davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
the streets and irving to get temporary

the streets and trying to get temporary
bridges ready.
The Coroner will hold an inquest to-mor-
row and take testimony. The majority of
the manufacturing establishments that were
either partlv or totally destroyed Will be
rebuilt at once, and this VIII give immediate
employment 10 large numoer OF men.
Rice, Robinson & Foggan, rehners have
already given orders for considerable ma
terial and will make their refinery more
co1niete than before. Hon. j. P. Thomas,
owner of the International Refinery, will
he here from ST. Louis tomorrow, but the
Secretary of the company, HI. I. Bowald,
saws the works will be rebuilt. The Cres-
cent Refinery is in complete ruins, and Mr..
Schwartz has made no plans for the fulure.
Mistakes in the Identilcations.
A report was current tonight that mis-
take had been made in reference to the identi-
fcation the remains of three of the Bingen-
heimer family. 1t is stated that three men,
bers of the Whalon family have been buried
in the Bingenheimer coffins. As the re-
mains of the members of this family were
charred beyond recognition it is thought
that the authorities will not allow the grave
TO be opened.
Joseph Seep, who returned from the Con-
ference Committee at Oil City states that
lne GlttsourS ara fnlladelpnla committees,
after consultation with local committees of
Titusville and Oil City, decided to give
Titusville 65 per cent of the relief fund and
Oil City S5 per cent.
The prompt action of the joint commit
tee Will save an immense amount of trouble
in the future. The Relief Committee is pro-
viding for 500 destitute people, and the con-
tributions of clothing that were received
from Buffalo and Meadville to-day will very
materially assist the ladies in their grand
work. PETIT.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
WORK OF THE WOMEN.

The Relief Committee Aids Many of the
sufering--The Wealthy Turn Out En-
Masse to Contribute to the Welfare of
the Devastated Community.
TTTUSvILLE, June 81 Special The
work of the Women's Relief Committee
reveals the full horrors of the destitutlon,
misery and suffering at the fats. There is
no attempt to systematic the plan OF relief
All that is required is appeal for help.
These hardy Pennsylvania working people
are averse to making known their poverty
and this adds another hill of difficulty to
the MANY which the philanthropic and over
worked committee are climbing. The relief
headquarters are in Old City Hall.
This evening it WAS filled with anxious
mothers with their families In the center
of each little weeping group was to be found
a listener with ready ears and pencil, and
none went away that did not carry more
than their arms could comfortably hold,
and, had they desired it, they could have
returned for more. Titusviile has not
waited for help from abroad 1t was a
curious sight TO see the carriages of wealthy
men driving through the flats loaded with
the novel burden of tubs, brooms, buckets
and potatoes.
The ruined district is practically aban-
doned to the clearing laborers, the sight
Eeers and few women who wander dis
consolately around the scenes of their tromer
home-happiness, telling each other how
lovely were the little houses with which
they had surrounded themselves. The
moment a member of the Relief Committee
appeared she was seized and perforce had
TO climb stairs up and down. Here had
been a cozy parlor, there a completely ap-
pointed kitchen or a newly built addition.
The people seem in half childish state,
and show more relish for a kind word or a
touch of the hand than for a well-stocked
market basket.
Mrs. Cadwallader, prominent in the Re-
lief Committee, said to-day that money was
the most pressing need. Contributions
offered for clothing have been pouring in.
Every wardrobe was robbed of its abun-
dance, every larder of its plenty. In the
first confusion everyone premeditated the
formation OF chief committee so that at
first there were a dozen or so committees
working unwittinglv at cross purposes
They have all coalesced to-day and affairs
are in spick-span shape.
From Sleadville came a carload of pro-
visions and clothing to-day and several in
dividual contributions from Oil CITY peo-
pie. Tne distress is all gradually being
grasped in an adequate manner. All the
suffering entailed, though, can never be
told TO the public. In the headquarters to-
day the women repeated stories and de-
scribed scenes in tones of little above q
whisper.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
vater to release mighty wave at its burst


