The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-30
DEATHS AT GUTHRIE
PROBABLE TOTAL OF THpSN
DROWNED BY FLOOD REDUCED
TO TWENTY.
HUNDREDS OF DESTITUTE.
HEROIC EFFORTS MADE TO RE-
LIEVE THE DESTITUTE IN THE
VALLEY.
OF HOMES SWEPT AWAY
Whole Blocks StripDed Rnra anx
Huge Trees Torn Up by the
Terrific Torrent

GUTHRIE, Ok, April 29.-In the
f1ood-stricken valley of the Cotton
wood river today has been one of he
role effort towards the rescue of those
unfortunates whose lives were still en-
dangered, and for the relief of the
hundreds of destitute and hungry. To-
night it seems a certainty that the loss
Of life in yesterdays deluge will not
exceed twenty. All day missing peo-
pie, supposed yesterday to have been
drowned, have been found clinging to
bushes or driftwood down the stream,
on the West Bluffs or scattered in
farm houses for miles During the
greater part Of yesterday the roaring
torrent Of water cut off communication
with the submerged district, and in
the excitement the death list was
swelled to hundreds. The negroes who
lived in the stricken portion of the
town had in their terror, given up
their missing friends or relatives as
lost, and it was the general belief that
scores had persisted in their homes or
in tornado cellars, but when daylight
came this morning the flood had SUBJ
sided and examinations today Of the
houses and cellars failed to confirm the
exaggerated reports of loss of life.
For miles along the scene of devasta-
ton, 1900 people, homeless and half
i'll from exposure and hunger, passed
miserable night, and morning found
most of them too weak to give much
assistance either to themselves or
others. The river fell rapidly during the
night, and when the sun rose the ex-
~ n hn S1r 1TRNA
could be seen. The river banks were
Uttered with the dead carcasses Of farm
animals. Whole blocks, where yesterday
stood home in nearly every lot, were
stripped bare, and huge trees torn up
by their roots were scattered every
where.
With the first ray of daylight the
work Of reScuing and relief was taken
up with vengeance and kept up with
tlreless energy. Raftsmen did effect
i've work today and one by one the peo-
pie We're transported from their peril
Gus positions to places of safety on
land. The family of Wesley McGin,
reported yesterday as drowned, was
found safe The only bodies found
during the day were those of Mrs.
Fannie Ruffin and five children, all
lodged in pile of drift wood These,
with George Owen, the butcher, drown
ed while rescuing others; Frank Myers,
MIS-. Jane w att, MrS, FRANCIS Moore.
Mrs. Drummond, Mrs. Dennis and
child and Mrs. Watson are the only
identified dead, though many are still
missing.
During the day systematic relief was
perfected and carried on. Ferries piled
across the river, carrying provisions
and clothing everywhere, and return
ing with any injured or urgent cases
Of distress Such were carefully cared
for in private homes in Guthrie BY
nightfall ample arrangements had
been made for the immediate care Of
the homeless and there was an assur-
ance Of no further suffering at least
Tor the time being. Five hundred homes
had been swept away, $50
houses were wrecked and 20 stores de-
vastated leaving 1000 people homeless
and half as many destitute.
The damage along the Cimarron
river east is very extensive, and hun
dreds of farms have been devastated
along Deep Fork in Lincoln county.
Hundreds Of men worked all day re-
building houses. The damage to prop
erty will be in the neighborhoOd of
100000. while that sustained in crops
may equal or may perhaps double that
amount.