The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-06-07

come down in bucketfuls, what the out
como was to be was past even conjecture.
The waters of Oil creek were rushing
through the streets in the lower part of
the city with seeming resistless force,
whilo from house to house, windows and
driftwood piles, located directly in the
midst of the torrent, came beseeching
walls and screams of anguish and dis.
tress from the helpless victims, all i'm
ploring aid. Brave men with boats bat
tied manfully against the terrific cur
brought safely to land.
1t is simply impossible to give the
reader an idea of the horrible scenes en-
acted in our midst. People do not as
yet realize through what they are pas
sing. Fully fifty people are as yet un-
accounted for, and in the present crush,
excitement and confusion, it is out of
the question to correctly state exactly
the number drowned and burned to
death.
Many sad cases are reported Among
them is that of mother with her babe
clasped to her breast with one hand,
piece OF plank. The plank drifted with
great force toward the Dunkirk, ALLIE
ghany Valley and Pittsburg depot,
around which the water was rushing
furiously at depth of FIVE feet So
swift had been the current that large
hole had been washed under the plat
form of the station. AS the M other and
babe reached this point the suction
was so great that it drew them in and
they disappeared from view.
The almost constant rains of the past
month caused .he earth to be so thor
oughly filled that it would hold no more.
IN nrn hn hr1 II
urday and Saturday night caused more
of the small streams to overflow their
banks. Early in the evening Church
run, in the northern part OF the CITY,
gave much trouble. About midnight
Oil creek Logan to rapidly rise. So sud
den was the humiliation that the flood
was in before the residents were aware
of the danger, and not moro than half
OF them managed to reach high ground.
The flood came so quickly that the
peopio had not time to reach place of
safety. The water soon swept num-
her of oil tanks down the stream, and
In some way not known they were ig.
nited
In less time than it takes to tell the
story, the flames spread to the surround
ing buildings. and before they could be
subdued five blocks had been burned.
The oil from scores of broken tanks
ran into the creek and was ignited by
floating debris. In few minutes the
creek was ablaze from shore to lore,
and as it was carried down the stream
death and destruction followed in it's
wake. Everything infiammable took
fire, and by the time it reached Oil City
all the bridges between the two points
were consumed.
Up to noon to-day fifty-si bodies
have been found and taken to the
morgue here. Many ore totally unrecog-
nizeable. There is no communication
by rail with Oil City and travel through
the country is almost i'm possible be-
cause the only bridges left standing are
few iron railroad bridges.
HARRISBURG, June 6.-[Speciall-
Governor PattisoE has issued a procla-
nation, re .ommending to the citizens
of Pennsylvania prompt action for the
relief of their fellow citizens, and re-
questing and directing all citizens, So
cieties, committees and agencies desir-
ing to aid in this work to put themselves
in communication with the authorities
of Titusville and Oil City.