The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-06-07
Notes.

| PITTsBURG, Pa, June 6-The OF regions
| OF Pennsylvania were visited yesterday by
a disaster of fire and water only equalel in
| the history OF this country by the memor
able flood at Johustowr three years ago.
| A cloud burst above Titusvilie flooded Oil
creek, which flows through narrow
gorge from above Titusville, through that
city, Bougbton, Miller Farm, Pioneer,
| Petroleum Center Rynd Farm, Rouse
vile and MeC!intockvilIe, to Oil City.
For nearly Il month it has been raining
| throughout western and northern Penn
| sylvania incessantly, and for the past
three or four days the downpour in the
devastated regions had been very heavy.
| The constant rains had converted all the
| small streams into raging torrents so that
when the cloud burst came the dams were
| unable to withstand the shock and the
| streams were soon beyond their bounda-
ries, while the great body of water came
sweeping down Oil creek to Titusyille
| which is eighteen miles south OF its source.
The oil tanks along the creek were dam
aged, allowing their contents to flow into
the creeks flooded waters. Lightning
struck an oil tank above Titusvllle, set
! ting fire TO the oil, which communicated
to the creeks oily waters. A sheet of
flame swept down the creek on top of the
flood, burning everything in its path.
On the roofs ana IN the windows of the
upper stories of the houses in the sub
merged districts were seen men, women
and children, dressed mostly in their night
robes and all piteousiy appealing Tor aid
and succor in voices hich could only now
and then be distinguished above the loud
rush of the waters and crash of falling
tlmbers. Clinging to the drifting wood,
timbers and other debris, as they were
borne onward down the stream, were
scores of human beings, their white and
terror-smitten faces, desperate struggles
and plaintive cries for aid, CONT bining TO
create impressions never TO be effaced
from the memory of the beholder.
At Titusville nearly the whole city was
destroyed and scores of persons drowned
and burned to death. The money loss
there is 81. 500 900. At Oil City it is believed
that the list of dead will exceed two hur-
dred. The greater portion of the city was
burned, entailing loss of over one million
dollars.
AT OIL CITY.
OIL CITY, Pa, June 6.-Few of the spac-
tators VINO were watching the flood when
the explosion occurred and escaped can
give good idea of what happened. Three
gasoline tanks exploded almost at the
same time The oil in the creek biazed up
and the gas in the air burst into Il roaring
flame. The water, land and air We're ali
literally ableze. Men, women and children
were knocked prostrate and many never
arose. Some who did found themselves in
lake of flames. The multitude fled with
screams OF anguish for the high ground
In the rush many of the weak were
trampled upon and badly injured. Some
leaDed into the water and were drowned.
Soon the fire of blazing gas WAS succeeded
by the cracking flames OF burning houses.
Ia many of these houses the people We're
confined They could not escape for the
fire. Within the sight OF thousands who
heard their piteous screams they burned to
death or leaped into the water and there
perished by both flood and fire. Such
combined scene of destruction by two ter
ribIe elements has been seldom witnessed
upon this earth.
It is marvellous that from the valley of
death any were saved alive. II is strange
that out of this commingling of fire and
flood any houses were spared. Harry Nc
Veaoh, who, with Wade Hulings, Will
lam Couch and Albert Smith, saved a
dozen lives in II skitf after the fire had all
died off the creeks surface, says that at
the foot of the bridge at the head of
Seneca street they found eleven persons
clinging.
Their condition was horrible, "said Nc
Veagh Their clothing was burned
of their bodies; their hair was
singed, and the eyes even III
some Of them were burned out.
They clung piteously to us rs we took
them from the bridge IN our boat and the
cries they sent up were heartrending"
Que of the heroes who gave his life for
that of others was William l. >yewart of
Siverlyville. d small village ABOUT ii mile
up OIL creek. When the disaster occurred
Stewart ran to bis home in SiyerIyvIile
and dragged boat to the waters edge.
He braved the death that moved on the
waters and was one of those who helped
to drag people out OF their houses
on the banks of OIL cz~ek and to
bear them in his boat to safety. A great
wave of naphtha appeared over Stewards
head a house Crached, and IN an instant
he was engulfed in a mass of mortar aud
flame. Below the river stretched out
hundred tongues; from above came a
shower of timbers and plaster. He leaves
a wife and two children.
John :. Klein, superintendent Of the
National Transit company's shops, was in
surumental in saving many lives by a
timely warning. He was near the tunnel
on the Lake Shore road when the puugent
odor of the benZine, borne on the breeze.
attracted his attention knowing that
some accident must have happened up the
stream or that volume OF oil was floating
down the creek, he recognized ut once the
fearful result that would ensue II 1t should
catch fire.
'Pu- out your fire and run for your
lives ne shouted. running with all the
speed he could muster iroui house t.
house. Many took warning and fed TO the
shelter of the hills.
st clock this morning the fire had
burned Itself out and che burning oil had
passed away. The creek and river, how
ever are ris.Eg and much OF this place will
still further De flooded Bat there Is little
lsfI along the creek which the food cun
dam aye. The fire has left nothing on
which the waters may p-ey. TIE rising
waters. however, interfere with the rescue
of the bodies Of the victims IN OIL CIiy
proper. The ie9y hood destroyed one nile
Of property aloa- the creek Oh the west
sst!r. Across the creek, from the
main portion OF the ci.y. LoI
house ! standing between the creek
AID tire EIl!. and not vestlse OF life caa
be seen except the parties searching for
the dead Along the east SIDE. from tue
mouth Of o.! creek, Tor distance Il iaTee-
quarters OF = mile, every b1ildlog mas been
destroyed
Msyor EGnt now places the number %
dead ~ 10 Following l. list u The per-
sons known To b. deal-
kd~ark Aiken, Frank Aiken and Wm-
AIkeD. tie "a arE.
= child OF john Roach's-
Walter Mcpherson.
Ms. J. W Bristol Of Rochester, V y.
Charles Miller
John Holmes o. jamestown. y. /.
Charles baker
Mr. ! ". Mills an4 five ch.idre3-
jams DorswcrEn
-Four U4Kaowo, found o. The ClapP