The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-06-22
FIRE RODE THE FLOOD.
Great Loss of Life and Prop.
erty in the Oil Regions.
a Dam.Burst Carries Death to
TitusVille and Oil City.

Tie oil regions Of Pennsylvania have been
visitel bv disaster of fire and water that is
ony eclipse,l in the history Of that country
by the memorable food at Johnstown just
three years ago.
On the day after the calamity it was
known that at least eighty persons were
drowned or burned to death. Estimates Of
the loss Of life increased, hour by hour, and
It was thought that the death roll might
swell to from $50 to 200, if not more.
A dam seven miles above Titusville gave
way in the night. Oil tanks were swept
away. the stream leaped its banks and,
bearing on its back widespread layer of
oil, dashed into Titusville roaring. tum.
bling mass Of fame. There was a terrible
stampede. Scores Of persons were swept
away in an effort to find safety. One-third
Of the town was burned, and at 10 o'clock
that night forty bodies had been recovered.
The scenes of the night in Titusville were
repeated on perhaps even larger scale at
Oil City, eighteen miles below.
The damage to property in Ttusville and
Oil City, and the towns along the creek be-
tween those cities. amounted to millions OF
dollars, and appeals for help Lave been made
to the country at large.
throughout Western and Northern Penn
gylvania almost necessarily, and for the
three or four days before the disaster the
downpour in the devastated regions had
been very heavy. The constant rains had
converted all the small streams into raging
torrents, 80 that when the cloudburst came
the streams were soon beyond their boun-
daries and the great body Of water came
sweeping down Oil Creek to Titusville, which
10 eighteen miles south OF its source.
A dispatch from Titusville tells the fol-
lowing pitiful story: Flood and fire have
wiped out fully ons-third OF this town, and
at least two score Of human lives have been
miserably lost amidst horror and destruc-
tion.
The bursting of the huge dam Of Thomp-
son & Eldred at Spartansburg, seven
miles from Titusville, at midnight,
loosed q lake one and half miles
in length by one-quarter in breadth,
the waters of which came rushing down,
Jwelling the historic Oil Creek to raging
torrent, which overran nearly half this
town with resistless force sweeping many Of
the smaller buildings and scores Of people
reached the shore farther down, but at least
ssventy-fve were undoubtedly lost.
The waters OF Oil Cfaek rushed through the
streets in the lower part OF the city with re-
1istless fury. From housetops, windows and
driftwood piles came walls and screams Of
anguish and distress from the helpless vic.
tins, all implorng aid. Brave men with
boats and ropes battled against the terrific
current, and hundreds Of the captives were
brought safely to land.
Fully 100 persons Of all ages were carried
down with the food. Five persons, all
males, were seen to perish while grasping q
piece Of timber. Just as the thousands Of
spectators who were looking on with bated
breath, unable to render the slightest assist
ance were led to believe that the sufferers
would reach land, a neighboring tank Of
burning oil exploded in close proximity, and
In a moment the men were enveloped in
flames and death came speedily to relieve
their sufferings. Their bodies were at once
swallowed In the raging waters.
Immediately q streak Of flame fully 200
feet high pierced the inky darkness and
threw glaring light over the angry waters:
At once the cry rang out that the Crescent
Oil Refinery Company, owned by Schwartz
& Co., close to the north bank OF the east
end was On fire.
Never before did fire seem to spread so
rapidly, and III less than three minutes from
the time the explosion was heard the vast
plant was ahame. Then it was that pande-
monium seemed to break loose and ter.
ror reigned. Thousands Of persons rushed
pell nell through the streets, tumbling
over and knocking each other down
in their endeavors to escape from what
they appeared to imagine was the crack OF
doom. The bright light thrown on the sur
roundings revealed truly appalling sight.
On the roofs and in the windows of the upper
stories of most Of the houses in the flooded
districts appeared men, women and children
dressed mostly in night clothes, and all pite-
ously appealing for aid.
Ciinging to the driftwood, timbers and
other debris as they were borne onward down
the stream were scores Of human beings
their white and terror stricken faces and
desperate struggles and cries for aid COM
bining to create impressions never to be for
gotten. About one hour from the time the
Crescent Works took fire another alarm was
sounded. Oil On the creek, spilled by the
water overturnipg tank located some dis
tance up stream, had taken fire, and the ex.
panse Of creek for number Of acres square
was all a sold blaze, aud the SKY was filled
with dense and pitchy clouds Of smoke aris.
ing from the smouldering ruins ofrefinerles,
cooper shops, furniture factories, radiator
works, hotels, railroad warehouses, cars and
dwellings
The Illuminating gas works, the electric
light plant the water works ara all under
water, while the natural gas mains had
been turned of at Oil City. This leaves
TitusviAe without water, fuel, or light, at
least from the sources from which these
necessities have been accustomed to come.
Parents and children stood by without
the power to aid one another's struggles
against the clutches Of the food until even
tually they went down to rise no more. AS
sad and as sickening scenes as Occurred In the
valley Of the Conemaugh three years ago
were repeated, while thousands looked on
unable to avert them.
One father is q maniac over the loss OF
his whole family, wife and seven children,
,ne baoe three days old. A brother was
rescued from a burning building, where he
was forced to leave a sister, her husband,
aGj two children to perish.
Fully oue,third Of the business and resi-.
deuce portion OF Titusville is in ruins. The
terrible food rushed through the streets.
Brave men with ropes tied about their
waists breasted the terrible current rescung
the unfortunates who patiently awaited their
return. A little four-year-old boy, just
brought to shore from the wreck Of hand
some residence, was placed in tho hands OF
friends. When asked where his parents
were he replied with sob, Papa and
mann MA bof drowned"
Oil Creek was swollen to 500 times its
natural size and reached from one hillside to
the other, presenting an appalling picture.
Floating swiftly by on its bosom were all
sorts, manners and kinds Of animate and
inanimate objects tanks, stills with the
steam in them and blowing-oR house, barns,
horses, COWS, chickens-sverythin almost
being borne onward with rush.
Clinging to various objects, such as drift
wood, pieces OF boards, timbers and any
other object they could lay hands on, were
scores of human beings. their white and ter
ror-stricken countenances, desperate strug-
gles and plaintive, soul-piercing cries for
aid all combining to create impressions in