The record-union., 1897-04-29
TERRIBLE DISASTER IN
OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

of water had done its work and pracll-
cally spent itself.
The air became hideous with the
crashing of houses and the cries Tor
help of the unfortunates. When the
first shock of the disaster was over, the
more fortunate on the island immediate
Iy began to help those nearest them,
while across in Guthrie proper prompt
steps We're taken at rescue
The houses, barns and other effects
began to drift down stream each
freighted with one or more human De
ings boats or RATS shot out here and
there from the shore, and desperate ef-
forts were made to rescue the people.
Improvised RATS were quickly thrown
together and started out into the mad
stream. Before many of them had
been propelled couple of yards from
shore they were twisted and broken by
the waters, and the would-be rescuers
thrown into the stream. Half dozen
rescuers were drowned even before
reached.
Gus Plat, business manager of the
Guthrie Leader" and George Willis, a
merchant tailor, swan the river at the
risk of their lives and secured boat,
by which a number of persons were
saved
0opTO woman with ha he in her
arms desperately tried to steady her
self in a tree top, calling the while for
help. She grew weaker, and the baby
slipped into the water and was drowned.
She was finally rescued, and said her
family of six had succumbed.
A woman wading from home with her
babe on her head was seen to go under,
and a man swimming in the channel to
reach four women and babe in tree
was carried down stream.
Two women and a child were carried
and one man and two women, in plain
sight of shore, were on a house roof
when it went to pieces. They all per-
ished.
An old negro woman was seen riding
housetop. The building soon turned
over, and she was drowned.
Three men, Walter Olds, Van Dusen
and Eugene Gill, sought to rescue an old
man from a tree. Their RATS struck an
overhanging tree, and they barely saved
themselves by clambering into another
tree. They were finally rescued on a
rope sent to them by means of a shot
gun anu cord.
Two men secured a small stern wheel
pleasure boat and started to the rescue
of half a dozen men and women lodged
in a tree. The persons were rescued
amid the cheers of the spectators. The
cable holding the craft finally broke, and
it was carried down stream, but ulti-
mately landed safely.
Acknowledgement Jameson of the Ter
ritorial militia narrowly escaped with
his family. He was forced to wade
and lead his horse with his family in
the buggy.
John Metz, aged 50, was capsized
while trying to save a woman, who
sank before he reached her. Metz him
self was barely rescued.
George Owens, Attorney league Ray
and Dick Pearson were precipitated in
to the water while trying to save some
people, and owens was drowned.
The wife and five children of Wesley
McGil, colored, were drowned in their
home.
Tonight forty or fifty people could
be seen clinging to trees and roofs of
buildings, but could not be reached
and viii have 10 spend the night where
they are. The strength of many may
fail before morning. If it does nothing
but a watery grave awaits them. The
fate of many others who are known to
have been carried down stream will
not be known until daylight, and per-
haps not then.
1t is impossible to get any definite
news from the hundreds of rescued
people on the bluffs west of the city,
frantically about in search of missing
ones. The river is going down rapidly
tonight
1t is impossible to even approximately
estimate the loss of life.
When darkness settled over the city
tonight the widest stories were af1oat
Many were claiming that all of fifty
lives had been lost and not infreauent-
ly men We're heard claiming that fully
200 had persisted. Those wilder esti-
mates are unquestionably exaggerated
but the exaggeration is not to be won
dered at, if the frightful incidents OF
the disaster are to be considered. Lives
were lost in the flood in every direction
in plain view of the few who were
heroicaly carrying on the work of res
cue, and of the many who stood help
less at the edge of raging waters. Men
women and children struggled in the
torrent side by side with horses, cattle
and swine. one perishing here, another
there, and in the other places several
disappearing together beneath the flood
At dark tonight but two bodies had
been recovered. The bodies recovered
are those Of the following: Anna Kaiser
a school teacher; Frank Mayors
Others known to have been drowned
are: George Owens, ]. II. Calhoun, wife
and child; Charlie Ruffner and wife,
Rastus McGil, Lena Burke, Mrs. Watt
Mrs. Wesley McGill and FIVE children,
John Metz, Mrs. James Montgomery
Mrs. Dummins. Jim Lilly, Mrs. Dumas.
II. II. Beckfinger. Mrs. Frances Moore,
John Beard, Mrs. Sue Wilson. Jennie
Taylor, Sammie Jackson, George
Smithers.