Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 61, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1898 — WOE AT SHAWNEETOWN. [ARTICLE]

WOE AT SHAWNEETOWN.

Number of Dead and Miaalnar Now Estimated at Thirty —No Bodie* Recovered. Mount Vernon, Ind., April 6. — A revised list of the victims of the flood at Shawneetown shows the number of dead and missing to be 30. Account* of the disaster have been greatly exaggerated, the people of the town giving voice to wildest stories in their terror. Mayor Ca rne y himself has been inclined to magnify the estimate as to loss of life. Sheriff C. R. Galloway, of Gallatin county, whose wife and family were lost in the flood, was taken to the home of J. W. Millspaugh Monday. The sheriff is suffering from extreme nervous prostration, and it is feared that he will lose his mind. The scene along the levee In front of the town is pitiable. Homeless families unable to find shelter are camping in the open air and endeavoring to keep warm by the huge bonfires that have been started with driftwood. Not a single body has been taken from the water, all reports to the contrary notwithstanding, and probably will not be before to-day or to-mor-row. The water is 12 feet deep on an average all over town, and in many places 18 feet. The continued rains give the waters no chance to recede, consequently nothing can be done toward recovering the dead. Men who were rich on Sunday have all they possess in this world on their backs. With the exception of the Riverside hotel, which fronts on the levee, the public buildings, bank and half a dozen three and four-storied business blocks, the-town is submerged. Not more than 1,000 people remain in Shawneetown, at least half the population having taken refuge in the neighboring cities. -j The local relief’‘committee —Charles Carroll, Carl Roedel, Fred Buchanan and Aaron Mayor—issued an appeal for provisions and money. There is sufficient food to last several days, but when it is gone the people here must depend on outside assistance. Money is needed to rebuild the town when the water subsides. No business of any kind is being transacted and every stock of merchandise is ten feet below the surface of the water. The vaults of the First national bank are submerged, and at this time the property loss is estimated at SIOO,OOO. Shawneetown is not the only town to suffer because of the high water. Uniontown, Ky., 18 miles above, is entirely submerged, and several houses and barns have been swept away. Raleigh, Ky., six miles up the river, is completely covered. Elections which were to have been held In Gallatin county Tuesday were postponed on account, of the flood.