The San Francisco call., 1897-04-30
WATERS SUBS|DE
IN OKLAHOMA
Debris and Death Left
in the Wake of Swirl
ing Currents.
Hundreds of Homes Washed
Away During the Floods
in Guthrie.
Stories OF Great. Heroism on the
Part OF Those Who Made
Daring Rescues.

GUTHRIE. o. T., April 29.-The great
flood is thing of the past. The waters
have receded and where yesterday flowed
ten feet of water as lar as the eye could
reach the ground is now almost dry.
There are great piles of wreckage and
shattered buildings and the scene of gen.
eral devastation tonight seems N ore like
the work of mighty tornado than a flood.
All night the water receded fast and by
daylight the river was within its banks
By noon hundreds of workmen were re-
storing houses. The trip through every
section of the flooded district shows hun
dreds of homes entirely gone. Thrice as
many were damaged and dozens OF busi-
ness houses wrecked. The loss is fully
$1O0, COO
Five hundred people are homeless, while
1000 have lost all their personal effe cts.
Many people reported last night as posi-
lively drowned were found to-day in trees,
and it was soon apparent the mum Der
drowned did not exceed twenty-five.
Escapes of survivors were remarka ble
Some swan incredible distances, and res
cuers braved dangers which proved every
man hero.
Mrs. Rachael Mckinney, aged 65,
CHM bed upon an arbor. After clinging on
three hours she was knocked off by drift
wood, went under water twice, foated an
eighth of a mile, struck n house, grasped
the window sill and, breaking the glass
with her hand, climbed in and lay on the
floor until rescued.
Daniel Sma.lwood swan half a mile,
holding a crippled wife. Mrs. Fanny
Putin was struck by log and drowned.
John Miles perished while trying to save
his children. Mrs. Eva Dumas, Mrs.
Jane Watt, II. NJ. Sawyer, Mrs. Dennis
and an unknown couple were among
those reported rescued tonight, but there
are many others who new will be found.
Thieves are looting the wreckage along
the river and entering many. of the dis
mantled houses tonight. Guards are
being put everywhere, and if the looters
are caught there will likely be lynching.
The receding water in Cimarron has
left an immense pile OF wreckage at the
railway bridge two miles north. Watchers
there are positive many bodies are buried
there, declaring that several have been
sighted. The bodies of colored baby
uHo SIuoOSH-idSCO NhitC hldn were re-
covered tonight.
NEW ORLEANS. La. April 29-Severe
rain and wind storms yesterday and to-
day through the lower Mississippi Valley
did great damage, causing ugly sloughs
in many levees. Appeals have poured in
to the relief committee from all quarters
to-day for tents. Nearly half the people
in the overfiowed section OF Louisiana are
altoge ther shelterless.
The captains of the steamers Creole and
Wilmot have been fined for violating the
State law against running vessels too near
the ievees during high water, but without
effect OF stopping the violations. The
Levee Board will insist upon imprison-
ment of the captains of the Napoleon and
New Orleans and of all the other steamer r
captains who go tco near the levee. Affi-
davits were made to-day against the
steamers Mamie Coyle and Elmoso of the
Southern Pacific.
Stale Engineer Perilliat. who returned
to-day from the Atchafalaya District.
issued statement warning the people
from the Red River down not to lull
themselves into feeling of security.
There is still very great danger, he says
The levees must be four feet above the
present food level TO provide for rise OF