Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-06-10
In the Rnined Valley.

In the Ruined Valley.
OIL CITY. PA, June G.-Eighteen miles
of death and 1esolation is the story in
brief of the awful catastrophe which has
decimated the borders of OIL Creek from
Titusville TO this point. On both sides OF
the creek flood and fire have left ruin and
wreckage. II will take days before the
record of death and destruction can be
completed. This Is the most awful dis
aster which has ever come to this vicinity,
and has no rival in the United States, eX-
cept the JohustOwn flood. a raging tor
rent. tank of oil undermined and top
pled into the food, a coal dropped from
locomotive passing over the bridge in the
city, a series of explosions along the sur
face of the creek, and houses. men, wO-
men, and children were instantly wrapped
in DANES These are the causes and eff
fects of the disaster so far as this place is
concerned.
The inmates of the houses had but to
choose how to dic-either drown or be
burned to death There was no escape,
and many chose the easier death and
jumped into the water, but even there the
fire found them, and every body so far re-
tONtItu HuOMe Aldl llb lflNtA hbt WI n
of destruction. At 6 o'clock this morn
ing the fire had burned itself on; and the
flaming oil had passed away. The creek
and river, however, are rising AMI much
of this place will be still further flooded !;
bnt there Is little left now along Oil Greek
which the flood can damage The fire
has left practically nothing on which the
water may prey. The rising waters have
interfered with recovering the bodies of
the victims in Oil City proper.
The fiery food destroyed one mile of
property along the creek, on tho west
side. Across the crack, from the main
portion OF the city, not house is stand
ing bet ween the creek and the hills, and
not vestige of life can be seen ex-
cept the many searchers for the dead.
Along the east side, from the mouth of
OIL Creek for distance of three quarters
Of a mile. every building except one along
the creek has been destroyed. This
strange monument OF the death-laden
Hood is a frame dwelling,house standing
among the rnins. 1t was in the midst OF
the flood and ire. and yet it was passed
by. The curtains are on all the windows
and the noon meal stands on the table,
but the former occupants of this lonely
house are among the dead. They at
tempted to escape and were caught in the
sea of flames on the east side. The great
est damage is along the streets. The
searching for the dead was stopped at
midnight but was resumed at day break.
The scene is almost too much for endur
ance. Burned out of all semblance to
human beings. in positions showing the
terrible agony before death came. are a
few of the victims. From yarious esti
mates, it is safe to say the loss in this city
alone will reach 200. Many haye been
swept away and will never be found,
though when the food subsidies it will
reveal scores Of bodies.
At one point alone ten are known to
have given in to the burning flood. None
of them has been found.
The financial loss to this place is hard
to estimate at present, bat it viii be over
Sl,0e0,0OO.
Most of the houses destroyed were own
ed by the occupants and we're worth from
81 900 to $4,000. There we're between
$50 aud 300 houses de troyed besides tie
various hotels, works, and manufactures.
The building occupied by the Derrick was
abandoned, but the paper came out this
morning.
Over 300 homeless people are being
taken care of ana the Presbyterian church
is being used az a temporary shelter
Heart-rendlng and pitifnl sights meet one
everywhere and tales of heroism and des-
perate fights with the to sn-destrOyng
elements are heard.
s.f.t IL, 81 fha in oil Of ifa
horrors, and many strong men turned
away sick at heart, as body after body
was found even with the water at its
present height, and dread the awful tale
which will be told when the flood sub
sides
The tales OF heroic struggles for life
will never cease to be tel J., and every
person one meets has thrilling story to
relate. While all alike in most respects,
each has some distinctive feature which
makes it worthy of honorable mention.
Were all given, however, space could not
be found to contain them.
All along the burned section can be
seen groups of persons still hunting for
their loved ones. They do not seem to
weary or despair, but dig into the &C.
cumulated filth and rubbish with bare
and bleeding hands. Many have not
ceased for moment IN their search for
the dead. Without food an sleep the
are continuing in their tasks.
For many Of them the work will be with
ont result, as it is now certain that many
of the bodies have either been burned to
cinders or swept into the flood and wash
ed away. The banks along the creek are
-. o.I vfaftua has IN |
his last resting place unattended by
mourning friends and with no ceremonies.
At late hour tonight sixty-seven bodies
have been taken from the ruins, and this
erds the work of the selrchers
till to morrow. Those who are acquainted
with the locality where tie greatest dam
age was done say the loss of life must
reach at least $50, and many put the
hgures at 200. The number of bodies re-
covered gives no fair estimate OF the num-
Der lost. The section where this loss OF
life is greatest was largely occupied by
foreigners employed IN the tube works.
No one knows their names, and it will be
impossible to learn just how many are
Ia this section also were vast /
number of children, or, as one citizen pnts
it. there are swarms of them. or all the
bodies recovered, only ten were children,
and the great question g. what has be-
come Of the rest o. the children
Uubonnded gratitude - felt and ex
pressed by the relief committee here over
The unsolicited and generous subscriptions |
md offers of aid from outside persons.
10 night the committee has IN hand over
;l2, 600, and the answers TO the inquiries
10 day will to morrow swell the |
subscription to double this sum. Al
,eady there have been requests for aid
rom 300 and this number is surely being