The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-08
The Titusville and Oil City
Attacks Condolences.
A DAY OF MANY FUNERALS.
Gov. Pattson on the Ground and
the President Sends Aid.

visit TO the Region, and n Compre be nsive
View of the Situation hundreds Are
Homeless. and Need Aid OF All Sorts
Tho Fire mt on city Probably Not
Caused by that Mt Ti:uavine-The Mos,
suffering nt Titusviiie, which Was At
tackled In tho NiEht-sov. Pnttison's Plan
for Dividing tile Money sent for tho Az
aIcted-Moro Stories OF Hcroism.
OIL CRY. June This day has been kept as
aday Of mourning by the whole city. Tho bust
moss houses have been closed and the build
ings draped with black. There have been
twenty .three funerals most OF them held
in public hall because tho houses
where the dcnd lived have been destroy
cd by fire and swept away by tho
food. The whole city seemed to attend
these funerals. and the two hillside Gem eteries
have been thronged all day. Ono could scarce
look anywhere on the streets without seeing n
hearse with it's train Of carriages One funeral
surpassed all the others in sadness and in sor-
rowful demonstrations. 1t was that ot the
Mills family-a father. mother still young. and
their five small children.
The bodies were recovered one after an
other all terribly burned. Tho last 70 be re-
covered were the bodies Of the two youngest
girls. They were found claspcd In each others
rated. SO six graves were made in . row in tho
Hillside Cemetery OF Grove Hill.
The bodies had been put in tho receiving
vault last night. To-day when the people saw
one coffin after another. each bearing u plato
with the same family name upon it, lowered
into the ground. the sympathy grew until n
wave Of grief swept over the throng. Tho
family had no living relatives in this
country. Men shook with sobs and wo-
men uttered historical cries No one vino
did not see the sights in the valley of Oil Creek
between II and II o'clock on last Sunday
morning can understand what the sobs and
tears OF the spectators meant
TILE DAZEp PEOPLE.
Although two days have passed no exact and
coherent account Of what occurred has yet ap-
peared.
The people will tell you that they were stand
ing on the bridge over Oil Creek. that they
were watching its waters rising and grooming
and kissing in their endeavor to push through
the narrow space between the steep hills. that
oil 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 fash shot from the loco
motive on the bridge. that the thin white mist
hanging low over the water burst into blnze.
and that roar like the discharge OF hun
dred cannon pushed UP against the sky.
huge cloud OF smoke came. and then every
thing was on fire. and that there were terrible
cries and tramplings and prayers and curaes
Others will tell it differently. but all agree
that the valley was changed in twinkling
from a waste Of roaring water to sheet Of
fire. laden with odors and shreks. as though
hell had yawned.
1t was Oil City that THE SrN reporter
reached first. and the burnt. water-soaked
district han nod Wi 5nbriS ctr With
nants of homes and suggestions OF family hap
piness. ruined with the violence OF incredible
forces. made strong impression upon him.
But this sadness OF the city at the mouth Of
the Oil Creek was not rhe wors..
From Oil City rambling valley. deep be-
tween precipitous hills. ascends for eighteen
or twenty miles. 1t is beautiful In itself. and
at intervals its sides open into vistas OF slore
and peak and dome. all green and radi-
ant and smiling on this beautiful
June day. Through the midst Of this runs
the OIL Creek. once a slender stream, that |
sometimes follows the ramblings OF the val |
ley's sides and again defles them and darts
from side to side so that the railroad crosses |
1t again and again.
The banks Iof this river are level to the hill |
bases. Sometimes there Is q narrow green |
sward with village or cluster Of houses
perched upon the hillsides Just beyond It. Tho
people Of the valley have learned. by long
years OF experience what that laughing brook
may become. At its upper end this valley opens
out into level. and upon this hill is the town
Of Titusville.
THE TTTUsvILLE OF TO-DAY.
The descent into Its streets from the smiling
landscape was like descent into the tomb.
Here were pretty houses along well-Kept
streets as green as lanes. On house after
house hung StripS Of hlnok 81 |
grief OF the whole town. while here and there
nom doorknob or doorhel hung tho long
streamers that showod u personal and lonely
sorrow within.
There We're women moving about the st roots,
but almost all were clad in black. and none
wore gay colors. No men were to be seen at
nrst. but as one reached the part Of the town
lying along tho bank Of the creek one saw the
mon gathered In working clothes with faces
that were sad and worn by long hours
OF work without sleep. Here WAS stretch Of
waste and woe. Here were houses half burned
or wrenehed and tottering heaps of charred
boards and broken and partly burned furni-
tnre. PILES Of stun Of all descriptions smoking
was laden with smells that suggested the ho or
TOTS OF burned fesll. and cbarred bones were
70 be seen at the Morgue
From behind closed doors came sonnis Of
nnGSrn and men were bearing boxes and
sensitive was the, horror "t that night when
Hrss rose rS out OF the rage Gf the waters
i Those who, we're in places Of, safety or
q the W., waters. then heard two mighty expIo.
tSnns; doubly armed. pursue and surround
helpless ne human heings, wrapping them in lire.
t Wri9h,g rolling hnSS,.s over them Y let their
surface t, 0smite with feeLle hands
me waves Of fire. and no one that saw those
agonizcd faces or heard those walls md
horrors the food reached the gas and electric
t iGRt plants and put ont tho res leaving the
names flashed on the surface OF the water or |
whirled about the burning houses.
once the Hood OF fire and water everything |
has been SO confused that no definite Inquiry
mo causes has been made 1t was said that |
matter rested. Your correspondent is CON
70 do with the flood.
J. II VIII he remembered that the rain had been
fSi n al Of Saturday afternoon. and that with
thG night the downpour drove every living |
and 2, :, ,oversnread the low lying district
ha Gu |