The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-07-30

| The work of Rescue Delayed for Want
or b"at-. While the Flood swept Every.
thing Before it-immense Damage
Done.
YOUNG srowN, o., July e3.-At seven
o'clock last night "A terrific cloud burst
struck tins town. flooding the entire
valley and causing great damage to
property, both in the city and along
the railway lines. Many people are
supposed TO be drowned. The entire
country east and west for % miles was
flooded and the damage will be enor-
nous, the railroads being the heaviest
losers.
The Erie road. west of Warren IA
miles, and north of sharon for the
same distance, was entirely flooded
and orders were issued to discontinue
all trains.
Many residences here were flooded,
and the occupants were taken away by
the police and fire departments. The
Mahoning valley electric lines were
flooded and all the bridges washed
away.
The Catholic church at Niles was
struck by lightning at the same hour
and nearly destroyed by fire, while
business houses and manufao turing
concerns were inundated
Henry Myers, tailor, while stand
ing ut his residence on Mill street, was
struck by lightning and killed in
stantly. He leaves family. The ex-
cursion train, which left here yester-
day morning for Lake Erie were all
sidc-traclSed 80 miles out. On every
road leading into the .ity comes re-
ports OF extensive washouts and
bridges swept away, and railroad OIL
Gals say the loss will be the heaviest
they have ever known.
AT 1880 o'clock last night came the
tangible information of the damage
done by the storm. Along Crab creek
running into the city in the northeast
along the Erie and Lake Shore roads,
emptylng into the Mahoning river near
the Lake shore depot, cloud-burst
occurred about ten miles out and the
water did not begin to rise much in
the city until after nine o'clock.
At about ten o'clock the water came
down the valley into the city and
thing that was not fastened down be-
fore it. The bed o. the creek was not
more than 20 feet wide, and the flood
spread out to width of about 1000
feet. 1t rose quickly, and in less than
80 minutes the water was up to the
second story of all the dwelling houses
in the flooded districts, and was still
rising.
1t was certainty at IL o'clock that
none of the people escaped from the
houses. The whole district was COW
cred with darkness. except one small
place where lone electric light shone.
Firemen, police and Others were on
hand quickly. but rescue work was
extremely difficult, as not boat was to
be had in that part of the city. The
cries OF those imprisoned in the houses
were heartrending to those on the
waters edge, but they were compelled
to retreat slowly on account of the ris-
ing water.
1t is almost certainty that many
persons were drowned. One whole |
family were heard crying for help
from upstairs windows when suddenly |
there was grinding noise. as if tho I
house was being moved from its founda-
ton, and soon the cries from that place |
ceased.
The intense darkness made il impos- !
sible to see what was going on, but it |
IS supposed the house and its occupants /
went down in the flood. People at the /
waters edge heard man crying for |
help who wasapparently being carried
down in the flood. The voice grew
fainter and it is supposed the unfortu-
nate man persisted. Pitiful cries for
help were heard continually, but the
crowd on the shore cauld do nothing 1
in the way of giving aid. Police and
iiremen went at once TO another par,
Of the city after boats with which t.
rescue the water bound people.
1t was midnight before boats were
gotten TO the flooded Crab creek dis
trict and the work OF rescue could b.,
started. The boats were manned by
iiremen, who went to work with a will.
but could not make rapid progress on
account of the swift and dangerous
Nine families were taken
out of second-story windows within n
half hour and many people were picked
up clinging to debris as it foated or.
the angry flood.
This work was continued with yes.
during the entire night. Many vera
saved, but it is true. also that YER,
many were drowned, and their bodies
carried away by the angry waters.
how many cannot at this writing be
sven estimated.