ing
1t is pretty we'll established that at about
10 o'clock on Saturday evening there was
cloudburst half mile above the dam This,
with the increased volume of water pouring
In from the bulging streams that empty into
the basin. caused the water to fight furlonsly
for an exit from the basin. The dam was
swept away, but that was only an incident.
As this water descended it found relief by
spreading over the level on which Titus
vile is built. There was no huge wave;
there was simply rapid rise in the creek
that changed it into a river, and made Its
waves sap the foundations Of benzine tanks,
ordinarily high and dry.
The White Mist on the Benzine.
1t is the general belief, established by ex-
perience in this oil region, that benzine will
not explode in the open air. The testimony
is that the whole surface of the valley, after
the benzine tanks had discharged their con-
tents, was overlaid with thick white mist
not more than three feet high. 1t is prob
able that the soggy, water-soaked air would
not permit the gas from the benzine to rise,
but held it in mass, packd as though in
closed by the iron walls of tanks, and when
the long, white, slowly rising fumes from
this mist touched a hot surface, bed of
Goals for instance, there was an explosion
that shook the valley and stopped nearly
every clock in the town.
1t has been shown clearly that none of
the fiery water from Titusville reached Oil
City. The benzine and oil discharged from
the Titusville tanks burned itself out near
Titusville. The fire at Oil City, although
of exactly the same character and arising
from similar causes, was an independent
fire.
As a further proof that no tidal wave
passed down the Oil Creek Valley, it will
be recalled that the Oil City disaster was
at lao o'clock in the morning, while the
Titusville disaster was at midnight As
the two places are only IS miles distant,
and as the creek was running at mill-race
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
WARNED In A VISION.
The Oil City Disaster Prophesied by
an Indiana Negro.
FORETOLD A FRIGHTFUL FATE
That Would Spread as Far Down as Pitts
burg Four Weeks Ago.
SUPPOSED RAWLINGS OF A CRAZY MAN

A special telegram from Anderson, Ind,
to the DISPATCH received last night says:
One night fully four weeks ago William
Stoner, of this city, an intensely religious
man, was found walking the streets at mid
night preaching Justify and warning
the people against the vengeance of
the Almighty. He claimed tina
he had had fearful vision
and that he had been delegated to warn the
people of a trightful fate that would begin
in the oil regions of Pennsylvania and
spread to Pittsburg. Fire and flood would
literally wipe out the cities and the destruc-
tion would be more complete than the
Johnstown disaster.
Notwithstanding the unseemly hour the
speaker had attracted number of people
about him, for his far-reaching voice had
aroused nearly every sleeper in the neigh
borhood. 1t was taken for granted by per-
simply crazy, and the officer held to
the same belief, when he escorted Stoner to
Jail and locked him behind the bars. But
the colored man insisted from the outset he
was not insane, and protested against the
action of the officer who broke up the meet
ing.
He claimed that he had received reve-
laton to the effect that Pittsburg was to be
destroyed by flood and fire and had been
sent out to warn the people of their i'm
pending fate. 1t was OH Sunday
night that Stoner was arrested. He
had attended church that day,
both morning and evening, and
seemed to take especial interest in the de-
votions. After returning home from the
evening service the man put in the hours
until bed time reading the Bible and sing
ing hymns Nothing more was thought Of
the occurrence until the fearful news from
the oil regions came to hand and the proph-
ecy was remembered and is the sole topic Of
conversation.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
who gave gratuitously of their stores to the

