Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1913-04-23

A. N. .Oehmeu, Nashville, Tenn, Dear
Brolher;-l suppose you have heard a
a great deal about the disaster which
belell this city, II is very hard TO des
Gribe the terrible things that happened,
We were awakened Tuesday morning
at $50 by the fire bell ringing gener-
al alarm announcing that the levee
had broken, and at once the people
became panic stricken, as they all
knew that the river was at very dan
eerous stage the evening before. !
went to see how bad things werer
il only took few moments 10 convince
one that the town was doomed /
rushed back to the house and before !
got home the fire departments were
racing madlV over the downtown
streets calling 10 the people TO flee Tor
their lives. 10000 people were run.
ming for their lives. The water came
so fast that only the ileetest kept ahead
OF the rushing waters, and OF course
those kept on going until they got to
safe territory, the others took refuge ia
buildings, some few unfortunate ones
we're swept off their feet and lost in
the swirline waters. arrived home
in quick time, as there weTe,as | knew,
only two old ladies in the house |
could have reached safety had not
stopped 10 look after them. Of course
they we're frantic when told what was
going to happen, In less than 10
minutes after arriving home escape was
impossible, we began at once to gather
our most valuable belongings TO move
to the second floor. The water rose
so quickly that in less than fifteen
minutes the water was three feet deep
in the houses saved what | had on,
and one suit OF clothes, also my books
and some of the most valuable articles
, belonging to the ladies, after that there
was nothing to do but wait and see
what was going to happen the water
rose rapidly and by noon was ten feet
S deep, the rain coming down in streams
e One pitiiul sight was the poor horses
? fighting bravely 10 save themselves
Standing at the windows one could see
as many as five or six swimming about
and hear their pititul neiehing, SEEM
inely calling for help many of them
fought for hours but it was a vain
, fight, and finally would be caught in
the current and debris and 60 to theil
doom.
The water rose so rapidly, by night il
was twelve feet, at that time was rising
at the rate of z inches an hour. /
p was then a question how much highel
it would 90 and this uncertainty wa
> awful as people were unsafe in The
'e second storys, adding to this was dark
q ness descending on the town, as thl
lights were all out Of use, 1t was no
ie long after darkness had set in, tha
people became panic stricken, on
could continuously hear the cries TO
'e help above the noise of the rushin
waters, but help was impossible, an
le all one could do was try not to hear
which Of course was also impossible
- About nine o'clock fire broke Ou
about six squares from US right in tn
course of the wind. The fire wa
started by the explosion of an ascetly
plant which shook houses for a mil
distant, almost breaking windows /
our house. Of course this still NOR
II. frightened the people Again in a fe'
te minutes the skies became red from th
fire, and the reflection from the water
seemed TO be only mockiug at eScap
Men began shouting fire, and had
not been for cool headed ones, whic
. one can always find when everything
at stake, many people would have leaI
into the water After an hour or :
people Gained down to some exteI
and began watching the rise OF ii
of water. The water now (lO pm. wi
13 feet deep and slowly but sure
rising, it had crept into many secor
storys and people were moving into a
en- tics and some less fortunate to roo
M The water was inches deep in o.
90 house on the End floor and after &c
90 ting the women to higher and d
SO places, again began to watch t
81 waters rise which was Il inch to 4
w hour | sat by the window and watc
90 90 ed porches and small buildings pa
40 40 by which we're not large enough to res
90 the current. One could see eVerythi
rs that happened on the water as the 4
was Illuminating large portion of
25 city, and hear the frantic cries from
90 fire quite frequently. AT twelve clio
- | struck a match and looked at
~ water only to find that it had risen
tie over an inch since eleven o clio
M Again | sat down to wait, and now
90 was for daylight, as that wonld bri
40 some comfort and perhaps some esca
90 AT one clock again looked
Is the water and 10 my great JOY fou
59 that it had fallen one inch let
70 yell that brought everybody In he
, 10 iue distance to the windows. Alter
nouncing the good news there "
-. many lelad tears and encourae
" cheers As our house was the o
r one the water had risen above