The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-07-24
Youngstown Flooded and Many Per-
sons Supposed TO be Lost.
TIE DISTRICT IN DARKNEss-AGo.
NIzING CRIES HEARD FROM
THOSE IMPRISONED IN THEIR
HoMEs-THE WATERS REACH
THE SECOND STORIES OF Dwell
LINGs-BoATs Used TO RESCUE
THOSE WHO WE'RE IN THE
HOUSES.

1oungstown,O., July 23.-At Z O'Clock
last night terrific cloudburst struck
this town, flooding the entire valley and
causing great damage to property, both
In the city and along the railway lines.
Many persons are supposed to be
drowned. The entire. country east and
west Tor twenty miles was flooded aud the
uamaSe VIII be enormous, the railroads
celng the heaviest losers. The Erie rail-
road west CT Warren fourteen miles and
north of Sharon for the same distance
was entirely flooded out, and orders were
issued to discontinue all trains.
Many residences here were flooded, and
the occupants were taken away by the
ponce and fire departments. The Ma
honing Valley electric lines.were flooded
OUT ana 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 manufacturing concerns
were flooded
Henry Myers. tailor, while standing
at his residence. on Mill street, was
struck by lightning and killed Instantly.
He leaves n family.
The excursion trains which left here
inns morning for Lake Erie are all side
,a,. thirty miles cut and will proba-
bly, not reach the city tonight.
On every railroad leading irto the CITY
come reports of extensive washouts and
bridges swept away, and railroad officials
say the loss will be the heaviest they have
ever known
At lO:3O O'Clock came the first definite
information of the damage done by the
storm. Along Crab creek, running into
the city in the northeast along the Erie
anu Lake Shore railroads, and emptying
into the Mahoning river near the Lake
Shore depot, cloudburst occurred about
ten miles out
At about 10 O'clock the water swept
down the valley into the city, CARRYING
everything that was not fastened down
before it. The bed of the creek was not
more than twenty feet wide, but the
iood spread out to width of about 1000
ieet. 1t rose quickly, and in less than
thlrty minutes the water was UP to the
second stories Of the dwelling houses in
the Hooded districts, and still rising.
IL Is certainty at l o'clock that none
OF the people escaped from the houses.
the whole district was in darkness except
one small place, where lone electric
light shone. Firemen, police and others
were on hand quickly, but were power.
Tess TO effect rescues ms not Il boat of any
KIND was to be had. The cries of the
people In the houses were neartrending
to those who stood at the water,s edge
and who were forced to retreat on account
OF the rising water. 1t is almost ~ Ger.
tainty that many lives were lost in this
manner.
One whole family was heard CRYING for
help from upper windows, when suddenly
there was grinding noise, AS il the house
was being moved from it's foundation.
and soon the cries from that place ceased,
The intense darkness made it 'mpossi-
bic to see what was going on, hut it is
supposed that the house and its occu.
pants went down In the flood.
People at the waters edge heard a man
crying for help who was apparently be.
ing carried down in the flood The voice
grew fainter, and it is supposed the I'M
fortunate man persisted.
pitiful cries for help wereheard cont'n-
ually, but the crowd on the shore could
% nothing In the way of giving aid.
Police and firemen went at once to
another part of the city after boats.
lt was midnight before boats were got.
ten to the Hooded Crab creek district and
the work OF rescue started The boats
were manned by flremen, who went to
work with . n WILL but could not make
rapid progress on account OF the swift
and dangerous current
Nine families were taken out of second
story windows within half an hour, and
many persons were picked up clinging to
debris. Nothing definite will be known
as to the loss of life until morning
AT midnight the water commenced 70
recede rapidly, and the creek will likely
be back in its natural course by morning.