The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-05-18
FouRTEEN LIYNs LOST

FOURTEEN LIVES LOST
And Hundreds of Thousands OF Dollars
Damago-Tho Great storm iu the Lake
Region.
CLEVELAND, o., May l7,-The storm
OF rain and wind which began at noon
Monday, and has continued almost
without cessation until this evening,
has produced flood unprecedented in
tho history OF northeastern Ohio and
northwestern Pennsylvania. Thus far
fourteen lives have been lost Great
damage has been done to shipping and
tho loss to other property will amount
into the hundreds OF thousands OF dol
lars.
The Cuyahoga river runs through the
manufacturing and lumber district OF
the city by a tortuous channel about
Eve miles in length. Along its banks
arc the Valley & Cleveland, Canton &
Southern railways. This morning the
water was away over the river banks.
The torrent was seeking the nearest
way to the lake, and hall dozen lum-
ber yards in Its course could not bar
the way. Whole piles Of lumber were
carried along on the stream and swept
out into the lake, or lodged against the
abutments of bridges further down.
Millions of feet OF building material
from the yards of the Cleveland Saw
Mill Company, N. Mills & Company, N.
Monroe and Fred Henry 4 Company, is
now on its way to Canada, and more OF
1t still coming down the river.
DROWNED IN THE LAKE.
Owing to shaky bridges traffic was
suspended on all railroads running
cast. This afternoon while great
crowds were watching the food, tho
first disaster happened here. Captain
Stanley Flanagan and Michael Le-
blonde were going down the river In a
row boat used to peddle milk along tho
docks. When near the mouth OF the
raging stream ono Of Leblonde's oars
broke and tho two men were left at tho
mercy OF tho waters. They were quickly
carried out into the lake by tho rushing
stream. and as it was evident
that their frail craft could not
live in the angry seq that was
coming in from the north, preparations
were quickly begun for their rescue by
the life saving crew. Seven men
manned the life boat and pulled away
toward the east pier OF the breakwater,
toward which point the boat containing
Fannigan and Leblonde had drifted.
When the life savers were we'll out OF
the mouth Of the river an oar broke
and in an instant the cork.like vessel
swung about to toss upon the angry
waves. The men in the life boat were
totally helpless, ind before assistance
Of any kind could be rendered, their
boat overturned and all the men were
thrown into tho water.
HEROES PERISH.
Three Of them succeeded in catching
hold Of the overturned life boat, where
they hung on until they woro rescued in
terribly exhausted condition. Four
Of their follow life savers were tossed
about so mercilessly blythe wild waves
that they were unable to swim back to
the life boat, and after vainly battling
for n iew moments with tho elements
they were overcome and tho battle OF
lie had to be given up.
The names Of the heroes who lost
their lives in attempting to save others
wero:
Chester simons, John Johnson, Mich
olas Servas and Albert Currier.
The life savers who were rescued were
George Wilson, Lawrence Driscoll and
George Loehr. Captain Distell and tho
other two life savers who escaped were
brought ashore by tug.
Flannigar and Leblonde were Of
course drowned almost before tho life
boat capsized.
AT tAshtabula harbor last evening the
schooner Pelican fouudored as 1t was
entering tho harbor and sank in forty
feet OF water. Three OF the crew, Peter
Nelson, John Erickson and John Eek
night, all Of Cleveland, wero drowned.
At Willoughby, Ohio. the Chagrin
river was out Of It's banks. Early this
morning tho grist mill Of Joseph Doyce
was swept from its foundations, hurled
against the abutment OF bridge and
crushed into wreckugo, which flowed
away TO tho lake.
Reports from all sections OF north.
eaatorn Ohio toll Of swollen atroam1 and
oyortow0d iarm lands, but II is impoS-
siblo to mako an estimate OF tho dam.
lnD,