The record-union., 1892-06-06
AT TITUSVILIE.
Scores of Dwellings Swept Away, and
Many Lives Lost.

Y
Titusville was visited during the past
twenty-four hours by one of the most
disastrous fires and floods in all the
history of this region. Oil Creek over
flowed its banks, and for hours swept
through the city in the proportions of an
almost resistless flood. The city was
without fuel or lights, and the water works
surrounded by water. The Perry street
and Franklin-street bridge was swept
away. Scores of cheap dwellings III the
lower part of the city were destroyed,
and large number of lives lost. Some
were burned, but majority drowned.
When morning broke hundreds of
anxious people looked out of their
windows or stood on the roofs of their
houses waiting for helping hand and
trembling for their fate. TO add to the
horror of the scene, rain fell in torrents
and fire broke out in refneries at
different points. Burning oil swept
down the raging current and communi-
Gated to the manufacturing establish
ments, and the destruction increased
hundred fold.
Among the losers by fire are the Inter-
per Shops, Rice d Robinson Refinery,
Titusville Radiator Works, tie Western
New York and Pennsylvania freight Off
ces, CaSperSon's furniture works, Jack
Cullin's store, residence and hotel and
the Crescent Oil Works. The railroad
loss is $4,000 on freight, and a large
number of loaded oil cars on the track
were burned. Grain cars loaded with
merchandise on the Dunkirk and Ale
gheny Valley were burned.
There was large amount of loss to
stores, residences and manufacturers,
but it will probably be covered by in
surance, but it is impossible to give de-
tailed estimate now.
Many leading citizens, with their
wives and children, were on an excur-
sion up the river and detained there
when their presence was greatly needed
here.
A meeting of citizens was held at noon
to-day and $4,000 subscribed for the i'm
mediate relief of the destitute. Quarters
were obtained for the poor and homeless.
and food and clothing supplied by be-
nevolent ladies.
Fifteen bodies have been recovered and
the search continues.
Following is list of the dead as far as
ascertained: John Quinn, mail carrier.
wife and two children; Jacob Bergen
hammer, wife and nine children; Mrs.
Mary Haynes and three children, Mrs.
NJ. Mckenzie, John McFadden and sis
ters, Mrs. Campbell and two children,
Mr.. Coppie, Fred Reid, butcher, wife and
children; John Omara and wife, two
Veugle boys and four more, names un-
known; Mrs. c. p. Casperson.
When the flood was at it's hight the
Acme Refinery was struck by lightning.
and fire added to the terror of the scene.
and five blocks were laid in waste.
The water began to recede about noon
and is now going down rapidly.
Great damage is reported from Corey,
Penn, and other towns in that region.
The citizens tonight issued an appeal
to the public reciting the terrible destitu-
ton, great loss of life and destruction of
property by food and fire, and request
ing help in the time of distress.
At late hour tonight the loss of life
here is conservatively estimated at thirty
five. This is entirely within the city.
while the news from tributary towns
show the same proportionate losses.
Fully third of the business and resi-
dence portion of the city is mass of
charred embers, over which the waters
rush with unabated fury. The streets
are filed with crowds of wet, hungry,
hopeless, despairing men, women and
children most of whom have lost their
loved homes and all property.
1t is simply impossible to give the
reader an idea of the horrible scenes
enacted. Men, with boats and ropes,
battled manfully against the current, and
hundreds of people, captives in their
homes on account of the surrounding
waters, were rescued.
Fully fifty people are as yet unaccounted
for, and at the present condition it is i'm
possible to correctly state the number
actually drowned and burned. Five per-
sons were grasping a piece of timber
with prospect of landing safely, when
in the proximity OF an oil tank it ex-
ploded, and in a moment the men were
enveloped in flames and death came
speedily to relieve their sufferings.
A mother, with babe clasped to her
breast, and clinging to plank, drifted
toward the depot, around which tho water
was rushing furiously. As both reached
the point the suction was so great that it
drew them in, and they disappeared from
view. Scores of cases of like fearful
character are reported.