Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-08-20
The Pine Geek Flood.

The section of county just north of Allie
pbenv City was the scene of an unusually
heavy rain storm last Thursday, which
flooded Pine Creeg; caused the death by
drowning of six persons at DE Haven and
one at Etna, and va ned out the T. d W.
Railroad at that point, and the West Penn
at Sumner Station.
Hart's ruu. d branch Of Pine Greek, put
ont the water mat did the greatest damage.
Before the storm broke heavy black clouds
hung over III, valley and seemed to touch
the hill tops 1t wSs dark as night.
Lamps were lighted in all the village
houses and the omi GUS blackness ol the
skv frightened tiuii ones. A lightning
fash, a mighty peal Vi thunder and the
| rain fell.
It came with binding fury. Previous
precjpitation had soaked the ground so
that all that fell rem down the hills. The
earth could absorb none Off Lude gull
| leys and depressiOns in the Lip5 became
| 6lled with yellow torrents Thuy poured
into the tiny channel of Harris run, swell
ed it far beyond its natuTa, confines and
converted it into roaring and seething
cataract.
With mighty force il rEshed down the
hill uprooting trees, dislOdging bOul-
ders, and hewiig a channel through wAlcn
| to escape. The rain had also swollen Gore
head creek above tha confluence, and the
waters of the two flooded streams poured
| into the narrow valley at the upper end OF
| De Haven. Though the people were
watching It and expecting something un-
| usual. some did not seek safety on the high
ground soon enough.
Robert Auld's house stands on hill
| above the valley. His mosher, Mrs Susan
=, inf ha track af the
storm His little sons saw the danger
their grandmother was in, and brave little
| fellows that they are, they ran to her res
enc. They intended to help her up the
hillside to their nome.
Scarcely had they gotten her out of the
house than their way home was cut oil by
| the angry waters. They helped her along
the rcedwa7. and an Ill fate led them to
| the house oi James Robinson which seem
ed to be III safe place. They got in safe
| ly and felt secure.
| Robinson believed his mother in-iaw,
| Mrs. Helen Popplelon and her daughter
| Sarah. to be in danger. lie made his way
| to their house and with the aid OF Fred
Poppleton, he got them to his house. John
| Metlaulev who lived two doors away giSo
| went to Robinson'E to give some aid.
With Robinson and his wife and cl.
| 10 uersons we're thus in house Wni"t b..
| thought to be out of the track OF 'ie il ~
| They were so busy that they die t'i CO.
! tice the water coming up on thch. 6 slf
| at the bridge the creek. makes al aO;hpt
| turn. A hill throws the water aFy.aa.
| This had Tho partial effect Of dam, .-d
| il turned the chanel of the torfrt' -0h
the bed of lhe creek to direct liue to- .rt
| Robnsou's house.
| AN oId-fash oned chimney was hirg to
give way. Its foundation wa washed
! Int a.s.d 1T fell with crushing furro Sev-
| eral persons inside were caught unteg II
but none were seriously hurt, 81 ~ as
| was known in the excitment.
Scarcely had the chimney fallen unt. j
the house rocked and rush of wates over
turned it. Fred Poppleton was IL the
| kitchen at the time, and he WAS sweP'
| out and over the hillside, where lie Wa
| saved. The rest were carried down ii.
| stream.
when the house fell over, said Rrbi5
son, II made a grab for those usag me.
got my little boy, and Sarah f1pPlo'on
| nv niece. We we're all clinging u tn
wreck, and it went 10 pieces. Sara..
| hoated away from me, and the Auld D.!
were left with me. We were carried do IL
| for half mile, and l saw q willow rec
| ali cad.
81 told the boys to jump tor the tree
| when we got TO it, and to hold on fcl
their lives They jumped and caught the
| tree, and | followed with my boy. Just
Their my mother in law aosted by, and
caught her The water tore her away
from my grasp, and | saw no more Of her
| I'D not sec my wife after the house went
to pieces We clung to the tree for ar
hour or more, until they got us off with
ropes"
Sarah Poppeton, who is only l3 year,
old says she went down stream on piece
of the floor, which held together. She was
alone. She was whirled about, and the
trail raft gave signs of breaking to pieces
Her mother hoatcd down after Robinson
had failed to save her, and got under the
raft which was carrying her daughter
She came up again aud the little gir
caught her. She tried to pull her onto
the boards, but the water was to strong
for her The mother was torn away, and
her BODY was found in field at Etna,
seven miles away. From tie marks on il
she was probably dead or unconscious
| VIXEN she floated past her sol-in-law and
daughter.
The little girl was carried down for q
mile or so, and saw no hopes Of rescue. A
man on horseback tried to get near her,
but failed Near bridge where the creek
emy ties into Pine Creek a boy showed out
a long pole towards hey. She jumped and
caught il and was pulled nut OF the water
John NcUauley made an effort to save
one of the women in the house. He would
have been successful had the house held
together When it broke he was thrown
into the water and carried against The
hillside. He scrambled out, and by this
time the res: of the people were out o.
his reach.
Mrs Aud was carried down stream
about two miles. Her body was found II
a field along the railroad track. Mrs
Robinson's body was recovered at De Hay
Ell
The unknown man who was drowned
was seen walking along the Butler plank
road near Robinson's house He attempt
ed to wade water rnnring across the road
and was carried away. His bcoy was seer
passing under bridge at De Haven, and
| again at Etna. 1t is thought that it wa
carried Tito the Allegheny River.