The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-06

and country for miles around was startled
by two explosions occurring almost stimuli
taneously. OIL creek was raging torrent
and fully 1000 people We're wat:hing the
waters. About II 30 g.e n fluid WIS no.
ticed in the water. This increased in
quantity and finally covered almost the
entire waters of the creek The
smell of gas and oil was perceptible, and
the danger of fire was commented upon.
and the words had hardly ben uttered
when 200 yards up the stream mass of
flames shot heavenward. People stampeded
like cattle and started for the hills. Hardly
had they started when explosions rent the
air and the entire creek for hundred feet
seemed one seething mass of flame and
smoke. The panic-stricken people shrieked
madly in their efforts to escape, and women
and children were trampled underfont,
some being severely bruised Following
is a list of the dead as far as identified:
WILLIAM sHAPER, JOHN REINBoLT,
CHARLER MILLER, MISS MINNIE RUSSELL,
DANIEL SULLIVAN, JAMES HoLuss
MRS WILLIAM BRIGGS and thrae daughters.
Mr.. HAWKS, MATTHEW LIONS.
MRS HAwas and daugh, MRS. LIONS, 2 children,
JOHN O'LEARY, mother, FRANK PLANK,
JAMES ROGERS, JAMES HAsKINs,
WILLIAM WHITE, JOHN STICK,
JOHN RAMBo, HUMPHREY STEWART,
WILLIAM STEWART, HARRY HOLMES,
WILLIAM MALONE, FRANK WATSON,
w. L. DOUGHERTY. EDWARD MILLS, 4 chill n,
MRS. COPELAND, baby, Mrs. LEVI FETTERs.
There are fifteen bodies at the undertake
ing rooms of Britting, McCracken & Co.,
twenty-five bodies at the city hall and a
number were taken to their homes. Some
are still missing.
Those seriously injured are:
WILLIAM MORGAN, ED HEATING, Mr.. TowIL-
LIGER, ME. BAKER, SHERIDAN WICK, JOHN
ROUGH and son, Mr.. EAK:N and two sons, DR..
HAzgNFRITZs two sons. LOUIS HAZENFRITz,
badly burned: FIVE CHILDREN, badly burned; ;
MRS FEESEY and six children, badly burned.
The fire was caused by strange acci-
dent. An engine on the West New York
& Pennsylvania railroad passed a tank of
gasoline standing on the siding. The tank
was leaking, and as the engine passed a
mass of fame shot into the air and the
earth seemed to shake with an awful tre-
NOR. 1t is supposed that the engineer and
fireman were killed by the force of the
explosion. In an instant the fire swept
madly over the entire upper part of the
city, which was flooded by oil water from
the creek. Men, women and children, who
were moving from their homes, were
caught by the deadly flames, and if not
burned to death outright, were drowned
in the raging flood. CHASTITY bodies were
taken from the flood, and are lying on the
railroad track unrecognized.
1t Is Impossible TO give an estimate of
the number of lives lost. For miles up
the creek on both sides everything is in
ruins and hundreds of families are rem
dered homeless. Very little, if any, pr,p
erty was saved. and the sky for miles
around is still black with smoke from the
burning dwellings and oil tanks. When
the explosions occurred the people were
knocked down from the force of the
shocks, and every window within a radius
of two squares was broken. The panic
during the height of the excitement was
something fearful and remarkable. Some
were killed by being trampled upon by
horses and the wild, frantic mob. The
water in Oil creek is falling slowly now
and it is hoped that the worst is over.
In the upper part of the town about 100
dwellings were destroyed by fire, and
owing to the depth of water the fire de-
partment is helpless. This part of the
city is blockaded with lumber sheds and
roofs of houses. which hoated down. The
sight from the hiiltops about town is
awful and beyond description. The loss
of property is placed at from $50, 900 to
81, 600 900 Up to fifteen or twenty bodies
have been recovered and identiti-i The
Third ward is as level as field.
Nine tanks of the Imperial Refinery
Company, on Oil creek are burning. 1t is
reported that Sam Yeader Of Housewife,
saved about twentv-tive people floating
down the creek. He used a boat during
the high flood.
OIL CiTY, June 6.-At . a. m forty-six K
bodies had been recovered in Oil City, but
il is impossible to give an accurate esti-
mate of the total loss of lite. There has
been no communication between this city
and Titusville since O'Clock last evening.
The tank owned by the Pennsylvania Re-
fining Company on Seneca street is in dan
ger of exploding at this writing. 1t con-
tains % 900 barrels OF oil, and if it catches
fire will wipe out the entire upper end OF
town.
COREY. Pa, June 5.-The most destruc.
tive rain storm that has ever visited this
locality began yesterday, and by O'Clock
the eastern business portion of the city
was under water. and by II O'Clock Center
street was a roaring torrent. Many pee
ple were rescued from their homes in the
| best way possible. There was no loss oi
life and few were injured. The sidewalk:
were carried away and the roads quilted
| from four TO six feet deep. Nearly every
| basement in the city was flooded and
many stores. The loss throughout the
| CITY is estimated at $4,000. The storm
was general throughout this locality, and
| the loss can hardly be estimated The
roads are impossible. and everything in
/ the path of the flood was swept away.
| The bridges and culverts on all the rail
| roads entering here were carried away ant
| many trains are stalled.
| MEANWHILE, Pa. June 5.-This section
| was swept by the worst food in its history
| last night, In this city Mil run over
| flowed its banks and swept the busines.
portion OF the city, demolishing dozen o.
! more buildings and entailing an estimated
| loss of $4,000 The loss throughout th,
| country cannot be estimated. Bridge.
were washed away. and there Is scarcely
| passable road left in the country. Dam
| age 20 growing crops was heavy. NJ
casualties are reported in this city.