The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1892-06-07
A FIERY FLOOD
Sweeps Down Upon Two Penn
syIvania Cities.
Miles of the Surface of Oil Greek
Covered With Flame.
Estimated That Four Hundred
Lives Were Lost.

Hundreds OF Acres OF OH City swept by
F're-The Loss Mt Titusviile and OH
city sI.5oO.ooo Each; Cory. sec. ooo;.
MeadviIIe, 100000 and Probably
$1,000 600 in the Surrounding Conn
try-Another Pennsylvania Calamity.
Second Only to the One at Johnstown.
On CITY, Pa, june G.-At 11:30 Sun
day forenoon a large proportion of the
population of the city was distributed
along the banks and bridges of the Allie
gheny river and Oil creek, watching the
rise of the flood IN both streams. The
chief cause of the rise of the latter is due
to cloudburst above Titusville Satur-
day night, which resulted in the loss of
a number of lives at that place. AT the
time mentioned an ominous covering of
oil made its appearance ON the crest of
the flood pouring down the OH creek
valley, and dangerous and foreboding
waves of gas from distillate and ben
zine could be seen above the surface of
the stream.
People began slowly to fall back from
the bridge and the creek, but they had
hardly begun to do so when am explosion
was heard up the stream, which was
rapidly followed by two others, and
quick as fash of lightning the creek
for distance of two miles was filled
with an awful mass of roaring flames
and billews of smoke that rolled high
above the creek and river hills.
The oil from the scores of broken tanks
ran into the creek and was ignited by
floating debris. In few minutes the
creek was ablaze from shore to shore,
and as it was carried down the stream
death and destruction followed in its
wake Everything infammable took
fire, and by the time it reached Oil City
| all the bridges between the two points.
We're consumed.
The lower portion of the town was
soon inundated. The food came so
| quickly that the people had no time to
reach place of safety. The water soon
swept number of oil tanks down the
stream, and in some way not known,
they We're ignited. In less time than ii
takes to tell the story the flames spread
to the surrounding buildings, and be-
fore they could be subdued five blocks
had been burned Fully one-third of all
the business and resident portion of tho
city is mass of charred embers.
Five persons, all males, were seen to
perish while grasping piece of timber.
just as the thousands of spectators who
were looking ON with bated breath, un-.
able to render the slightest assistance,
We're led to believe that the sufferers
would safely land, a neighboring tank of
oil exploded in close proximity, and in a
moment the doomed men were enveI-
| oped in flames, and death came speedily.
to relieve their sufferings, their bodies
being at once swallowed up in the rag
ing waters.
Can Not BE Described.
The scene in the city was one of the
most heartrending imaginable, and one
which mind can not conceive. nor pen
| portray. The tongues of flames shooting
200 feet and more straight into the heav-
ems, the shrleks and agonizing cries of
the helpless human beings Gagged in their
dwellings like rats in trap in the mid
die of that rushing and mighty water
and within the very shadow of death
from burning oil, benzine and naphtha
that threatened at any time 10 engulf
them, the shriIl whistling of one hum
dred and one steam whistles, the jangle of
the fire bell, the clatter of the steamers.
hose carts, hook and ladder trucks. the
crackle, roar, rush and rumble of the
huge body of water and sky piercing
flames, all went to strike terror to the
cfrn,,e,er4- I,aa,-+ IT, ,.<.,...1... =.
eager haste to get some place out of
danger, they knew not where, in many
cases rushed pell-men over each other
and scores were injured by being
knocked down and trampled ON.
Oil creek, now swollen to 500 times its
natural size, and reaching from one hill
side to the other, presented an appalling
picture.
Floating swiftly by ON its bosom were
all sorts, manners and kinds of animate
and inanimate objects tanks, stills with
the steam in them and blowing of,
houses, barns, horses, cows, chickens.
everything almost-borne onward with
a rush, clinging to various objects, such
as driftwood, pieces of boards. timbers
and any other objects they could lay
their hands ON, were scores of human
beings, their white and terror-stricken
countenances, desperate struggles and
plaintive, soul-piercing cries for aid all
combining to create impressions in the
minds of the beholders never to be
effaced or forgotten.
The Loss OF Life.
An estimate made by city official
places the loss of life in Oil City at zoo.
A report reached here Monday morn
ing from Titusyille that 200 bodies had
been taken from the ruins at and near
that place. Wires are down and re-
ports are very meager, and they lack
confirmation.
Not until the sun arose over the hills
Monday morning did the people of Oil
City realize fully the terrible havoc
wrought by the flood and fire The in