Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-05-01
AN OKLAHOMA DELUCE.
Great Loss Of Life and Property by
a Resistless Flood.
FIFTY DROWNED AT GUTHRIE.


Their Homes-Men Who Risked Life
for Others Among the Victims,
Guthrie. o. T., April 2s.-At sunrise
yesterday morning mighty wall of
water, from six to eight feet high and
and mile wide, broke upon West
Guthrie without warning. crushing
houses, sweeping away property and
drowning many people. Every move
able thing was swept before the wave,
which passed on into the Canadian
valley with resistless force, wreaking
terrible destruction to life and prop
erty wherever it reached The flood
is supposed to have been caused by
cloudburst, supplemented by heavy
rains. A heavy rain began falling yes
terday afternoon.
Dozens of lives are known to have
been lost, how many may not be known
for weeks. Hundreds of houses were
wrecked, for miles farms were COM
pletely ruined bridges and tracks were
washed out and railway traffic in every
direction is at standstill. The efforts
of rescuing parties have in many cases
proved in vain. Many persons Heated
down stream before they could be
Others passed the night in trees in
midstream or perched on housetops.
The property loss is placed at some
thing near $1,000.000.
Fully two-thirds of the victims were
colored Business is suspended in Guth-
RE, the stores and banks being closed.
AS thorough an organization for re-
lief as is possible has been made, but
oil oil hoc a,-s5xr InI
by the confused condition of things.
1t will be impossible to explore the
houses until the water subsidies as
many of them are submerged. AS dark
ness gathered over the scene many
overturned houses were seen far out
in the flood, but it could not be learned
whether their occupants escaped. The
river is 80 feet above it's ordinary level.
When the first shock of the disaster
was over the more fortunate on the
island Immediately began to help the
nearest to them, while in Guthrie
proper prompt steps were taken at
rescue. AS the houses, barns and
other effects began to drift down
stream, each freighted with one or
more human beings, boats or RATS
shot here and there from the shore,
and desperate efforts were made to
rescue the people. Imprevised RATS
were quickly thrown together and
started out into the mad stream. Be
fore many of them had been propelled
a couple of yards from shore they were
twisted and broken by the waters, and
the would be rescuers thrown into the
stream. Half a dozen rescuers were
drowned before those they had tried to
save had been reached.
Gus Plat, business manager of the
Guthrie Leader, and George Willis, a
merchant tailor, swan the river at the
risk of their lives and secured a boat
by which a number of persons were
saved.
A negro woman with a babe in her
arms desperately tried to steady her.
self in tree top, calling the while for
help. She grew weak, and the baby
slipped into the water and was drown
ed. 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 a man swimming the chan
mel to reach four women and a baby
in a tree was carried down stream.
Two women and child were carried
away on bridge further down stream,
and one man and two women in plain
sight of shore were on a house roof
when it went to pieces They all per-
ished. An old negro woman was seen
clinging to a housetop. The building
soon turned over and she was drowned
The wife and five children of Wesley
McGill, colored, were drowned in their
home.
Three men, Walter Olds, John Van
IT,,
rescue an old man from tree. Their
raft struck an overhanging tree, and
they barely saved their lives by climb
ing into another tree. They were finally
rescued on a rope sent to them by
means of a shotgun and cord.
Two men rescued a small stern
wheel pleasure boat and started to the
rescue of half dozen men and women
lodged in a tree. The persons were res
cued amid the cheers of the spectators.
The cable holding the craft finally
broke and it was carried down stream,
but landed safely.
Adjutant General Jameson, of the
territorial militia, narrowly escaped
with his family. He was forced to wide
and lead his horse, with his family in
the buggy.
while trying to save a woman who
sank before he reached her. Metz him
self was barely rescued. George Owens
Attorney league Ray and Dick Pear
son were thrown into the water while
rying to save some people, and Owens
was drowned.
Last night 40 or so people could be
seen clinging to trees and roofs of
h11i1 hut no
The strength of many failed them be-
fore morning. The fate of many Others
who are known to have been carried
down stream. may not be known for
several days.
1t is impossible to get any definite
news from the hundreds of rescued
people on the bluffs west of the city,
Those who escaped are rushing fran
tically about in search of missing ones.
The river is now going down rapidly.
When darkness settled over the city
last night the widest stories of loss of
fife were aloat. The estimates ran all
the way from so to $50 persons drown
ed. While the larger figure is undoubt-
eddy an exaggeration, 1t is known that
the loss of life will reach, If not ex-
coed, the lesser figure. 1t is believed
that loss of life has also occurred
south of Guthrie, along the Cottonwood
river Many farmhouses in that dis
trict are reported to have been swept
away.
AT Ell Reno the flood was preceded
by tornado. Many families were res
cued from their homes by boats, in
several instances the women and chill
dren being taken from bureau tops, with
the water covering their feet. Only
two deaths are reported at Reno. but
loss of life Is feared in adjoining towns.
THE RAILWAY PooITNG BIIL.-