VINO gave gratultously OF tnelr stores 10 tne
needful ones.
Over the creek in the devastated districts
the scene has been transformed from spec
tacle Of desolation to scene of activity.
Two hundred men with their axes, picks
and shovels have been working throughout
the day cleaning away the rubbish and zeal.
ously searching for the dead. The reward
of their labor is ct times grim and chastity
touching. Here and there is picked up a
remnant of baby clothing, half con-
sumed Bible, blistered photograph and oc-
casionally a crumbling bone from some con-
sumed body. The laborers are stoical to a
certain extent and view with the indiffer-
ence of familiarity the awful sights.
Debris Still Floats Downward
The creek and river is rapidly falling,
and upon the lusty current of the former
splintered debris still floats down from the
scenes of disaster above the city. Sight
seers of all classes stand upon the many
lofty eminences about the city and view
with wonder the desolated regions.
The scenes about the undertaking estab
lishments are unchanged. Frantic mothers,
grieving fathers, loving wives and ten
der husbands rush into the damp, dark
rooms each time body is brought in. Oc-
casionally an Identification takes place and
is followed by scenes of widest grief.
About o'clock woman of some 45 years
of age rushed into the undertaking rooms of
Paul & Bro. and fell in a faint before she
reached the charred remains of a young
man Just brought in. Upon being revived
she viewed the corpse, and, failing to recog-
nize the one she sought, burst into tears of
bitter disappointment, and was led away
with her form shaking with sobs.
Funeral Corteges on the Streets.
Funeral corteges pass through the streets
with pathetic frequency. Sometimes the
hearses are followed by a long line of car
riages, but more often the mourners, num-
bering twos and threes, sadly walk beside
the dark vehicle. The interments were
fewer in number to-day, but were none the
less impressive on that account. The
funeral of Edith Freeman, daughter of Mr..
and Mrs. d. c. Freeman, occurred this
morning and Mrs. Jolie Hawke this after
noon.
The destruction to animal life heretofore
almost unnoticed has been summed up bv
the Board of Health with the result of $50
cats, IS dogs, nine horses, six COWS and
many goats. The banks of the river where
the water overflowed have many bodies of
dead small animals such as rats, mice, cats,
etc., and many dead fish are also found in
the river and upon the banks. All four
classes of life suffered. the human, animal,
historical and vegetable, as well as minerals
and earthly things. The dual elements had
their CHASTITY run and everything suffered.
WEST.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
THE FUND is GROWING.

Over Sc 900 Collected Yesterday for the Oil
Country sufferers-Ihe Committee In
Benefit at Carnegie Hail To-Morrow
Night.
The Allegheny Relief Committee was
busy body yesterday, and all of the men,
bers worked hard securing aid for the suf-
ferers in the oil region. Over 81, 900 was
collected yesterday, and the prospects are
that the committee will raise at least $40, 900
before they will be satisfied. A meeting
wa. held in the Mayors Office last evening
and the collectors gave in returns for their
days work. At the conclusion telegram
was sent to Titusville telling the Mayor to
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
LOSSES, TWO MILLIONS.

What Ride in tho Rain to Rouseville Re-
vealed-The Creek Made a Clean Svveeu
Through the Town, but No Lives Were
Lost
OIL CITY, June s.-[Specia. Rain fall
ing straight from the heavens envelops this
place tonight with a veil of gloom, and the
valley of Oil creek is covered by the same
storm of the elements. This afternoon, in a
ride to Housewife, rain poured down con-
tinuously and swelled Oil creek half more
than its normal size. 1t banks are full of
rubbish which is being swept down by tie
current.
housewife, once a growing, prosperous
town. is now desolate. No lives were lost,
but the individual losses will excel those of
Oil City in comparison to the size of the
town. The creek made clean sweep
through it. General Wiley said this after
noon: ''The destruction up the creek is
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
THEORIES ABOUT THE FIRE.

Several Common Origins Found by Close
Investigation of the Facts-How tbs
Creek Was Suddenly Changed Into a
Mighty Rushing River.
OIL CITY, June S.-[SpecidL g. 1-Although
three DAYS have passed no exact and coher.
ent account of what occurred has yet ap-
peared. The people will tell you that they
were standing on the bridge over Oil creek,
that they were watching its waters rising
and groaning and kissing in their endeavor
to push through the narrow space between
the steep hills, that all at once these waters
spread out to whirl around the cottages OF
the laboring men in that low lying district
Then some will say that a flash shot from
the locomotive on the bridge, that the thin,
white mist hanging low over the water
burst into blaze, and that a roar like The
discharge of hundred cannon pushed up
against the sky. A huge cloud of smoke
came, and then everything was on fire, and
that there were terrible cries and tramplings
and prayers and curses.
Others will tell it differently, but all
agree that the valley was changed in a
twinkling from a waste of roaring water to
a sheet of fire, laden with odors and shrieks,
as though hell had yawned.
Since the food of fire and water every
thing has been so confused that no definite
inquiry into causes has been made. 1t was
said that the Spartansburg dam burst, and
there the matter rested. Your correspond
ent is convinced that the bursting of this
dam had little to do with the flood.
Waves SapDed the Benzine Tanks.
1t will be remembered that the rain had
been falling all of Saturday aft ernoon, and
that with the night the downpour drove
every living thing within doors. Then Oil
creek rose and overspread the low-lyins
district of Titusville. Now, the Spartans-
burg dam was a low, weakly-built obstruc-
tion across the path of the Oil creek, seven
miles above Titusville, where the hills
closed together to form a basin behind
This dam made broad, shallow pool in the
basin, but could scarcely shut in enough
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
INHUMAN GHoULIsHNEs
Deed of q Man Who Found a Woman's
Hand and a Lock of Hafr

