Democratic messenger., 1892-06-11
FLOODS AND FIRES.
HUNDRED OF LIVES LOST IN
PENNSYLVANIA OIL
REGION.
MILLIONS OF PROPERTY
DESTROYED.

MILLIONS OF PROPERTY
DESTROYED.
The oil regions Of PENNSYLVANIA were
visited Sunday by a disaster of fire and
water that is only eclipsed in the history
of this country hy the memorable flood
at Johnstown just three years ago. II is
impossible at this hour (midnighD To give
anything like an accurate idea Of the loss
of life aud property, as chaos reigns
through the devastated region and u ter
rble conilasration still RACES in Oil City.
Nearly 100 bodies have already been re.
covered and many people are still miss
ing. The number may far exceed $50
but this is regarded as "A conservative es-
innate and the loss Of property will reach
far INTO the millions
For nearly month il has been raining
throughout Western and Northern Penn
sylvania almost necessarily, and for the
past three or four days the downpour III
the devastated regions has been very
heavy.
The constant rains had converted all
small streams into raging torrents, So
that when the cloudburst came this
morning the streams were soon beyond
their boundaries, and the great lOdy oi
water came sweeping down Oil creek Ia
Ti,usvillc, which is IS miles south of lis
source
The lower portion Di the town WAS
inundated, The flood came So quickly
that the people had not time 10 reach Il
place of safety The water soon swept Il
number of oil tanks down the stream and
in some way not known they were ignii-
cd. In less time than il takes to tell the
Story the flames spread to the surround
ing buildings, and before they could
be subducd five blocks had been burned.
The oil from the scores of broken tanks
ran into the creek aud was isnited by
floating debris In lew minutes the
creek was ablaZe from shore 10 shore,
and il was carried down the stream
Death and destruction followed in lis
wake
Everything inilammable took fire and
by the lime ii reached OIL City all the
bridges between the two points were con
sumed Oil City is eighteen miles from
Tiiusyille.
The city OF Titusville was visited by
The most disastrous fire and flood in all
the history of the region.
OIL creek overilowed its banks from the
west, and above the water and gas works
to the city line below, and for hours as
sumcd the proportions OF an almost re-
sislless flood.
The city is without fuel OF street cleo
iric light: the water works and gas works
are surrounded hy water and inundated.
The Perry street and franklin street
iron bridges have been swept away scores
of cheap dwelllng-houses in the lower
part Of the city, have been destroyed and
scores of lives have been lost, some be
ing burned, bat tie majority perishlng
hy drowning.
To add To the horror ofthe scene rain
fell in torrents, fire broke out in the re-
fneries at different points, and the burn
ins oi! sweeping down the current was
communicated To other manufacturing
plants and establishments and the de
siructiOn WAS increased huhdredlOld.
\, Oil City shifting engines set fire 10
oil dripping from leaky tank car on II
siding of the railroad, half II mile north
of the centre of this city The tank ex-
rloded and the burning oil oversprcad
Oil creek. destroying about thirty lives
and burned thousands of dollars worth
of property. II was the greatest disaster
that ever occurred in the oil regions.
The flames swept over the entire upper
part ot the city which WAS flooded by the
oily waters Of the creek, and men, women
and childrcd who were moving from their
houses were caught by the deadly flames,
aud il not burned TO death outright were
drowned in the raging flood.
At this end of the city was another iron
aud wooden bridge. which went down
five minutes after the fire started, the
huge iron structure being broken and
swept away like az much kindling wood
FROM this bridge southwark for "A quarter
of a mile the entire town was destroyed,
aud The fire is still raging.
The fire department are making heroic
efforts 10 stop the flame and are risking
their lives every instant, as il is not
known at what moment many of the i'm
mensc oil tanks above here will burst
and send iheii burning contents down
upon them. The imperial Refining Com
pany's large tanks are visible from here
and all are burning, and is greatly feared
that the burning oil will again come
down the creek, and it ii should little OF
the business portion of the city will re-
main standing.