Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-06-09
OIL AND WATER.
Great Destruction Wrought by
These In Pennsylvania
4 Cloudburst Inundated on City and Titus
Vile and Exploding OH Tanks Added
to the Horror-Loss OF Life Large
Much Property Destroyed

Much Property Destroyed
PITTSBURGH, Pa, June 6.-The oil
regions of Pennsylvania were visited
yesterday by disaster of fire and
water that is only eclipsed in the history
of this country by the memorable food
at Johnstown just three years ago
It is impossible at this hour, mid
night. to give anything like an accurate
idea OF the loss of life and property, as
chaos reigns throughout the devastated
region and a terrible confagration still
RACES in Oil City.
It is safe to say that not less than $50
lives have been lost
Nearly 100 bodies have already been
recovered and many people are still
missing.
The property loss wi ii reach far into
millions At Titusvil1 the loss is esti-
mated at 81, SOC. 900, Oil City a, 500, 900
Cory $50, 900, Meadyille $3.50, 900 and
surrounding country probably q. 0o0, 900
more.
For nearly month it has been rain
ing throughout western and northern
Pennsylvania necessarily, and for the
past three or four days the downpour in
the devastated regions had been very
heavy. The constant rains had con-
verted all the small streams into raging
torrents so that when the cloudbursts
came yesterday morning the dams Were
unable to withstand the shock and the
streams were soon beyond their bound
aries, while the great body of water
came sweeping down OH greek to Titus
Vile, which is eighteen miles south of
its source.
The lower portion of the town was
soon inundated The flood came So
quickly that the people had not time to
reach place of safety. The water
swiftly swept a number of oil tanks
down the stream and in some way not
known they were ignited.
In less time than it takes to tell the
story the flames spread to the surround
ing buildings and before they could be
subdued five blocks had been burned
The oil from the scores of broken tanks
ran into the creek and was ignited by
the floating debris In a 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 inf1ammable
took fire, and by the time it reached
Oil City all the bridges between the two
eighteen miles from Titusville- The
towns along the creek are Boughton,
Miller Farm, Pioneer, Petroleum. Cen
ter Rynd Farm, Housewife and McClin-
| rockville Housewife has about 1000
| inhabitants and the other towns about
| 200 each.
At Titusville the food came in the
night time and scores of sleeping men,
women and children walked to con-
sciousness only to find death in the
rushing waters or swift, sweeping
flames When morning broke darkly
and the red sun illumined with its
crimson rays the flood and flame devas
| tated district, on the roofs and in the
windows of the upper stories of the
houses in the submerged districts
| We're seen men. women and chill
dren dressed mostly in their night
robes and all piteously appealing
for aid and succor in voices which
could only now and then be dis
tinguished above the loud rush of the
waters and crash of falling timberS
Clinging to the driftwood, timbers and
other debris, as they were borne on
ward down the stream, were scores of
human beings, their white and terror
srnitten faces, desperate struggles,
plaintive cries for aid, combining to
create impressions never to be efaced
from the memory of the beholder.
At Oil City the devastation wrought
BY fame and flood is indescribable-
Great sections of the city are in ashes
and only charred timbers tell of the 10
cation of hundreds OF happy homes.
How many lives have been lost there
no man can tell or even guess It is
certain that the number will reach $50
and it is probable that when the list of
the dead shall have been fully COM
pleted it will be found to exceed 300. a
partial list is herewith given:
At Oil City: William Shafer, Franklin: John
Reinhold, OH City: Matt Lyons: Charles d.
ley, Oh City: Miss Minnie Russell, Pottsville,
Pa; Daniel Sullivan engineer. Oh City; James
Holmes barber, on City; Mrs William Briggs
OIL City; Miss Emma Briggs, Oil City; William
| Moran, On City: q MI. Baker, book agent stop
ping at Exchange hotel MI. John Roach and
son; Frank Watson aged IL years, missing; MI.
| Eakin and two sons D. Kopling, wife and
sons; s wichs; Two sons Of BIZ. Hassenfritz:
| Ed Heating, section boss. OIL City; Mr.. Ter
villiger; Mr.. Baker; Sheridan Wick
At T1tusville: John Quinn mall carrier wife
and two children: Jacob Bergenghame1 and
wife and nine children; Mrs Mary Haynes and
| three daughtsrs-Gertrude, Mary and Clara
and one son; MrsL IL Mckenzie; John AcFad
den and sister Mrs Campbell and Two children;
II.
John O'Asra and wife; two Veigel boys and
four more names unknown: Mrs c Caspenson
AT NEADvILLE, PA
MEADvILLE, Pa, June 6-This entire
section was swept by the worst food In
its history last night
A midday rain of great volume
swelied every stream bank full and the
storm which followed in the evening
brought the food
In this city MIL run overhowed its
banks and swept the whole business
part of the city, demolishing dozen OF
more buildings and entailing loss OF
$50, 600, of which $50, 900 are to the
streets.
An Omaha Merchant Missing.
OMAHA, Neb., June George Heyn,
a wealthy merchant of this city, start
ed for Europe nearly month ago and
by reason of illness laid over at Milwau.
kee. Recovering, he went to Buffalo
where he registered at the Arlington
hotel May % as George Hendrick
There ell trace of him was lost