Decd of q Man Who Found a woman's
Hand and q Lock of Hafr.
OIL CITY, June 8.-[Special. THE ghoul-
ish spectacle of man we'll dressed and of
good appearance standing upon one of the
most prominent corners in the city with a
ghastly hand from some dead woman's body
and tress of singed dark hair, made him.
self prominently conspicuous as he proudly
and laughingly displayed it to the horror
stricken passersby. The man went about
the street with his horrible trophy for a
while, and then getting point of informa-
ton that he was being looked for by the
police turned it over to another man and
hastened away in the darkness.
The second possessor was arrested shortly
afterward and was taken to the police
station. where he was most rigidly cross
examined by Chief of Police Ray. He was
finally liberated after receiving a severe
scoring for his inhumanity, and the mem-
bers of the dead body turned over to the
undertakers, Paul & Bro, to await the
finding of the body to which they belong.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09

ten times that which has been reported here.
Titusville lost more in an hour than Oil
City did in a day. The heaviest losses in
Oil City were by the large man ufacturers,
while those in Titusville were all by
small capitalists who could not afford TO
be losers of what they have now sustained. 1"
There is nothing to be written except the
personal experiences of the people who were
in the flood and the losses of the victims.
The former will fill volumes and the latter.
when fully compiled, will aggregate at least
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
THREE MORE BODIES FOUND.
Two Taken From the River and the Other
From Among tho Debris.

Two Taken From the River and the Other
From Among tho Debris.
OIL CITY, June 8.-[Special. 1-Coroner
Snowden received atelegram tonight, about g
o'clock, from the Allegheny Valley Railroad
agent, Charles Refhner, at Natrona, bearing
the information that the body of a young
man had been taken from the river at that
place at about II 90 o'clock. A good gen.
eral description was given of the corpse,
and it is supposed to be the remains of Ben
jamin Terwilliger, making, if the supposi-
tion proves correct, the third dead member
of the Terwilliger family. Coroner Snow
den wired the agent to forward the body to
the city at once.
This morning badly burned body resem-
bling the missing man, Frank Eakin, was
taken from the river at Kennerdell station
and will be brought here tomorrow. At
the ruins of the Seneca street bridge the
missing body of John G. Hawke, whose
wife and child have died from injuries re-
ceived in the wreckage, was found and taken
to the undertaking establishment of Paul s.
Son.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
BUSINESS HAS RESUMED
And Merchants Give Freely to the
Needy Poor and Destitute.
ACTIVITY PREVAILS In OIL CITY.
Theories That the Fire Had Several ST.
multaneous Origins.
SIMPLY A RAPID RISE OF THE WATERS
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT I

OIL CITY, June S-The lowering heavens
opened their portals this evening and rain
poured down in deluges, beating out the
fires that have been steadily burning for the
last ~ hours. The sadness of death still
hangs heavily over the citizens, and the
bustling activity that usually marks this
enterprising place is conspicuous by its ab-
sence. The business houses were opened
again to-day, and many instances of private
philanthropy were enacted by merchants
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
CHICAGO WILL RESPOND.
Mayor Washburne VIII Return q Compli.
ment 4 fter FL Years.

