The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-29

PITTSBURG, July 2S.-Eight persons
were drowned in the flood last night.
Seven of these met death at Cecil,
mining and oil hamlet in Washington
county, the eighth victim going down
at Carnegie:
The dead:
Mrs. Samuel Mckinney, SO years old.
Margaret Mckinney. 80 years old.
daughter.
James Mckinney, IS years old. son.
Clyde Beatty, "a years old, oil
pumper.
G. C. Higgins, 45 years old, oil well
pumper of Bradford, Pa.
Vincent Wilkinson, % years old, oil
we'll employee of Vowinkle, Forest
county, Pa.
Jennie Holmes, 10 years old, daughter
of A. W. Holmes, coal miner.
John Wright (coloreO II years old,
of Carnegie.
Samuel Mckinney kept a boarding
house at Cecil for the accommodation
of miners. The house was situated on
the banks of Miller's Rum, tributary
of Charters creek. Ordinarily the run,
which flows through a valley banked
by high and steep hills, would scarcely
burst filled in it's
CLOSELY CONFINED QUARTERS
to such an extent that everything on
its banks was swept away.
There were thirteen people in the
Mckinney house when the water COM
mencd to rise at 8 o'clock but no seri-
Gus danger was apprehended until the
men busted themselves carrying house
hold goods n the Second f1OOra nd the
female population of the house con-
tinued their dressing for the dance
which was being held in a neighboring
hall. Suddenly the house, two story
frame, was washed from it's founda-
ton into the seething waters and
rapidly carried down stream. 1t was
then too late for anyone in the house
to escape. Below the site of the
house, about 200 yards stands an old
fashioned country bridge. which spans
the stream. The house crashed against
this, the roof was torn off and the rest
of the building was crushed like an
egg shell in being forced under the
bridge. Higgins and William Whitner
were caught between the first and
second floor. Higgins died there, but
Whitner made a
MOST MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
Those on the second floor were badly
squeezed. Just below the bridge the
wreckage of the house struck a sand
bar and those of the party who were
still alive chung to the pieces.
Thomas Hayes, Vincent Wilkinson
and others formed a rescuing party.
Whitner was rescued, while fast in
the wreckaga, by Wilkinson, who also
dragged the dead body of Higgins
from Judgment. Samuel Mckinney
was also saved by Wilkins. After as
sisting in other rescues, Wilkinson
heard a cry for help from up the
stream and Notwithstanding the ex
IRENE hazard attached to them, the
brave fellow made the attempt to
swim across with rope. When about
half way oyer log struck him on the
/ head and broke his neck. His body
| was found several hundred yards be-
low the place in a tree. Clyde Beatty
was
ANOTHER HERO OF THE DIS
ASTER
who lost his life He made strenuous
efforts to save Margaret Mckinney
and Jennie Holmes, and had been
4 lodged in a tree when a wave came
along and swept all three to death.
( Beatty had several opportunities to
save himself, but refused to leave his
I companions. Those Of the unfortunate
party who were rescued were taken
/ from the branches of trees and parts
! of the wrecked house. Those who lost
1 their lives were knocked insensible by
rapidly floating logs, making them an
] easy prey for the raging torrent. The
/ bodies have all been recovered
1 Wright, the colored liveryman, while
/ attempting to drive across a bridge at
! Murray Hill was caught by the high
waters Of Charters creek near
| Carnegie and drowned.