The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1892-06-08
THE T1Tusv1LLE HORROR.
Nearly Half Hundred Dead and Several
Hundred Unacccunted Enr.

Hundred Unaccounted For.
TiTrsvrir, Pa jane G-Titusville was
visited on Sunday by one of the most appnll
ing fires and overwhelming floods in the
history of this country. A conservative
estimate places The number of lives lost nj
fully - from fire Hnd drowning.
The list now actually found and known
20 be dead is as follows. William Cuppey,
Fred Reide, Mr. Mary Ilachn, Mamie
llaehn, Gertie llaehn, Clara lIaehn, Peter
llaehu. Mrs. Fred Campbell and two chill.
drcn, Oliver Edgar Joseph Spicgles and two
children visiting here from Warren, Frank
Whalun, wife and child, i. lcmcres, Nellie
| Quinn, MIS-. furman aud daughter (colored),
| Mrs. A. Jacobs Della Rice. Mrs. Englisky
| and child Mrs. Jacobs and child. A picture
frame leddler name unknown, Guldie Holm
ll years old Mrs. Jacob Bingcnheimer and
teven children, Mrs G.. +. Caspcfson Mrs.
I. Quinn, Mamie Quinn; John Mcl'adden.
| As near as can hc gathered from the re-
! ports ~ they come IN the loss by destruc-
tiOn OF property will aggregate fully 81 ,bOO,-
coo All this loss is In this city, with the
surrounding country yet to I've heard from.
| A large number of the most extensive
and prosperous manufacturing establish
ments now lay in ashes, and hundreds Of
| homes and business places a'c utterly wiped
| out, while the streets are filled with n hun
| cry, homeless. weeping and distracted
| lcople, morning the loss Of loved ones VINO
| have pefishcd IN the rush of waters or the
| frey bllows of flame which engulied them
| IN the twnkhnE of an eye as they were
! struggling II the vain eudcdyUr to save their
| homes.
The scenes Of the day completely beggar
description. Parents and children stood by,
| without power 20 aid, and witnessed each
other struggle in the clutches Of the flood
| until eventually they went down to rise no
| more. AS sad and thrilling scenes ne ever
! took place IN the valley OF the Cunemnugh
| three years ago have been repeated here to-
| day, while thousands of people looked ON
without the least chance to avert them.
| People do not as yet realize the enormity
| Of the great catastrophe that has befalen
| them. IL is too full Of horror for them To
grasp in moment. Fully 200 PEOPLE are as
| yet unaccounted for but in the crush, hurry
ana confusion is impossibleto TO give actual
| figures.
Five men were seen 10 perish together
The sight was witnessed by fully 1000 peo-
| pie all powerless to render aid. The men
mad hold OF piece of timier and were
struggling TO make the shore. Just as il
! looked as though they would reach il
| neighboring tank of oil exploded and the
| burning oil quickly enveloped the doomed
| men, death came almost instantly. Scores
Of cases Of like fearful nature are reported.
| now II STARTED.
About midnight Saturday historical old
U
almost incessant rains have been prevalent
! throughout this entire section for the past
| SIX weeks. This, however, does not seem TO
| have been the cause Of the sudden rise in
Oil creek, although at first il was thought to
| be the case. Late reports say that the huge
mill dam, owned 10y Thomson Il Eldred,
and located at the little town of Spartans-
burg, seven miles above this city, suddenly
| burst. This body of artificial water was one
| and one-half miles in length and one-fourth
nf mile wide and quite deep, That great
BODY of water, thus suddenly let loose made
Of this valley, in the course of a few mo-
| ments a regular inland sea. The avalanche
pf water descending when most Of the in
habitants were sleeping, completely and at
once shut them off from the higher por-
tions of the city. Notwithstanding this state
OF affairs the danger Of the city was under
rated. no one having the slightest idea that
the flood, dangerous as II was, was TO be soon
augmented by fire. This, however, was true,
Tor at o'clock Sunday morning, immedi-
| ately following three terrific explosions
which shook the city to its center, a great
light went up from the direction of the
Crescent refinery, located on the north side
OF the creek in the East End, and owned by
John Schwartz d Co.
A second look showed the entire plant to
be one vast sheet of solid flame, the light
from which illuminated full half mile of
surrounding blackness and showed 10 the
| extent OF the great calamity that had befal-
en- their city. The tongues of flame shoot
ing 100 feet and more straight into the
heavens; the shrieks and agonizing cries of
the helpless human beings Gagged in their
dwellings like rats IN Il trap, in the middle
OF that rushing and mighty water and with
in the very shadow of death from burning
oil, benzine and naphtha that threatened at
any time to engulf them.
Oil creek, now swollen to 500 times its ma
tural size and reaching from one hillside to
the other, presented an appalling picture.
Floating swiftly by on its bosom were all
sorts, manners and kinds of animate and in
animate objects-tanks, stills with the
VI cam in them and blowing on; houses,
barns, horses, cows chickens, everything
almost being borne onward with a rush.
Clinging TO various objects such as driftwood,
pieces OF boards, timbers and any other ob.
lect they could lay hands on were scores of
human beings, their white and terror
strlek eountenances, desperate st uggles and
plaintive, soul-piercng cries all combining
To create impressions in the minds Of the be-
holders never to be effaced or forgotten.
About one hour from the time the Cres-
cent works caught another alarm was sound
ed, and 1t was found that OIL discharged
from an overturned tank further up the
creek had scattered itself over broad
enough expaDse OF water 10 reach the Cres-
cent fire, where it at once ignited, and in
moment a large acreage OF the creek was
one vast sea OF fire. This blaze soon spread
ID the international Oil Works owned by J.
J.. Thomas II Co., and they were soon in
blaze. Then came the large refining plant
ana soap factory of Rice Il Robinson, which
the flames in short time reached and con-
sumed. The wind was in the right quater
and on sped the fire, arriving In due time at
the Oil Creek refinery and wax plant
The fire destroyed the large furniture
factory. store and store room OF Casperson IL
Rowe located on South franklin street the
Dullen Hotel, opposite the Western New
York and Pennsylvania passenger depot the
Western New York and Pennsylvania
freight depot and about 75 private dwellings
Figuring ne loss on Woods plant the
close " u, 10000. Itis partly covered by