The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-06-09
BY FIRE AND FLOOD.
OIL CITY AND TITUsvILLE, PENN, THE
SUFFERERS.
Burning Oil Tanks Add to the Horror Of a
Cloudburst Water Everywhere, and
Burning, Blazing Oil Dashing
About by Wind and Current.

OIL CITY, Pa, June 5,-Never be-
fore in the oil regions has there been
such disaster as that city is now
witnessing. Oil creek is a raging tor.
rent, and it's water floods the whole
city. Directly at its mouth is the iron
bridge of the New York, Pennsylvania
and Ohio railroad. Two squares up
the stres m is the iron. and wooden
bridge of the city, connecting the
Third ward with the city proper, and
on the east side of the creek is Trinity
Methodist church and Derrick office
and oil exchange opposite, and half a
mile north tank filled with gasoline
exploded as an engine passed, and the
flames shot hundred feet into the
air, and the earth shook with
an awful tremor. The engi.
neer and fireman are supposed
to have been burned to death. In an
instant the fire swept madly over
the entire upper part of the city. Men,
women and children who were NOV
| ing from their houses were caught by
the deadly flames and if not burn ed to
death, drowned in the raging flood.
Another iron and wooden bridge went
down 5 minutes after the fire started.
From this bridge southwark for a
quarter of mile the entire town was
destroyed and the fire is still raging.
The refining company's large tank
are burning and it is feared the burn
ing oil will again come down the
creek. If it should but little of the
business portion of the city will re.
main standing.
Prisons furniture store was swept
away. Reinbold's hotel and livery
stable were destroyed in few min
utes and two persons who have hot
been identified were burned to death.
1t is impossible to find words to de-
scribe the awful calamity, and no one
here has any idea as to the number of
lives lost. For miles up the creek on
both sides everything is in ruins.
Hundreds Of families are rendered
homeless. The fire came so suddenly
that little if any property was saved
and the sky for miles around is still
black with smoke from burning
dwellings and oil tanks. The water
in the creek is falling slowly at this
hours p. m.-and it is hoped the
worst is ever.
In the upper part Of the town 100
dwellings were destroyed by fire.
The loss of property is estimated at
o million dollars.
The list of dead, so far as identified
is as follows: William Schafer, Frank
lin; John Reinbold, Oil City; Charles
Miller, Oil City; Miss Minnie Russell,
PCttsville; Daniel Sullivan, Oil City;
James Holmes, Oil City; Mrs. William
Briggs, Oil City; Emma Briggs, Oil
City; William Moran, Oil City; Ed.
Heating, Oil City; Mr.. Terwilliger, Mr..
Baker and Sheridan Wicks.
EXTENT OF THE FLOOD.
PITTsBURG, Pa, June 5.-The flood
appears to be general over Northern
Pennsylvania. A telegram from
says the damage there can
not be now estimated. A gorge form
ed in deep ravine north of town
a lake of 8 acres twenty feet
deep, broke and swept half the city.
No deaths are reported but the loss of
is frightful.
A telegram from Titusville places
the loss of life at $50. The water came
up suddenly from Oil creek and flood
ed the whole flat as far as Spring
street, forming lake half mile in
width and two-thirds of a mile
in length. A short time later the
A cme oil refinery was struck by light
ming. The flames spread rapidly and
soon five blocks, from Perry to Drake
streets, were burned. Half dozen of
the largest refineries were burned. A
large number of bodies were recovered
and the work is still going on. A later
item from Oil City is that the entire
Third ward is in ashes and the flames
are still spreading. The larger por-
ton of the town is still under water.
Eleven persons are reported burned
to death and several were drowned.
Great damage was reported at Cory,
Pa, aud other towns in that region.
ESTIMATE OF LOSS.
PITTsBURG, Pa, June 5.-The oil
regions of Pennsylvania were visited
today by a disaster of fire and water
only eclipsed in history by the flood
at Jamestown three years ago. 1t is
at this hour, midnight, to
give anything like an accurate loss of
life and property. 1t Is safe to say
that not less than $50 lives were lost;
nearly 100 bodies have already been
recovered, and many people are still
The property loss will
reach far up into the millions at Ii
The loss is estimated at
81 500, 900 at Oil City and 81, 900, 900 at
and in the surrounding
probably 81 900, 600 more. For
nearly month it has been raining.
AT TITUsVILLE.
TITUsvILLE, Pa, June 5.-The city
was visited during the past twenty.
our hours by one of the most disas-
jrous fires and floods in the history of
his region. Oil creek was overlooked,
md for hours assumed the proportions
almost of resistless flood. The Ferry
street and Franklin street iron bridges
we're swept away, several dwellings
n the lower part of the city were de-
'troyed and several lives were lost.
some were burned, but majority
drowned. The scene presented by the
'ushing waters surging through
he lower part of the city was