The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-05-12
WAVE SWEEPS 4 TOWN.
An Immense Wall Of Water Strikes
West Guthrie, Oklahoma.
A ClOUDBURST AND WHIRLWIND.

Swept the Canadian Valley - Many
Houses Carried Away-Scores Perishy
River Turned Into Torrent That Cana
Upon the City With Cyclones Roar
GUTHRIE, Oklahoma (SpeciaD.-At sun
rise Wednesday a wall Of water eight feet
high and mile wide broke upon Wes
Guthrie without warning, drowning score.
of people and carrying away scores OF
houses. Every movable thing was swept
before the wave which passed on into the
Canadian River Valley, wreaking destruc-
ton to life and property wherever it |
reached. Just how many lives were lost
may not be known for weeks, but the list
Is almost certain to exceed hundred.
Hundreds Of houses were wrecked; for
many miles many farmers were complete
ly ruined. Bridges and tracks were washed
out and railway traffic in every direction
Is at a standstill. More than million dol
lars damage was done to property. The
efforts OF rescuing parties have In many
cases proved In vain; many persons foated
down stream before they could be reached.
Business was wholly suspended all day In
Guthrie, the stores and banks being closed.
As thorough an organization for relief as is
possible has been made, but all aid has been
necessarily retarded by the confused condt'
tion of things.
It has been impossible to explore the
houses until the water subsidies, as many OF
them are submerged. AS darkness gath
cred over the scene many overturned houses
we're seen far out in the food, but 1t could
not be learned whether their occupants es-
capped. The river was thirty feet above its
ordinary level.
The food Is supposed to have been caused
by a cloudburst, supplemented by heavy
rains. The Cottonwood River, ordinarily 9
small stream, that winds between steep
banks In West Guthrie, was bank full from
heavy rain, but no alarm was felt.
Early In the morning water from cloud
burst above had added to the already high
stream and a food began sweeping through
West Guthrie, section Of the city popu-
lated mostly by colored people.
Those who saw the first wall OF water
said 1t was eighteen feet high, spreading
entirely across the valley. This was loi,
lowed BY others in quick succession, until
the whole settled into bank OF water,
from six to eight feet high. Many persons
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 tor.
rent.
Some thought the roar was that Of tor
nado and sought their caves, only to perisn
few moments later. Others stopped to
save things until 1t was too Late.
The railroad tracks are on the east
bank of the river. For three-quarters
of mile across is the valley running
through the western part OF the city,
and in It are many Of the finest resi-
dences, and small business section,
/ where are about twenty stores and several
mills. warehouses, etc. In less than
twenty minutes from the time the food
struck the city this entire section was In
undated, and within an hour the water was
ten feet deep and hundreds Of build1ngs
we're floating away.
Not only the mesner structures, put nae
residences, store buildings, cotton GIN
and other large structures went into ruins
or fioated away down the stream.
On many buildings were men, women and
children, From hundreds OF trees came
piteous calls for help, and the air was hide
Gus with the struggles and screams OF do
mestic animals. Most Of the boats were
crushed or carried away, and little could
be done to help many who fell or were
swept from places OF refuge and were
drowned before the eyes OF helpless specta-
tors.
A colored woman with baby in her arms
desperately tried to steady herself In tree
top, calling the while for help. She grew
weak, and the baby slipped into the water
and was drowned. She was finally rescued
and said her family of six had been lost:
A woman wading from home, with her
baby on her head, was seen to go under,
and man swimming the channel to reach
four women and baby In tree was car
ried down stream.
Two women and a child were carried
away on bridge further down stream, and
one man and two women In plain sight OF
shore were on house roof when it went
to pieces. They all perlshed.