Passaic City record., 1892-06-11
FIRE RODE THE FLOOD.
Great Loss of Life and Prop
erty in the Oil Regions.
A Dam-Burst Carries Death to
Titusville and Oil City.

The oil regions of Pennsylvania have been
visited by disaster of fire and water that is
only eclipsed in the history of that country
by the memorable flood at Johnstown just
three years ago.
On the day after the calamity it was
known that at least eighty persons were
drowned or burned to death. Estimates of
the loss of life increased, hour by hour. and
it was thought that the death roll might
swell to from $50 to 200, if not more.
A dam seven miles above Titusville gave
way in the night. Oil tanks were swept
away, the stream leaped its banks. and,
bearing on its back widespread layer of
oil, dashed into Titusville roaring, tun-
bling mass of flame. There was terrible
stampede. Scores of persons were swept
away in an effort to find safety. One-thire
of the town was burned, and at 10 o'clock
that night forty bodies had been recovered.
The scenes OF the night in Ttusville were
repeated on perhaps even larger scale at
Oil City. eighteen mites below.
The damage to property in Titusville and
Oil City, and the towns along the creek be-
tween those cities, amounted to millions of
dollars, and appeals for help have been made
to the country at large.
For nearly month it had been raining
throughout Western and Northern Penn
three or four days before the disaster the
downpour in the devastated regions had
been very heavy. The constant rains had
converted all the small streams into raging
torrents, SO that when the cloudburst came
the streams were soon beyond their boun-
daries and the great body of water came
sweeping down Oil Creek to Titusville, which
is eighteen miles south OF its source.
A dispatch from Ttusville tells the fol-
lowing pitiful story: Flood and fire have
wiped out fully one-third Of this town, and
at least two score of human lives have been
miserably lost amidst horror and destruc-
ton.
The bursting of the huge dam of Thomp-
son g. Eldred at Spartansburg, seven
miles from Titusville, at midnight,
loosed a lake one and a half miles
the waters of which came rushing down.
swelling the historic Oil Greek to raging
torrent, which overran nearly half this
town with resistless force, sweeping many Of
the smaller buildings and scores of people
away down the valley. Many OF the latter
reached the shore farther down, but at least
seventy-five were undoubtedly lost.
The waters OF Oil Creek rushed through the
streets in the lower part of the city with re-
sistless fury. From housetops, windows and
driftwood piles came walls and screams of
anguish and distress from the helpless VIC
Tins, all imploring aid. Brave men with
boats and ropes batUled against the terrific
current, and hundreds of the captives were
brought safely to land.
Fully 100 persons of all ages were carried
down with the food. Five persons all
piece of timber. just as the thousands of
spectators who were looking on with bated
breath, unable to render the slightest assist
ance, were led to believe that the sufferers
would reach land, neighboring tank of
burning oil exploded in close proximity, and
in moment the men were enveloped in
flames, and death came speedily to relieve
their sufferings. Their bodies were at once
swallowed in the raging waters.
Immediately a streak of flame fully 200
feet high pierced the inky darkness and
threw glaring light over the angry waters.
At once the cry rang out that the Crescent
Oil Refinery Company, owned by Schwartz
& Co., close to the north bank of the east
end was on fire.
Never before did fire seem to spread so
rapidly, and in less than three minutes from
plant was afame. Then it was that pande-
monium seemed to break loose and ter
ror reigned. Thousands of persons rushed
pell NELL through the streets, tumbling
over and knocking each other down
in their endeavors to escape from what
they appeared to imagine was the crack Of
doom. The bright light thrown on the sur
roundings revealed truly appalling sight.
On the roofs and in the windows of the upper
stories of most of the houses in the flooded
districts appeared men, women and children
dressed mostly in night clothes, and all pite-
ously appealing for aid.
Clingng to the driftwocd, timbers and
other debris as they were borne onward down
the stream were scores of human beings,
their white and terror stricken faces and
desperate struggles and cries for aid COM
bring to create impressions never to be for.
gotten. About one hour from the time the
crescent Works took fire another alarm was
sounded. Oil on the creek, spilled by the
water overturning tank located some dis
tance up stream, had taken fire, and the ex-
panse of creek for number of acres square
was all sold blaze, and the sky was 1illed
with dense and pitchy clouds of smoke aris.
ing from the smouldering ruins ofrefineri|,
cooper shops, furniture factories, radiator
works, hotels, railroad warehouses, cars and
dwellings
The Illuminating gas works, the electric
light plant, the water works are all under
water, while the natural gas mains had
been turned off at Oil City. This leaves
Titusviile without water, fuel, or light. at
least from the sources from which these
necessities have been accustomed to come.
IarenLS anu cnllureH SUCOI Dy WltnOut
the power to aid one another's struggles
against tho clutches Of the food until even
tually they went down to rise no nipre. AS
sad and as sickening scenes as occurred in the
valley of the Conemaugh three years ago
We're repeated, while thousands looked on
unable to avert them.
One father is maniac over the loss Of
his whole family. a wife and seven children,
one babe three days old. A brother was
rescued from a burning building, where he
was forced to leave sister. her husband,
and two children to perish.
Fully one-third of the business and resi-
dencc portion of Titusville is in ruins. The
terrible food rushed through the streets.
Rs.ava plar, with ronas tied about th cir