TITUsvILLE, June 8-Mavor Washburne
has wired our Mayor that Chicago will do
its part in this hour of our calamity, as
Titusville did in 1871, when Chicago called
on the world for assistance, and Titusville
responded with SIS, 600 in cash and train
load of provisions, etc.
The generous people and places are be-
ginning to send in their contributions to
the Finance Committee or the Mayor di-
so far is from the Standard Oil Companv.
namely, $25, 900, which is to be applied to
Htusville and Oil City and immediate
points
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09

making inquiries about friends here, and
had to be answered to allay fears
Where four operators can attend to cur
rent business of the two telegraph compan-
les here. it kept 81 operators busy day and
night for three days, receiving and sending
messages both private and press. The best
men on the reportorial staff of the metro
politan press we're here and kept the wires
hot, detailing the calamity for their re-
spective papers and the public.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
GIVING UP THE DEAD.
A Burned Body Taken From the Allegheny
River Near KennerdeI,s

River Near KennerdeI.s
FRANKLIN, June ST. Special THE AL
legheny river is slowly giving up its dead.
The body of man was taken from the
river near Kennerdell, five miles below
this city, to-day. There is no means of
ascertsining his name. The little finger on
his left hand is missing. He was evidently
laboring man, and was burned about the
head and hands, showing that he is un-
doUbtedly a victim of the disaster.
The work of searching for the dead among
the debris which lines either side of the
river is being kept up, and more bodies will
probably be found. Franklin sent 50, 900 in
to the Chairman of the Relief Committee at
Oil City last evening and other contribu-
tions are following 1t.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
CHANGED THE CREEKS CHANNEL.
Fifty Feet of the Cliffs Washed Away by
the Rush of Waters

the Rush of Waters
TITUSvILLE, June S.-The mighty rush
of waters has actually changed the channel
of the creek so that one of the refneries,
which was situated 200 feet from the bank
of the creek, is now in tine center of the
new channel and a number of dwelling
houses which were high on the bank
90 feet from the creek are now on the yery
edge of the creek because the so feet in front
of them has been washed away completely,
Scores of men and teams are kept busy to
clear passage through the streets, which
are filled with pieces of houses and all kinds
of iron and timbers
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
BISMARCK HONORED HIM.
Funeral of One to Whom the Prince Ono
Sent a Brass Cannon,

Stnt Brass Cannon.
TITUsvILLE, June S.-To-day the funeral
Of Fred Leures, one Of the victims of the
food, and his wife and child took place. Mr.
Leures was the one to whom Prince Bis
marck sent brass cannon taken from the
French in 1871, for the purpose OF being
cast into a church bell in Titusville.
This was in return for the generous con-
tributions of the citizens of TitusviIle to
the Sanitary Commission of the German
army.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09

1000 Bunches of Flowers
At 5Oc-former prices ST. so to s.
Jos. HORNE & Co.'S
Penn Avenue Stores
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09

DON QUI1orE fought wind mills. Bugine
fights reaches, bedbugs, etc., and kills them
every time. 25 cents.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09

IF in search for room, don't fail to read
the rooms-to-let, cent-a-word advertising
columns of THE DISPATCH,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
-FOUR THOUSAND MEssAGgS

Twenty-One Operators Required to Attend
to the Telegraph business.
TITUsvILLE, June S.-Among the 1000
kilograms which have been received here
the past three days there are about $50
which the telegraph company has been un-
able to deliver, for the reason that the per-
sons addressed cannot be found. About 80
cablegrams have been received from Europe,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09

DE Wits Little Early Risers. No gripping,
no pain, no nausea; easy pill to take.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
6Oc. Worth HEc

80 doz. children's fine corded hats; also %
doz children's corded bonnets.
A. &. CAMPBELL & SONS. p Fifth avenue.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09
S1XTY-ONE ARE MISSING,
Seven Are Added to the Fast Growing List
of 1itusviIle Victims

TTTUsvTLLE, June 8.-[Special. 1.-The
following is the authentic list of the miss
ing, which swells the total number to 81:
Mrs. Newton Ornora, three Whalen chill
dren, two Engelsky children, the Ormer
boy. Doubtless there are many more of
whom no knowledge can be obtained, and
only time will swell the list
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-09

pace, the tidal wave, had there been one,
would have reached Oil City hours before
the time of the explosion.