The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-06-15

water.
Between twilight last night and dawn
today eleven lives were sacrificed to the
angry waters and damage which no man
TODAY attempted to estimate has been
done to property.
Not wheel OF industry is turning In
East st Louis. but the flooded waters
vhirI and suck at the foundations of
many great buildings that have been de-
serted The vast railroad yards can be
located only by hundreds OF half-suo-
merged cars and locomotives. Huge grain
elevators stand surrounded by running
water.
To the south beyond the railway yard
are thousands of cottages owned by la
borers and containing their all, sub
merged TO the caves.
In northern East ST. Louis the condi-
tion is not so bad.
The business portion Of the city and the
district containing the better residences
is still intact. hut for Low long is not
known Broadway. running from EadS
bridge east to the city limits, wide
etreet built OF sand and walled win
stone Is feet high, divides the city in
AGAINST Broadway from the south and III
many places is seepins through in
streams as thick as a mans body Traf-
fc over certain portions of the thorough
fare has been prohibited. If Broadway
breaks the water will rush over much OF
the city until Missouri avenue running
parallel one block north, IS encountered
How the Flood Came.
fvopt tO he west
ievee Of sand bags from to feet high
and miles long keeps the river out.
Last night the river suddenly began TO
rise Tired men worked with energy to
strengthen the sand bag levees. The city
was made safe along the river front, hut
word was received that the Illinois Cen
1rai embankment s1irting the river along
the southern boundary of the city. was
about 10 give way. Couriers were sent to
shout warnings to the Inhabitants OF the
southern half OF the city and hundreds
Of laborers and citizens fastened TO
strengthen the embankment Locomo-
tives rushed car loads of sand bags to the
place and work was hurriedly begun.
Accustomed by this time to warnings OF
.n9pendfng danger, the inhabitants did
not leave their homes Higher and higher
srept the water until a thick stream be-
gan to pour over the embankment ana
suddenly It broke.
The break occurred al 11:40 O'Clock. d.
IL Sherwood q iaborer. was swept away
and drowned A section OF the embanh-
ment was torn out and a stream % feet
wide rushed through. Another section OF
the embapkmeut went out a few minutes
later and then that portion standing be
tween the two streams went down and
the river poured through. 1t IS believed
that many men, especially negroes. were
drowned
Alarm Spread Like Wild Fire.
The alarm spread like wild fire AMI
whistles were blown, bells rung, shots tireh
ana cries or warning were sounded, hut
even with all this pandemonium many OF
the Inhabitants failed TO leave their
homes Within an hour the houses stood
IN water that reached TO the roofs OF the
ore-storv cottages. Many fled to large
brick buildings. Rescue boats today
found many people in second stories and
on house tops but there ia grave fear
fhat when all the living have been trans
1arred 10 land. the boats will bear bodies
Of dead from the flooded cottages and the
desolated quarter.
In the turmoil 1t has been impossible 10
verify reported deaths. but from APP
Y7arentIy reliable sources the Associated
Press gathered that the following eleven
persons were drowned last night
JOHN KOOISH and three children.
Crowned on north side
UNIDENTIFIED BABY
j. H. SHERWOOD
LAWRENCE DAY.
TWO UNIDENTIFIED WOMEN.
TWO UNIDENTIFIED MEN.
IT was currently reported today that
seven negroes caught looting houses last
night were shot TO death. They were oil
on raft and were surprised by guards
VINO shot them down and threw their
bodies into the water While this Is not
confirmed. it IS known that there was
heavy firing on the north side last night
where these negroes are said to have been
killed
Gave Their Lives for Beer.
The rlcaths OF John Koolish. a Polish
carpenter, and his three children, two
boys aged and = respectively. and a
girl Of T. years. were drowned by trying
lie save three kegs Of beer.
The Koolish home had been surround
I'd by water for several days The fam
fly had been living in the second story
and last night decided to go TO land.
J1oolish took two sons and his wife and
S-montl4s-old baby safely to land. He
then returned for his other three chill
dreu. Getting them safely into the boat,
I've stopped ar submerged house 10
take off three kegs of heer as requested
by the owner, a friend. in trying to
load TIE kegs into the boat the craft
was overturned and the occupants were
swept ia their deaths By the swift cur
rent In fu3 sight of the mother
: company Of naval reserves from Al
tor. which had rowed down to the city
yesterday IN a cutter. rendered splendid
service in rescue work. Rescuers began
work as soon as il was light enough to
see ana continued their work far into
the night Word was sent out generally
for more boats and the government re.
spouded through United States District
Attorney Dyer. Of St Louis, who issued
an order to cOnfscate temporarily every
boat seen in and around St. Louis re-
eardless of ownership and TO rush them
TO East ST. Louis. The St Louis fire
department at once rendered their hose
and coal wagons and boats were gath
cred up throughout the city and from
along the river front and hauled by run
Ming horses to East St. Louis. Volunteer
oarsmen promptly manned every boat
furnished and before o'clock scores OF
craft ware plying back and forth across
tho flooded railroad yards
When boats were rowed alongside
homes whose occupants We're marooned
In second stories and on roofs many at
first refused to leave. They feared river
thieves and would stand guard. Women
were the ones most unwilling to be res
Quad al+ho110b some Of them yyr1lro their