New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-29
SWEPT BY A MIGHTY FLOOD
TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION OF LIFE AND
PROPERTY IN OKLAHOMA

AN IMMENSE WALL. OF WATER DEscENDs UPON
WEST GUTHRIE AND OTHER PLACES IN THE
CANADIAN vALLEY--Two-THI OF
THE VICTIMS coLoRED PEOPLE.
Guthrie, Okla. April 2S-At sunrise this morn
ing wall OF water from six to eight feet high
and mile wide broke upon West Guthrie with
out warning. crushing houses. sweeping away
property and drowning many people. Every
movable thing was swept before the wave. which
passed on into the Canadian Valley with resist
less force. wreaking terrible destruction to life
and property wherever it reached.
When darkness settled over the city tonight
the widest stories OF loss OF life were a1oat.
The estimates ran ell the way from fifty to $50
persons drowned While the larger figure Is un-
doubtedly an exaggeration, it is known that the
loss of life will reach. II not exceed the lesser
number.
Dozens Of lives are known TO have been lost
how many may not be known for weeks: hun
dreds of houses We're wrecked. and for many
miles farmers completely ruined bridges
and tracks were washed out and railway traffic
in every direction is at standstill. The efforts
Of rescuing parties have in many cases proved in
vain. Many persons fioated downstream before
they could be reached and their fate is I'M
known. Others will pass the night in trees in
midstream or percned on housetops The prop
erty loss is placed at something near 81 100000.
Fully two-thirds OF the victims colored.
Business has been suspended all day in Guthrie,
the stores and banks being closed AS thorough
an organization for relief is possible has been
made. but oil aid has been necessarily retarded
by the confused condition Of things
1t will be impossible to explore the houses
until the water subsidies. many of them are
crnt,,a
scene many overturned houses were seen far out
In the food but it could not be learned whether
their occpants escaped. The river is thirty feet
above its ordinary level. A heavy rain began
falling this afternoon
CLOUDBURST PROBABLY THE CAUSE.
The flood is supposed TO have been caused by
a cloudburst, supplemented by heavy rains. The
Cottonwood River. ordinarily small stream
winding between steep banks in West Guthrie.
was bankful from a heavy rain yesterday and
last night. but no alarm had been felt, as the
river had been rising gradually during the
night. About o'clock. however water from
cloudburst above had been added to the already
high stream. and the flood was sweeping through
West Guthrie. a region populated principally
by colored people. Those who saw the first wall
Of water said that ii was about eighteen feet
high spreading entirely across the valley. The
first wave was followed by others in quick sue
cession until the whole settled into bank OF
water from six TO eight feet high. Many per-
sons had already begun carrying their household
goods to places of safety. but few had made more
than one trip when they were forced to fee for
their lives before the raging torrent.
The main supply pipe Of the waterworks sys-
tenn burst where 1t crossed the Cottonwood. in
the southern part OF the city. and all the water
+i,o
southwestern part of the city long arm Of land
is formed by the winding Of the river. On this
land hundreds Of negroes lived. During the
night the bridge leading across the river to the
main section had been swept away. The people
were absorbed in watching the rising waters
this morning when the food from the reservoirs
came down in a solid wall. cutting off the peo-
PIE from escape. They fled from their homes to
The higher portions Of the newly formed Island.
woULD-BE REsCUER3 DROWNED.
When the first shock Of the disaster was over
the more fortunate on the island Immediately
began to help those nearest them while in Guth-
RE proper prompt steps were taken for rescue.
The houses. barns and other property began to
drift down stream. each freighted with one or
more human beings Boats or rafts snot out
here and there from the shore, ana desperate
efforts were made TO rescue the people. IhPTo-
vised RATS were quickly thrown together ana
started ont into the mad stream. Before many
Of them had been propelled couple or yards
from, shore they were twisted and broken by the
waters and the wOud-be rescuers thrown INTO
.he stream Half a dozen rescuers were
crowned before those they had tried 10 save
had been reached. $500
Tonight forty or frty people could be seen
,iirrtng 70 trees and roofs of buildings. but
cnuid not be reached The strength OF many
,oov fail before morning The fate or many
n,hers who are known 10 have been carried
down stream will not be known until daypfeah'
end perhaps not then. o,. o.s fror,
7, is ,,nnossbe to get any definite news IRON
the hundreds Of rescued people on 'he pIun n
,rest Of the city Those who escaped are luail-
ING rrantically about In search OF MISSING one9'
i've liver Is going down rapidly to-nlShr
ropTy.ONE PERSONS KILLED BY HAIL
WEATHER STORY FROM MExIco-HAIIsToNES
THAT WEIGHED THREE POUNDS
c. Iou,s Mo- April 2s.-A dispatch from oa'.
t po,osi Mexico to THE Globe-Democra'
&c. "Tbe Rio Verde Valley in this State mas pee"
visited nv a terrific haiistorm when not oi'i!
r,i,aa tho growing crops but caused great loss VI
rfe Penorts have been received here OF the kIll I
alone Twelve farmhands were killed some oi 'ho
haiistones weighed over three pounds
Az ADVERTISEMENT THAT FAILED.
The benefit for the Grant Memorial Fund winch
u,ae announced 70 be given at the metropolitan
On.ra House on Tuesday night. and WIS not gwen