Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-11

these buildings today contains over go per-
sons and although the rescue boats found
many people in second stories and on
housetops there are rows upon rows OF cot
tages that early this morning did not show
a sign OF life.
Thousands OF people stood on the Broad
way embankment today and looking across
the expanse Of water covering the railroad
Yards Of the Southern railroad to these
houses. asked each other II they had not
been transformed into sepulchers None
could be found who said they had escapeo
from them and none knew of occupants
who had Possibly they may have got
away in safety but there is grave fear
that when all the living have been trans
ferred to land the boats will bear bodies OF
dead from the flooded cottages and DESC
lated section of the city
In the turmoil OF this calamity It has
been practically impossible to authenticate
death reports, but from apparently reliable
sources II is gathered that eleven persons
were drowned last night. four of whom
perished on the north side early in the
evening.
Negro Thieves shot Down.
II was currently reported today that
seven negroes caught in the act of looting
houses last night, were shot to death. They
were all on a raft and we're surprised by
guards, who shot them down and threw
their bodies into the water. While this
was not confirmed 1t Is known that there
was heavy firing on the north side early
last night where these negroes are said &C
have been killed.
The deaths Of John Koolish, Polish car
pointer, and his three children, two boyE
aged and and a girl of IL, were caused
by trying to save three kegs of beer. The
Koolish home had been surrounded by
water for several days. The family had
been living in the second story and last
night decided to go to land. Koolish took
two sons and his wife and 3-months-old in
fant safely to land He then returned for
his other three children. Getting them
safely into the boat he started to row &c
land, when he stopped at submerged
house to take of three kegs of beer, as re-
quested by the owner. a friend In trying
to. load the kegs into the boat the craft wa
overturned and the occupants were swep'
to their deaths by the swift current in full
sight OF the agonized mother The bodies
were secured today and taken to livery
stable, where they were laid out, side by
side. by the proprietor who is also an un
dertaker Mrs Koolish was summoned to
identify them and her grief was pitiable in
gruous surroundings, the little girl bare
footed and the little boys and their father
without coats The smaller boys right
hand had fallen limp across his breast and
the other hand rested on that OF his dead
brother.
The little girl lay between him and the
father. Her clothing was threadbeare, but
a little faded ribbon. the pride of childish
heart. was stnl entwined in the little girls
matted hair. One look and the poor woman
sank to her knees beside the rude bier and
thfowing her arms across her loved ones
in mute appeal she sobbed in the anguish
OF a broken heart
The few onlookers turned away with
brimming eyes. "Thats pretty hard" said
one, rough-loolSing man softly. and the
others echoed the sympathetic sentiment.
streets, TUNED 60 Wharves.
At the intersectlng streets of Broadway;
which temporarily became boat landings,
similar scenes of grief were being enacted
as refugees were brought 20 land. Scows
were launched as fast as they could be con-
structed and volunteers started on rescue
missions. A company OF naval reserves
from Alton which had rowed down to the
city yesterday in a cutter. rendered splen-
did service, Rescvers began work as soon
as Il was light enough 20 see and continued
their work far into tonight. Word was
sent out generally for more boats. and
the government responded through United
States District Attorney Dyer. IN st. Louis,
who issued an order to confiscate tempor-
arily every boat seen in and around st.
Louis, regardless Of ownership, and rush
them 10 East st. Louis
The St Louis FIRE department at once
rendered their hose and coal wagons and
the boats were gathered up throughout the
city and from along the river front and
hausd by running horses TO the desolated
city across the river. Volunteer oarsmer
promptly manned every boat furnished and