Old River Town

St. Louis, April 5.- Shawneetown, whicfa is reported to have ben swept away by the breaking of the levee, with enormous attendant loss life, is one of the oldest towns in Illinois, and in earlier days, when all traffio was by river, it was a place of considerable commercial importance. While there is a high hill situated from half a mile to a mile back of town, yet like many river towns, the business houses and dwellings are on the river bank, and for many years have been subject to overflow. Consequently people have regularly moved their goods into the uppei stories of dwellings and stores when nood waters appeared. A levee was built along the front of the river bank and it extended in a semi-circle until the ends toucïied the high ground of hills. The Baltimore & Ohio Southwestcrn railroad built this levee up higher and strengthened it several times and kept it in repair in return for certain concessions. Heretofore if the citizens feit there was any danger of the levee giving way they have cut the levee at the south end of the town, letting in the back water and nooding the town. After the levee was built higher and had been strengthened it withstood several floods. The Ohio was up to high water mark last year, but it stood that flood safely. The report says the north levee is broken. The current of the river is said to bring very heavy pressure on the north levee, which appears to have broken when the people were not apprehending danger. The water of the Ohio then poured into the town, inclosing the people in a trap. All railroad communication has been cut off for a week and there is no telegraph or telephone communication. Particulars are henee verv meager. Instructed to Be Rrutly. Buffalo, N. Y., April 5.- Col. Smith of the Thirteenth infantry, U. S. A., stationed at Fort Porter. has received' a cipher message from Washington ordering him to have the four companies of his command in Buffalo and the one company at Fort Niágara in readiness to proceed to Atlanta, Ga., at a moment's notice. The company at Fort Niágara is expected to come to Buffalo today. Col. Smith saya his command is ready to move as soon as a train eau be provided.