St. Paul daily globe., 1892-06-06
APPALLING DISASTER


with almost as great fury as when the
first tidal wave broke over the confines
of the usually small streams. Brave
men, with ropes tied about their waists,
are breaSting the terrible current, res
cuing the unfOrtunateS, who from last
midnight until now have patiently
awaited their turn. \ little-fOur-year-
old boy, Just brought 10 shore from the
wreck of a handsome residence. was
placed in the hands of friends. When
asked where his parents were, he replied
with sob: Papa and mama 'bof'
drowned" The people do not realize
the enormity of the calamity. 1t is too
full of horror to be grasped. Fully
Seventv-five people are yet unaccounted
for. 1t Is an imposSibility. however, TO
give at this time accurate figures of the
loss of life. Fully 1000 people wit
messed five strong men perish together.
Holding 10 piece of timber. they were
struggling with the flood. and just as
they reached the bank nelghboring
OIL tank exploded, the river
of burning oil enveloped them,
and death came almost instantly.
A6Ont midnight Saturday historical Oil
creek began suddenly to rise. Heavy
and almost incesSant rains have been
prevalent throughout this entire section
for the past six weeks. This. however,
does not seem to nave been the cause of
the sudden rise in Oil creek, although
at first was thought to be the cause.
Late reports say that the
Huge Will Dam
owned by Thompson Il Eldred, and
located at the little town of SpartanS-
burg. seven miles above, suddenly
burst. The wave. was mile and half
in length and a quarter mile wide, and
many feet deep. This great body sud-
denly let loose, made OF the valley, i'll
the course of few brief moments, a
regular inland sea. This sudden ava
lanche Of water, descending when most
of the inhabitants were sleeping, COM
pletely and at once shut them Off from
the higher portions OF the city.
notwithstanding this state of affairs
the danger TO the city was under
rated, no one having the slightest idea
that the flood was as dangerous as 1t
was. All this was soon augmented by
fire. At O'clock this morning. iInme.
diately following the terrific explosions
which shook the city to the center, a
great flame went up from the Crescent
foundry, owned by John Schwartz &
Co. A second look showed the entire
plant to be one vast sheet of solid flame,
lilc llSn III lIOill WHICH illuminated Iull
half-mile OF surrounding blackneSS, and
showed to the assembled and
Horrified Spectators
the full extent of the great calamity
that had befallen their beautiful city.
The tongues of flame shooting 200 feet
and more straight into the heavens. the
ShriekS and agonIElng cries of the help
less beings Gagged in their dwellings
like rats in trap Ill the middle of that
rushing and mighty water, and within
the shadow of death by burning oil that
threatened to engulf them, the shriIl cry
of a hundred steam whistles, the clang-
ing of fre bells. the gathering of hose
carts and hook and ladder through
the streets, the roar, rush and rum
bic of the huge body of water and sky
piercing flames, all went to strike ter
rOr to the strongest heart. The people,
in their eager haste to get to some place
out of the danger, they knew not
where, in many cases rushed pell nell
over each other, and scores were in
jured by being knocked down and
trampled on. Oil creek, now swollen
10 500 times its natural size and
reaching from one hillside TO the other.
presented an appalling picture. Float
ing swiftly by OH its bosom were ali
sorts. manners and kinds of animate
and inanimatc objects, houses, barns,
horses, cows. chickens, everything al
most, being borne onward with rush.