and most of them fed with
out making an effort to save property.
Messengers were sent to the main sec
ton of the city telling of the danger from
the new point of attack. As the bottoms
| filled and the river gained larger en-
trance the terror in the business section
grew intense. 1t was all the greater
because of the darkness and the fear
that while guard was maintained in one
direction the torrent would break through
at another point and engulf the luckless
inhabitants By the thousands people
deserted their homes and ran up and
down the streets seeking a place Of sue
cor.
Hundreds of families from the resi-
dence district, carrying trunks, grips,
bundles of clothing and valuables, began
to cross Eads bridge toward st. Louis.
Most of the refugees were scantily clad
Strong men carried aged women in their
arms, followed by women with babies
Barefooted children were in the process
sion over the bridge. In the city hall
alone 500 homeless persons, with the
scant belongings they had been able te
seize on short notice, were assembled.
Water Breaks Through.
Seven miles of water, pressing from
the south and southeast. Overcame the
city's line of defense shortly before
o'clock in the morning, and 5000 persons
were driven from their homes. One thou
sand men were working on the part Of
the levee which broke. For se1eral hour
L e L. II thov ho5 ha 0ciQf
ance of hundreds Of women and chill
dren.
The crevasse appeared at the st. Loui.
Valley crossing Of the Illinois Centra
embankment, two miles south Of the Re
lay station. While as many men, womer
and children as could stand on the EN-
bankment were heaping sandbags be
tween the rails to prevent the menacinl
waters from going over the top. the re
sistless current broke through the lower
part of the wall of earth and spurted il
rivulets into the faces of those who were
carrying sandbags up the bank. Bagt
thrown into the openings by dozens Of
men were tossed aside by the water like
feathers. The workers fled from theil
useless task and the alarm was given by
ringing of bells and blowing of whistles
in every part of the city. A few of the
workers on the embankment remained at
their posts until the current compelled
them to swim for their lives.
Awakened families saw the water In
the streets and when they were ready
TO leave the food was at their window
sills. All fed to the north.
From Far and Near.
A damaged footballer has just been
fitted at a London hospital with celu-
loid nose.
Thomas Hanlan, accused of desertins
his wife and eloping with Ada Bethel, 16
years old, narrowly escaped lynching by
women at Mound City, Mo.
The Mercur. a weekly paper published
By a group of young literary men in
et..,hur1 uas recenfIv confiscated on