Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-06-11

nre, DuJ the department succeeded IN
saving the building as well as the. two
bridges.
About half mile from the post office,
northward from here, on the Western
New York & Pennsylvania railroad
tank filed with gasoline was standing
on a siding. Some young men passing
noticed that the tank was leaking, and
knowing its explosive nature, and seeing
shifting engine approach ran up the
side of a hill where they turned, and
looking down as the engine passed wit
messed fearful sight. A mass of flame
shot 100 feet into the air and the earth
seemed to shake with an awful tremor.
The engineer and firemen were seen
Jumping from the cab, and it is supposed
they were burned to death or killed
by the force of the explosion. In an
instant the flames swept madly over
the entire upper part OF the city, which
is flooded by the oily waters of the
creek. Men, women and children who
were moving from their houses were
caught by the deadly flames, and if not
burned to death outright were drowned
in the raging flood. "a
Paul & Sons furniture house, four
story building, was swept away with
$50, 900 worth of stock, furniture, etc.
Reinbold's hotel and livery stable were
destroyed in a few moments, and Mr..
Reinbold and two others who have not
been identified were burned to death.
These three bodies have been recov-
cred.
About half of the Third ward has
been destroyed and the fire is still do
ing its awful work in this part of tie
city. People are panic-stricken all over
town, and mothers have been running
about madly looking for their lost chill
dren. Fathers of families are search
ing for their children and endeavoring
to get them all together in place of
safety.
Up to 5 p. m. sixty-nine bodies had
been recovered and identified, and the
death list will figure up much larger,
some placing it three or four times that
number. There are fifteen bodies at
the undertaking rooms of Britting, Nc
CraclSen & Co., twenty five at the city
hall and number were taken to their
homes. There are still many persons
missing.
TITUsvILLE, Pa, June 6.-This city is
passing through the largest flood, at
tended with fire, together with large
loss of life, that it has ever experienced.
Though the fire is still raging, the latter
is now under control. The estimate of
actual loss will foot up betw ee
81, 900, 900 and S1,5OO, 0NO The loss
of life will be from seventy to 200 peo-
pie, composed mostly of the working
classes. Fifteen bodies have been re-
covered Oil creek has overfiowed its
banks from the west end above the wa
ter and gasworks to the city line below
and for hours assumed the proportions
of an almost resistless flood, reaching
almost up to the line of Spring street.
Scores of cheap dwelling houses in the
lower part of the city, on Mechanic
street and vicinity, have been de-
stroyed.
Titusville gave SIS, 900 to Chicago, S.,
600 to the Johnstown sufferers and 81
600 to the south at the time of the yel-
low-fever epidemic, also $1,000 to the
Russian relief, and has also responded
to all demands upon the public sym
pathy when oil towns have been in dis.
tress.
waters surging through the lower part
of the city, as witnessed by thousands
of citizens, wa one of utter desolation.
When morning broke hundreds of anX'
ious peopl looked out of the windows or
stood on the roofs of the houses wait
ing for a helping hand and trembling
for their fate. Strong and brave men
by means of boats and ropes succeeded
in reaching and saving those who had
gained position where they could hold
on till help arrived or till the waters
began to recede.
To add to the horror of the scene
rain fell in torrents and fire broke out
in the refneries at different points, and
the burning oil sweeping down the cur
rent communicated the fire to other
manufacturing plants and estab
lishments, and the destruction
was increased a hundred fold. Among
the buildings destroyed by fire are
the International oil works, the Hiram
Blow copper shop, the Rice & Robinson
refinery, the Titusville radiator works
the Western New York & Pennsylvania
. railroad freight offices, Casperson's fur
niture works, store and residence; Jack
Cullen's hotel and Crescent oil works oi
John Schwartz Il Co.
Fully one-third of the business anC
residence portion of the city is mas.
of charred embers, over which the ter
rible waters still rush with unabatet
fury. The streets are filed will
crowds of wet, hungry, hope
; less and despairing men, womer
: and children, most of whom have
lost loved ones and all their property
, The water still floods the streets anC
the sky is still black with heavy smoke
from the burning refineries, cooper
shops, radiator works, hotels, fur
, niture factories, freight depots ant
!, dwellings.
), The big refinery and wax plan
owned by f. L. Wood &c Co. caught fir'
! exactly at noon, and the black smoll,
: blowing directly over the city turnet