Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1896-06-04
DEATH AND DEVASTATION AT
SENECA.
A ClOud Burst Swells Lost Greek
without Warming.
st. Louis Republic.

wateTspout which devastated Sen.
eca about 1 o'clock Saturday morn.
ing bring out stories of desolation,
sorrow and ruin. Seneca, with its
1000 inhabitants, is situated in
the valley of Lost Creek. On the
night of the 29th and 30th
there had been intermittent
showers of rain, but no danger was
apprehended. The first warning
of the approaching flood came
about 3:45 O'Clock a M, when
parties who were up and on the
lookout saw that the stream was
rising very rapidly. The alarm
was at once given by shouts and
firing of guns, but it was too late
for many to save themselves. A
wall of water from 3 to 10 feet high
came down the valley, sweeping
everything in its course. The
stream rose 10 feet in a few
minutes. Buildings were crushed
or moved from their foundations.
and dozens went down in the awful
current. The water spread from
hill to hill "a mile in width. Those
living on higher ground could see
by the vivid lightning flashes the
tops of buildings above the water,
and hear the cries for help, when
no help was possible. The flood
was at its height within 10 minutes
after the first alarm. The heavy
iron bridge on Main street and all
other bridges were crushed as
kindling wood. The rush Of
waters came like an avalanche.
Dwellings were dashed against
stone buildings. The city hall
was washed away and lodged in a
demolished condition against
Mont Halls brick across the street.
The stores of Mrs. Emma Frantz
and Mrs. I. J. Lemon were moved
out into the street.
The water was from four to six
feet deep in the stores and all
along the street, and in dwellings
the depth was from four to eight
feet, according to the situation.
The panic stricken people all over
the city were reused from their
slumber to find the water on the
floors of their dwellings, and be-
fore they could get their clothes
on it was waist deep. Seventeen
lives were lost. The residence of
H. Andrea, jeweler for w. IL.
Mitchell, was swept away in an
instant, being entirely engulfed by
the torrent. None of the family
was seen alive afterwards.
The residence of Carl Schmidt,
elevator man for the Huber Mill
ing Co., was also swept into the
raging torrent, and no sound was
heard from the unfortunate vic
Tins.
The residence of Harry Robin
son was surrounded by the waters,
and, seeing that the house would
be swept away, the family tried to
escape to the hills. Mrs. Robin
son and the youngest child were
carried under. Theirs were the
first bodies recovered and have the
appearance of being in a peaceful
sleep. Little Willie Doebler was
torn from his mothers grasp as
she clung TO a tree and tried to
save him. In the same place was
Archie Williams, who went down
with the current. The house was
swept away, and the family clung
desperately to a tree. Seven were
saved of these two families. Mrs.
Doebler resides at Carthage, Mo,
and, with her three children, was
visiting her mother.
A sad death was that OF Mrs.
White, wife of Rev. Harry White,
for two years pastor of the NJ. E.
Church. A short time ago he
went to Bridgeport, n. j., and
married Miss Eta Biggs, bringing
her here a bride two weeks ago
They were housekeeping in the
upper and rear rooms of the Dis
patch building, near the south
bank of the stream. Without a
warning, the large build
ing went into the current with a
crash. Mr.. White was a strong
swimmer, and, with his bride on
his arm, was battling with the
terrible torrent until, a mile below
the city, they were separated by
some drift wood and he saw her 60
down. He was rescued in an al
most unconscious condition several
hours later. His first words were,
MY poor wife" He is the only
person swept into the flood who
lived to tell the tale. Mrs. Whites
body was found not far away, in
a pile of drift wood. The body
has been embalmed and will be
sent east for burial.
The instances of miraculous es-
capes are numerous. The Puryear
residence was swept against a
taller one and the family was res
cued through hole cut in the roof.
Austin Heaton and wife stood
breast deep in one room of their
house and held their children on
their shoulders, while two rooms
Of their building were torn away.
Mrs. H. c. Dunkle sat on top of |
the organ with the water TO her
waist and saved her child. The |
furniture was swept cut of the |
door into the current. William
Mathews family escaped from a
window into tree. There were
.rees in nearly every yard in Sen
sca, and these prevented many |
from washing away, be
sides proving a refuge for many.
The furniture in $50 homes has
oeen ruined. 4 score of dwellings
we're moved from foundations,
wrecked and damaged.
The NJ. Z. Church, south, about
800 feet from the stream, was
moved $50 feet. w. E. Streets