The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-29
LOST IN THE FLOOD.
Eight Persons Drowned in
Washington County, Pa.
Pfttsburg ssrewn with Debris-Much
vania, Especially 70 Churches.

PTttsharg. JAY .s--Eght persons were
drowned IN the food last night Seven
or fssse met death at Cecil. q mining
and oil hamlet In WASHINGTON county.
TIE eighth victim going down al Carnegie.
The dead are Mrs SamueB Mckinney.
6 years cid. Margare. Mckinney. -
years Old. daughter. James Mckinney
- years old. a soE. Clyde Beatty. "a years
Old. an OIL pksmper. g. G. HIgEfas. . years
Old. an oil well pumper. Of Bradford.
Ninesrt Wilkinson. . years old. - oil
well emploge. OF EoEfakle. Forest ~o1n-
~. Pa. Jennie Holmes. II years old.
daughter Of A. w. Holmes. a coal miner.
John Wright. cosoreg. Il years Cd. OF
Carnegie
Samuel NcKinney kept a boarding
house az Cecil for the accommodation or
oil men and miners. The hou<e was stu
sted on the banks OF Millers run. a irso-
ufary OF CHARTERS creek Ordinarily the
ran, which flows through a valley banked
by high hiiss could scarcely feat chip.
but last nEght q csouaaurst filled in Its
closely eonAned quarters 10 suen al ex-
tent that every thing on its banks were
endangered.
There were thirteen people In the Nc
Kinney house when the water commenced
10 rise AZ o'clock LAST night. but no seri-
osss danger was apprehenaes. The men
busted themselves In carrying household
6@l%f@ NJ 4txE &EEDf44 IfQJ1, dll1 ks4C k1Asdfr
population Of the house continued their
dressing for a dance which wss being held
In . nesghboring hall. Suddenly the house.
q two-stofy frame, was washed from Its
foundation into the seethlng waters and
rapidly carried down stream. IL was then
too late for any one Ia the house 10 es-
cape. Be.ow the site of the house about
100 yards stands old fashioned country
bridge. which spans the stream. The
house crashed against this structure; the
roof was torn OF. and the rest Of the
building was crushed Ike an eggshel In
being forced under the bridge. Higgins
and William MhItner were caught be-
tween the first and second floors. Efig-
gins died there. but Wnitner made most
miraculous escape. Those on the second
floor were badly squeezed. Just below
the bridge the wreclxage or the house
struck sandbar. and those OF the party
who were still alive chlng TO the pieces.
Thomas HAYES. Vincent Wilkinson and
others formed q rescuing party. Whitner
was rescued. while fast in the wrecka -.
~ Wilkinson. who also dragged the dead
body of Higgins from lis iodgment. sam
uel Mckinney was also saved By Wiikin-
son. After assisting In other rescues VIII
ksnson heard cry for help from up the
stream. and. notwithstanding the extreme
hazard attached to the attempt. the brave
with a rope. When about halfway over
log struck him on the head and broke
his neck. His body was found several
hundred yards below the place, in tree.
Clyde 8eattv was another Hero or The
disaster who lost his life. He made
strenuous efforts To save Margarer Nc
Kinney and Jennie Holmes. who had been
lodged in a tree. when a. wave came
along and swept ali three 70 death. Beat
ty had several opportunities TO save him
self. but refused 10 leave HIS weaker COM
panions. Those OF the unfortunate party
who were rescued were taken from the
branches Of trees and parts OF the wreck
ed house. Those who lost their lives were
either crushed in the wrackaga or knock
ea insens.ble BY RAPIDLY floating logs.
maxim them an easy prey Tor the rag
Ing torrent. The Bodies have all been re-
covered.
John Wright. colored liveryman. whiie
attempting TO drive across a bridge at
Murray hill, was caught by the high va
iers OF CHARTERS creek. near Carnegie.
and drowned.