The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-06-07
AWFUL CALAMlTIES.
PEOPLE DROWNED AND BURNED BY
THE SCORE.
BURNING OIL SPREAD OVEN THE
WATERS WITH GREAT RAPIDITI
"A DAM BURSTS.

vania Saturday night, following almost
continuous rain for six weeks, caused
the greatest food ever known in the
Oil Creek Valley, accompanied by
dreadful destruction Of life and pro
perty.
The Spartansburg dam burst, letting
loose an avalanche of water, which
swept down upon Titusyille while the
inhabitants slept.
Explosions and fires followed, vast
quantities Of burning oil quickly spread
over the surface of the stream, and
scores Of people were drowned and
burned. The city waterworks, gas
and electric-hght works are all under
water and thousands Of homeless peo-
pie were without food or fuel or light
last night.
The scenes of the night in Titusville
were repeated yesterday on perhaps
even a larger scale at Oil City, eigh-
teen miles below. Thousands of peo-
pie were watching the food when there
occurred an explosion that was rapidly
followed by others.
Fire spread with great rapidity,
burning oil being carried everywhere
by the flood.
Forty lives are known to have been
lost and hundred of people are missing.
The damage to property in Titus
vile and Oil City, and the towns along
the creek between those cities, amounts
to millions Of dollars, and appeals for
help have been made to the country
ct large.
HUNGRY AND HOMELESS PEOPLE.
The streets are filed with hungry,
homeless, weeping and distracted peo-
pie, mourning the loss of loved ones
who have persisted in the rush Of waters
or the fiery pillows which engulfed
them almost in thetwinkling ofan eye
as they were struggling in the vain
endeavor to save their homes.
The destruction Of property viii ag-
gregate fully 100000 in this city
alone, with the surrounding country
yet to hear from. A large number Of
the city's most extensive and prosper
Gus manufacturing establishments lie
in ashes and hundreds of homes and
business places are utterly wiped out.
1t is impossible to 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
one hundred and fifty lives have been
lost. nearly one hundred bodies have
already been recovered and many
people are still missing. The number
may far exceed one hundred and fifty,
but this is regarded as conservative
estimate.
The property loss viii reach far into
the millions. At Titusville the loss
is estimated at 81, 800, 900, Oil City,
81, 800. 900; Cory, 100000; Meadville,
$3.50, 900, and surrounding country
probably a million more.
JoHSsTowN ON 4 REDUCED SCALE.
As sad and thrilling scenes as evel
took place in the valley of the Cone
maugh have been repeated here to.
day, while thousands of people looked
on without the ability to prevent them
One father tonight is crazy over the
loss Of his whole family, a wife and
seven children, one babe in arms but
three days old.
A brother was rescued from a burn
ing building, being forced to leave his
sister, her husband and two little chill.
dren to perish.
One mother, with babe elasped in
her right arm, while with her left she
chung with desperation to piece Of
plank, was drawn into washed-out
hole and seen no more.
One son sorrows for the loss Of his
aged parents and two sisters, himself
and brother being all that now re-
mains Of the happy household Of yes
terday.
Five men were seen to perish to-
gether. The sight was witnessed by