The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-06-08
INCREASING HOURLY.
The NUMBER OF DEAD ESTIMATED
AT $50.


property in Oil Creek Valley, Pennsyl-
wanna, are far greater than stated in
the first reports.
At Oil City sixty-seven bodies have
been recovered and it is believed that
not less than one hundred an fifty DER
sons persisted by food and fire.
At Titusville fifty-fve bodies have
been found in the ruins, and there is
every reason to believe that many
were washed away and will be recov-
cred when the water reeedes.
The latest estimate Of the total loss
of life is $50.
Calls for financial help are made by
both cities, and a generous response
has already been received. Several
hundred thousand dollars at least will
be needed.
The first passenger train to reach
Titusyille subsequent TO the flood left
Dunkirk at 4:l0 p. m. Tuesday over
the Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley and
Pittsburg Railroad.
Morning trains had been sent over
both this road and the Western New
York and Pennsylvania, but the first
was only able to get as far as Warren,
thirty-five miles from Titusville, while
the Western New York had to stop at
Cory, few miles nearer. Between
that point and Titusville this railroad
has bridges down and imumerable
washouts. 1t will be two weeks at the
very earliest before the damage can be
even temporarily repaired.
The Allegheny Valley, on the other
hand, Jared much better, although all
along the route were the evidences of
the rushing waters.
Among the passengers on the train
that got through was William Sum-
mers, freight hand on the Western
New York. Summers is about twenty
years old. His father is an engineer
on the same road and lives with his
wife and six children in Oil City.
At the various stopping places along
the route weeping men and women
boarded the train to reach the scene
of the disaster to search for the bodies
of friends and relatives Of whose loss
they had received tidings. It was a
sad train-load Of people, despite the
fact that at towns along the route peo-
pie gathered IN throngs to greet the
first passenger train to go through.
AT Warren, good-seized oil town,
the baggage-car was loaded with boxes
for the dead. Most Of them were pine
boards, rough and implanted, but
among the load was tiny white cas-
ket as costly as money would procure,
which must have been intended for a
child Of less than half dozen years.
Between Rossyille and Faulkners
was terrific washout, at which gangs
of men had worked all Sunday. The
track near that point had been buried
for space of fifteen yards under ten
feet of solid gravel. Cassadagal Creek,
nearby, had changed from peaceful
stream through which cattle waded
from pasture to pasture, into a roar
ing torrent.
At Irvineton the first signs of the
terrible extent of the disaster began
to be apparent. The main street Of
the town was a hurrying river, while
railroad. houses and dwellings were
undermined. The Mansion House, a
frame hotel with broad portico, was
completely wrecked.
From Irvineton to Titusville were
washout of various size, at frequent
intervals. Broad meadows looked like
lakes and innumerable front yards like
duck ponds. Red flags were displayed
in score of places along the railroad
as warning to 60 slow over perilous
places.
The train arrived in Titusyille at II
p. m. No attempt to run train was
made.
The crisis is past and the waters
have begun to subside Now the only
danger is from fire.
Oil tanks are still burning here and
in Oil City, but unless something I'M
forseen occurs it is not thought that
the other tanks and big refneries are
in peril.
The very closest estimate upon the
loss Of life between this town and Oil
City that can be made places it alta to-
+o1 AZ am