The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-07
THE DAY IN OIL CITY
Much Confusion Yet md the Work OF He
covering Bodies Delayed.


On CITY, June Cit will take days to learn
the exact loss Of life in this town from Sun
days flood. Although intense excitement Is
over to some extent. confusion among the
residents still runs high. and all business is
suspended. To make matters worse. hun
dreds OF strangers are crowding into the town
These at once make for the scenes OF the trag-
edy. whore they seriously Inconvenience the
men searching for the bodies OF tho dead
The militia and the police are still patrolling
tho streets. and although they render effective
SERVICE their numbers are insufficient to conc
with the throngs The situation il simply tor
rblo The cataract OF flood and flame and
binding smoke rushed over the city with the
speed Of cannon ball. 1t was like pes
thence on the wings OF tornado. Horror.
anguish. and despair were in its wake.
Realizing the full extent Of their danger
thousands Immediately made for tho hills
while the weaker members. representing old
men. women and children. were left behind to
perish. In the rush some OF tho fugitives
were forced down and trampled under foot. no
effort was made to save them. and there they
lay. In the path OF the water and flame.
THE WIND CHANGED ITS COURSE.
That the main portion OF Oil City was not
completely wiped from the face OF the earth Is
the wonder OF every one and its partial saliva
ton was due to tho fact that the wind sud-
denly changed its course to the eastward.
That part OF the city lying north OF the boiler
works. along Seneca street and between that
street and the New York and Pennsylvania
tracks. the first portion Of the city to be in
undated by food. was the first to 60. 1t In
Guided 100 residences. They were quickly
burned to the waters edge. and the food was
soon leaplng over their ruins. sweeping down
20 fIA ctr hriI n;
Crock.
The flames thon began to cut their terrible
swathe OF destruction through the Third ward
Tho Bellevue Hotel barns were tho next to
burn. quickly followed by the hotel. Paul 4
Sons furniture and undertaking establish
mont. tho Petroleum House and the twenty
buildings lying between the creek bridge and
the alley below the Petroleum House. q
quarter OF mile away. At tho same time
tho flames swung In from the river and
burned tho Oil City Coal and Lumber Com
pany's mill. the Chautauqua and Sandy Lake
Ice Company's building. the Diebold resi-
dence. and c. Rosss tenement house.
Above the creek bridge. besides the resi-
dences In the inundated district. tho OIL City
barrel factory. the new buildings of the Oil
City tube works. and the intermediate build
ings were destroyed.
A train had been run out on the New York.
Pennsylvania and Ohio bridge to hold it down.
Six OF the cars were burned and the bridge
badly damaged. The Greek bridge was saved
by tho hard work OF the Fire Department, and
the fire was kept to tho west side of tbe creek,
though 1t twice leaped over md caught the
belfry Of Trinity Church and tho Derrick Office.
At this time the entire creek was a solid
mass of flame over seventy feet high and
reaching from tho Clapp farm TO tho mouth Of