Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-06-09
OIL AND WATER.
Great Destruction Wrought by
These in Pennsylvania
The OIL REGION SUFFERS GREATLY.
A Cioudburst Inundated OH city and Titus
vile and Exploding OIL Tanks Added
to the Horror Loss Of Life Large
Much Property Destroyed.


water that is only eclipsed in the history
OF this country by the memorable flood
at Johnstown just three years ago.
II is impossible at this hour, mid
night, 10 give anything like an accurate
idea of the loss Of life and property, as
chaos reigns throughout the devastated
region and terrible confagration still
RACES in Oil City.
1t is safe TO say that not less than 100
lives have been lost
Nearly 100 bodies have already been
recovered and many people are still
missing.
The property loss W i'll reach far into
millions At Titusvill the loss is esti-
mated at 81, 800, 900, Oil City sl,5OO,OO
Cory 100000, Meadyille $3.50 900 and
surrounding country probably Ell, oOO, 900
more.
For nearly q month IL has been rain
ing throughout western and northern
Pennsylvania incessantly, and for the
past three or four days the downpour In
the devastated regions had been very
heavy. The constant rains had con-
verified all the small streams into raging
torrents so that when the cloudbursts
came yesterday morning the dams were
unable to withstand the shock and the
streams were soon beyond their bound
aries, while the great body OF water
came sweeping down Oil creek TO Titus
vile, which is eighteen miles south of
its source.
The lower portion of the town was
soon inundated. The flood came so
quickly that the people had not time TO
reach place of safety. The water
swiftly swept II number of oil tanks
down the stream and in some way not
known they were ignited
In less time than IL takes to tell the
story the flames spread to the surround
ing buildings and before they could be
subdued five blocks had been burned.
The oil from the scores of broken tanks
ran into the creek and was ignited by
the floating debris, In few minutes
the creek was ablaze from shore to
shore, and rs II was carried down the
stream death and destruction followed
in its wake Everything inilammable
took fire, and by the time IL reached
Oil City all the bridges between the two
points were consumed. Oil City Is
eighteen miles from Titusvillc. The
towns along the creek are Boughton,
Miller Farm, Pioneer, Petroleum, Gem
ter Rynd Farm, housewife and McClin-
rockville. Housewife has about 1000
inhabitants and the other towns about
200 each.
At Titusville the food came in the
night time and scores of sleeping men,
women and children walked to con-
seriousness only to find death in the
rushing waters or swift, sweeping
flames. When morning broke darlSly
and the red sun illumined with its
crimson rays the flood and flame devas-
tated district, on the roofs and in the
windows of the upper stories of the
houses in the submerged districts
were seen men, women and chill
dren dressed mostly in their night
robes and all piteously appealing
for aid and succor in voices which
could only now and then be dis.
tinguished above the loud rush of the
waters and crash of falling timbers.
Clinging to the driftwood, timbers and
other debris, as they were borne on
ward down the stream, were scores OF
human beings.
At Oil City the devastation wrought
by flame and flood is indcscriba BILE
Great sections of the city are in ashes
and only charred timbers tell of the To-
cation of hundreds of happy homes
How many lives have been lost there
no man can tell or even guess. II is
certain that the number win reach 15C
and IL is probable that when the list OF
the dead shall have been fully com.
pleted IL will be found TO exceed 200. A
partial list is herewith given:
AZ Gt,,f
Reinhold, Oil City; Matt Lyons; Charles Dill
ley, on City. Miss Minnie Russell, Pottsvllle
Pa; Daniel Sullivan engineer OH City; James
Holmes, barber, Oh City; Mrs. William Briggs
OIL City; Miss Emma Briggs, OH City; William
Moran, on CltS o Mr. Baker, book agent stop
ping at Exchange hotel. Mr. John Roach and
som Frank Watson, aged II years, missing; Mr.
Eakin and two sons d. koplng, wife and
sons; S. WicRs; Two sons Of Mr. Hassenfritz;
Ed Heating, section boss, on City; Mr.. Ter
williger Mr., Baker; Sheridan Wick
Seriously injured Louis Hazenfretz, badly
burned and cannot recover; Five children
unknown badly burned and two will die;
Mrs. Fenny and six children, badly burned.
Mrs. Hawks and daughter, burned, one will
probably recover William Atkin and his two
sons, Frank and Edward; Mrs. Briggs and
three daughters; John OLeary and mother;
MT and Mrs. Hawks and daughter, Frank and
William Hassenfritz Matthew Lyons wife and
two children; Frank Plank William Shafer
William Fergivillor James Rogers, James
Askins, William White, John Roach, Daniel
Sullivan, Frank Goodrich, Edward Heating,
Charles Miller, John StrelS John Rambo
Humphrey Stewart, William Stewart Harry
Holmes, William Malone, Frank Watson WIN.
lam Baker, W. l.. Daugherty, Frank Watson,
Sheridan Wicks, Edward Mills and four chill
dren; Mrs Copeland and baby; Mrs. Levi Fit
tiers.
At Ttusvile John Quinn mail carrier, wife
and two childreni Jacob Bergenghamer and
wife and nine children; Mrs, Mary Haynes and
three daughters-Gertrude, Mary and Clara
and one son; Mrs. NJ. Mckenzie; John McFad
den and sister Mrs. Campbell and two children;
Mr.. Coppoei Fred Reid butcher wife and child
four more names unknown; Mrs q. Caspenson.
AT MEANWHILE, PA.
MEANWHILE, Pa, June G.-This entire
section was swept by the worst flood in
its history last night.
midday rain of great volume
swelled every stream bank full and the
storm which followed in the evening
brought the flood.
In this city Mill run overhowed It's
banks and swept the whole business
part Of the city, demolishing n dozen OF
more buildings and entailing loss OF
sl50,0O0, of which ESQ, 900 are 10 the
streets.
on CITY, Pa, June IA day full Of
excitement and narrowing scenes has
closed here and thousands who have
been seeking for the dead and aiding
81, Npaysfnor hava roma 10 ,.agt MOI