Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-29
A SEA AT Ell RENO.
TORNADO, AND AN UNPRECE-
pENTED RAINFALL.
A NUMBER OF LIVES LOST
Thrilling Rescue OF Families from
the Rapidly Rising Waters-Much
stuck Killed by Lightning-Tele-
graph Wires Down-Trains stopped

Ell, RENO, OKLA, April 2s.-For tne
first time since the white man settied IN
the Canadian Valley, . years ago, this
mornings sun set its rays over an Okla
homa sea. The final storm and flood came
as n fitting climax to a week of unusually
heavy rains and damaging floods. A
fierce storm Saturday tore out sewers
and moved small buildings. Saturday at
midnight a hurricane, blowing forty-sM
miles an hour, drove binding sheets OF
water through the roofs of the partly or
already fully damaged houses. People
were driven in terror TO their storm-cellars
and caves, and spent the night in mo-
mentary expectation of being borne away
by storm or flood.
Sunday dawned bright and clear but
yesterday noon another deiuge descende1.
BY o'clock the rainfall amounted to over
five inches. A huge black cloud was OBJ
served moving toward the city from the
West. The cry, "get under ground"
arose on all sides, and the streets were
soon filed with running, shouting peo-
nIe seeking cave or cellar. Stores and
homes were deserted. and the people mud
died together. awaiting the blow. me
centre of the storm passed over the SCUM
eastern corner OF the town, striking the
hills across the valley and wrecking all
it touched.
THE DOWNPOUR.
with the tornado came the heaviest
sar of water ever recorded here in
like period, over two inches falling IN
20 minutes. All day the river had peeh
rising at a frightful rate, reaching the
railroad bridge and moving IL out OF line
The wagon bridge went out when the
water reached it's floor and the bridge
and drift. serving as an OBSTRUCTION
forced the water out over the bottoms,
washing out crops, moving houses. ahc
dro,vning stock A dam on the Elison
ranch gave way and carried out bridge
IN the Fort Reno road. swept the Fair
Grounds Gean. and flooded the yards or
| the Choctaw railroad Rising into the
| houses Of the bottom farmers, 1t COM
PEELED them to desert their homes.
4 party composed of a. j.. Wodilhe'
pete carr Henry Schaffer, Charles JUS
tin. James Tompkins. Rev. Father Hail
and others. Immediately set to work
| Thomas Palmer. the latter's wife ana
| several children were rescued from the
| tons Of bureaus, just as the water was
| creepine up to their feet. 1t was with
| difficulty they were removed 10 the I'M
nroyised RATS Of the rescuers, and taken
| 70 drv land. The families of Mrs. Hail
| Tom Potter. Colonel Seyery, and Mrs.
| Black were rescued from their homes IN
n similar manner. In each instance the
water had swept through the windows
| and was gradually rising During lhe
| trip a raft of railroad-ties went 10 pieces
on a submerged wire fence, and the en-
| tire party was precip!tated INTO the "a'ei'
| They were all saved.
! CHILD DROWNED.
little child OF Frank Holman's fell
| into a washed-out crossing ana was
| drowned. NJ. A. Bickford. a milk-man,
nearly lost his life in trying to save the
little one. The EGGPLANT was flooded, ana
| Harry Bradford the manager, narrowly
| escaped drowning.
| Lightning struck the spire Of the Pres
| byterian church. and totally wrecked IL.
| The school-hOuse for colored children was
| struck at 3 o'clock in the afternoon; the
| structure was shattered. and about fifty
| pupils were more or less seriously hurt.
| Among the more badly injured are:
| EVA CLAUSTON.
| BERTHA TURNER.
| CHARLES WATER
| BEULAH CLAUSTON.
The last named was paralyzed.
Several other houses were struck by the
lightning, but no one was killed. Farther
west the lightning killed much stock
The electric-light wires went down, and
! the town was in darkness last night.
| Reports from surrounding towns are
meagre, as the telegraph wires are down
| and trains have all been stopped on ac-
count of washouts. 1t Is known, how
ever. that many homes have been washed
| out in towns adjacent 10 El Reno, and II
is feared many lives have been lost. West
of here. Frank Thompson and the l6-year-
! AInl., ~ Hrn 81