Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-06-09
A FIERY FLOOD
Sweeps Down Upon Two Penn
sylyania Cities.
Miles of the Surface Of Oil Creek
Covered With Flame.
Estimated That Four Hundred
Lives Were Lost.

Hundreds of Acres of Oil City Swept by
Fire-The Loss at Titusyille and Oil
City sl,5Oo,O 600 Eachi Cory, SEQ, 900;
MeadviIle, s15o,OOO and Probably
s1,O0O,OOO in the Surrounding Coun-
try-Another Pennsylvania Calamity,
Second Only to the One at Johnstown.
On CRY, Pa, June 7.-At 11:30 Sun
day forenoon a large proportion of the
population Of the city was distributed
along the banks and bridges of the Ale
gheny river and Oil creek, watching the
rise of the food in both streams. The
chief cause of the rise of the latter is due
to cloudburst above Titusville Satur-
day night, which resulted in the loss of
number of lives at that place. At the
time mentioned an ominous covering of
oil made its appearance on the crest of
the food pouring down the Oil creek
valley, and dangerous and foreboding
waves of gas from distillate and ben
zine could be seen above the surface of
the stream.
People began slowly to fall back from
the bridge and the creek, but they had
hardly begun to do so when an explosion
was heard up the stream, which was
rapidly followed by two others, and
quick as flash of lightning the creek
for distance of two miles was filed
with an awful mass of roaring flames
and billOws of smoke that rolled high
above the creek and river hills.
The oil from the scores of broken tanks
ran into the creek and was ignited by
floating debris. In a few minutes the
creek was ablaZe from shore to shore,
and as it was carried down the stream
death and destruction followed in its
wake. Everything inhammable took
fire, and by the time it reached Oil City
all the bridges between the two points
were consumed.
Can Not Be Described.
The scene in the city was one of the
most heartrending imaginable, and one
which mind can not conceive, nor pen
portray. The tongues of flames shooting
200 feet and more straight into the heav-
ems, the shrleks and agonizing cries of
the helpless human beings Gagged in their
dwellings like rats in trap in the mid
die of that rushing and mighty water
and within the very shadow of death
from burning oil, benzine and naphtha
that threatened at any time to engulf
them, the shrill whistling of one hun
dred and one steam whistles, the jangle of
the fire bell, the clatter of the steamers,
hose carts, hook and ladder trucks, the
crackle, roar, rush and rumble of the
huge body of water and sky piercing
flames, all went to strike terror to the
strongest heart. The people, in their
eager haste to get some place out of
danger, they knew not where, in many
cases rushed pell-mell over each other
and scores were injured by being
knocked down and trampled on.
Oil creek, now swollen to 800 times its
natural size, and reaching from one hill
side to the other, presented an appalling
picture.
Floating swiftly by on its bosom were
all sorts, manners and kinds of animate
and inanimate objects-tanks, stills with
the steam in them and blowing off,
houses, barns, horses, cows, chickens,
everything almost-borne onward with
rush, clinging to various objects, such
as driftwood, pieces of boards, timbers
and any other objects they could lay
their hands on, were scores of human
beings, their white and terror-stricken
countenances, desperate struggles and
plaintive, soul-piercing cries for aid all
combining to create impressions in the
minds of the beholders never to be
effaced or forgotten.
The Loss of Life.
An estimate made by a city official
places the loss of life in Oil City at 200.
A report reached here Monday morn
ing from Titusville that 900 bodies had
been taken from the ruins at and near
that place. Wires are down and re-
ports are very meager, and they lack
confirmation.
It is safe to say that not less than 400
lives have been lost. Nearly 300 bodies
have already been recovered and many
people are still missing.
The number may far exceed 400, but
this is regarded as conservative esti-
mate,
Oil City is eighteen miles from Titus
vile. The towns along the creek are
Boughton, Miller Farm, Pioneer, Petro-
leum Center, Rynd Farm, Housewife,
and McClintodfville. Rouseville has
about 1000 inhabitants, and the other
towns about 200 each. Oil creek flows
through narrow gorge all the way.
The property loss may reach far into
the millions. At Titusville the loss is
estimated at 81 SOC, 900; Oil City, 81 $780,
600; Cory, 100000; Meadvflle, $3.50, 900,
and surrounding country probably ST.
100000 more.