Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-06

| Track. Just then the very SWltcnlng en-
gine that had caused the fire dashed dowr
the track to place of safety. Miller in hi
fear never saw the engine and was rul
down. and his body tossed to one side will
four others at the end of the bridge.
Another of the bodies found there tina
have so far been recognized, was that of III
| w. Shafer, operator of the Postal Tele
graph Company. Shafer had been standing
right in the track of the flames He was fa
up the bank, but his body was roasted to .
crisp. Not a particle of clothing remained
on his peIson, and he was only recognized
by his name on a key ring, which had faller
under him. The other bodies were so badly
burned that they were unrecognizaDle.
The Relief Movement Organized.
AS soon as it was known that the disaster
was so widespread, prompt measures were
taken to recover all the bodies of the dead
and to give to the living what aid might be
| necessary. 1t was decided to leave the details
in the hand OF the Oil City Relief Commit.
i tee, and a meeting was called at once, even
before the flames had entirely died away.
| During the meeting the Chairman read
kilograms from Miller and Sibley, of Frank
| lin, and officials of the Western New
York and Pennsylvania Railroad, each
rendering $500 for the relief of the victims
| of the flood and fire.
| Out of the smoke and flames of the tube
mills, and the whirling waters that sur
rounded it, with houses falling and burning
all around, it did not seem that any
life could come. Late this after
noon, however, some persons pass
ing along the railroad track heard
cries of distress from the barrel works In
few minutes members of the relief corps
were on the spot. AS the smoke lifted for
an instant six persons were seen clinging
to detached fragments of the fence. Between
these unfortunates and safety was the angry
flood, while on the other side, and nearly
touching them, were piles of burning
wrec!lage.
Help Comes to the DespalrinC Party.
A raft was started to bring them to shore,
but in an instant it was whirled away by
the waters, and the brave occupants mar
rowly escaped drowning. The only avenue
Of escape was in the immediate vicinity of
the burning oil tanks, which, heated as they
were, threatened to boil over every moment.
While the rescuers were debating the
question, the smoke lifted still more, and
far out in the angry flood three more half
drowned figures were seen clinging des-
perateiy to some wreckgge.
Then, when the others saw that help was
at hand, cries arose on all sides, and it was
that maze of water and mass of flames.
There had been Is just a few minutes
before, but exhausted nature gave way and
a woman with her child slipped into the
flood and were not seen again.
Those still alive were clinging to fences
or standing in shallow water. A call was
made for boats, and while these were being
brought, J. H. Payne, Mike Hennessy and
man named Martin, of Silverlyville, with
stranger, started to wade the flood to rescue
the distressed women at least.
Rescued From the Very Jaws of Death.
At times the water was over the heads of
the brave men, who, nothing daunted,
swan far out in the whirling stream and
finally reached the distressed party. 1t
consisted of Mrs. Feeny and five children.
The brave mother was almost dead.
scorched and half strangled. 1t seemed
impossible that she could hold all her
children safely until assistance arrived.
She would not let any of them go, but held
to all and saved them. She welcomed the
rescuers with burst of tears of gratitude,
and all were safely brought to land, Mike
Hennessv making two trips. The woman
and all the children were severely burned,
but it is believed all will live.
Soon after thev were saved the father was
sought for. He was found crazed with grief
at the supposed loss of his entire family.
1t was in the burned district of the Third
ward that the most appalling scenes were
visible. After fire and flood had done their
work, not an article in any house
had been saved, while here and there, amid
smoldering ruins one after another
body was dragged out and identified by
weeping relatives. All that section of
town was placed under military guard to-
night, and with daylight tomorrow more
thorough search will be made for other
bodies that, no doubt, lie there.
The Work of the Firemen.
The fire laddies did noble work. Before
the fire began, they were busy with the
they might from the flood. When the
fire started they were promptly out
with the hose and saved the big bridge and
Trinity Church All effort was turned
toward saving the bridge, as this was the
only avenue to the Third ward. Their
foresight was shown this afternoon and
evening, when wonders were done in that
stricken district by the salvage CORPS
Water was Of no use against the oil fire, and
when there was nothing else to do the fire.
men ventured their lives in the food to save
many persons seen floating down.
Tonight the bodies of the dead, known
porary morgues on both sides of the river
Many Of the victims are totally unrecog-
nizable. Their faces and forms are roasted,
while in many instances either arms,
legs or heads are burned entirely
off, and identification seems almost
impossible. -Four spectators who were
standing at the south end of the Western
New York and Pennsylvania Railroad
bridge across Oil creek were cooked to a
crisp in a fash and fell in heap where
they stood.
The Waters Begin to Subside.
Late tonight the waters are subsiding |
and the bodies are being found in greater |
numbers. Many are as yet unidentified, |
and the list is growing frightfully. A re- !
quest has been received by the Mayor from |
Governor Pattison to report the condition |
Of affairs.
Tonight Irs. William Monks, Mrs. j. T.
Hawk and Miss Mertie Hawk were rescued
from the burned portion of the town. They
we're badly scorched, but will live. Hassen
Fritz, in trying TO rescue his dead wife,
was so badly burned about the face that he
S entirely blind.
While rescuiDg parties were making
heroic efforts to land many of the distressed
he body of Dan Sullivan was found and
brought in. Only the head was burned,
,ut ii was nearly severed from
he trunk. Edward Heating, section boss
If the Western New York and Pennsyl-
7ania, was burned through, his clothing
;atching FIRE from the explosion. He ran
rom the railroad track to his home, where
lie dropped dead.
The clothing of Henry w. Sbafer, Postal
operator, aged %, caught fire and
he inhaled flames When found he was
ace down, partially under a small foot