Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-28
GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.
Houses Crushed, Bridges Washed
Away, People Homeless.
THE RIVER NOW A RAGING SEA.
Heroic Efforts TO save People Who
HAD Sought n Refuge fn
the Tree Tops.

ST. LOUIS, April 2S.-A brief dis.
patch froui Guthrie, o. T., says:
Ate O'Clock this morning a mighty
wave OF water elk feet high and a mile
wide swept down Cottonwood valley
and struck this city. A deafening
roar went up as the water crushed the
houses and drove the people from their
homes. At the frat rush every boat
ana briduo was swept away. All
West Guthrie il submerged. Twenty
business houses have ten feet OF water
In them. The river Is thirty feet
above the ordinary level. Hundreds
OF people are in the trees but cannot be
helped. Several men In trying TO
swim the current to reach four women
anu a baby In a tree were carried
away, A woman wadiDg from her
homo with baby on her head was
swept away ami lost. 1t is believed
more than a score Of negroes were
drowned. Persons who escaped the
food estimate that fully fifty persons
were drowned.
TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION.
KANSAS CITY, ApriI ga special
10 the Star from Guthrie, Oklahama,
Gays: The terrible ii pod OF Coltonw cd
r,vsr suddenly eugulfed Went Guthrie
shortly after SUNRISE thia mornipg.
There 10 Teason TO believe that fully o
score Of persons were drowned. Hun.
ureds were driven from their homes
and many houses swept away. 1t is
the most sppSlling disaster that ever
befell Guthrie.
The Cottonwood river 10 email
stream scarcely more than forty fee.
wide, that winus in many curves be-
tween the banks In West Guthrie,
which lies In level valley. The
terrific rains fell yesterday afternoon
and the greater part OF last n'ght. The
river was already full from the heavy
raibs OF several days ago. Ssili no
great alarm was felt Last night.
About q u. m. the river began to rise
es II by magic. Then 1t jumped four
ieet In twenty minutes. This part OF
Guthrie 10 tniokly populated, mostly
~ colorei people. Many began carr
fSiBg their household goods to places
sale y. Few mRuo imOrs than one
Tip when they were forced TO fee for
tueir lives.
The river burst from the banks and q
raging sea halt mile wide swept
across the valley, carrying houses,
barns and fepceB with 1t. To aud aor.
BOW 10 the situation the main supply
pips OF the waterworks system burst
where IL crossed Cottonwood In the
southern part And all the water In the
reservoirs poured into the river.
During the night the bridge leading
acroes the river to the city has been
swept away.
People were absorbed Watching the
4 risiug waters. When the flood from
the reservoirs came down In q SOLID
wall anu out ACROSS the arm OF land
near the main land, cutting oil
peoples escape, they fled to higher
parts OF the newly formed Island. The
river at O'Clock We 80 Iest nigher
Than the usual Level.
1t 10 believed that there is much
loss OF life In that part OF the oily, but
people are 80 bewildered as To make II
Impossible to secure facts. House alter
ht use was swept away. Inc debris
came against the strong bridge near
Hemm's ice plant. The bridge was
torn from its muorings and carried
AWAY. Horses, cows, chickens, etc.,
soon dotted the fives Ia all directions.
Men and womeo could be seen In the
house, beckoning Tor help. There were
no bOnts aau the men set about con-
structing rats.
The Guthrie club quickly organized
q rescuing party ana began the
construction OF boats. Three daring
rait men sought to rescue an old man
from tree. The rat as II rushed
down this river was watched with
i bieathleta excitement. II struck the
Uverhanging limbs AID the raftsmen
4 weie knocked from their feet. They
Il managed 10 stay with the raft, how
N ever, ana 1t went whiriihg toward
Cimmnrron. Nothing mas since been
heard OF them.
Two men secured a small stern
wheeled pleasure bOat and heroicslly
went TO rescue men and women lodged
In the irsei. Many persons were
rescued amid the cheers vi the spt cta.
tore. The cable which held the boat
suddenIyiparted. Toe boat was drawn
iu;o the current and whlrled away.
Fortunately IL landed luther down
the stream.
Many overturned houses can be
seen lar cut In the hood. 1t will be
hours before the fate OF their occupants
can he learned.
Mnoy persons claim to have seen
otheis dtowned. 1t Will to impossible
10 nni the bodies for weeks, as every
Thing 10 swept into Cimmnrron river.
Two miles away. The ELIMINATION
river ls from one TO two miles wide.
4 A wagon bridge has gone out. 1t lie
leareu tue newly completed steel
bridge OF the Santa Fe railway 10
3 WenEelsd. The tracks arc aubmefgsd