The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-07-23
MANY LIVES MAY Be LOST.
Cloudburst Did Great Damage in the
Mahonina Valley.
NO WAY OF ASCERTAINlNG THE LOSS,
As the Darkness Il Intcnsc-Younr,-
town Was Flooded by the Rapid
Rise, hut Waters Reccdcd.

Youngstown. Ohio, July Sat o'clock
last night terrific cloudburst struck this
town, flooding the entire valley and CATS
ing great damage to property, both in the
city and along the railway lines. Many
entire county cast and west for twenty
miles was flooded and the damage will be
enormous, the railroads being the heaviest
losers. Tho Erie railroad, west of Warren.
fourteen miles north OF Sharon, was en-
tlrely flooded out and orders were issued to
discontinue all trains. Many residences
here were flooded and the occupants were
taken away by the police and fire depart
ments. The Mahoning valley electric lines
were flooded and all the bridges washed
away.
The Catholic church at Niles was struck
by lightning at the game hour and nearly
destroyed by fire, while business houses
and manufacturing concerns We're flooded
out.
Henry Meyers, tailor, while standing In
front of his residence. was struck by light
ming and killed Instantly
The excursion trains which left here this
morning for Lake Erie are all sidetrncked
thirty miles out and will probably not
reach the city tonight From everywhere
comes reports of extensive washouts and
bridges swept away. and reports say the
loss Will be heavy
Az O:3O tonight came the first tangible
| information OF the damage done by the
storm Along Crab creek, running into the
city along the Erie and Lake Shore rail-
roads and emptying into tho Mahonlng
river. near the Lake Shore depot, a cloud
hurst occurred about ten miles out and the
water did not begin to rise in the city until
after Q o'clock. About 10 o'clock the water
came down the valley into this city ana
formed into flood. sweeping everything
that was not fastened down before It, The
he'd of the creek is not more than 20 feet
wide and the food spread out to width
of about 1000 feet. 1t rose quickly and IN
| less than thirty minutes the water was UP
to the second story of all the dwellings, IN
the flooded districts and was still rising.
| II il a certainty at II O'Clock that none OF
the people escaped from the houses. The
whole district was covered with darkness
except one small place. where a lone cleo
trio light shone.
Eiremep. police and others were on haud
quickly, but were powerless 10 rescue any
one MS not a boat of any Kind was TO De
ibad in that portion of the city. The cries
of the people in the houses were heart
rcnding to those who stood at the water
| edge and were forced TO retreat slowly on
account of the gradually rising water III
! Is almost a certainty that many people
were drowned one whole family were
hoard CRYING for help from upstairs WIN
dows when suddenly there was grina'hg
| noise rs if the house was being moved from
IT'S foundation and soon the cries from lhat
nl.ce ceased The intense darkness maze
II impossible 10 see what was gong on Dut
| II is supposed the house and It's occupants
went down in the hood.
Peope at the waters edge heara Hau
crviug for help who was apparently Doing
carried down in the flood Inc voice
grew fainter and il ls supposed the uhioi
| tunatn man persisted. Pitiiul cries lo' Heip
were heard continuously but those on
shore could do nothing. Police and fire-
men went at once to another part Vi the
city after boats NOVA
Ii was after midnight before boats were
roten TO the flooded Grab creek district
and tho work of rescue could be started
The boats we're manned by firemen, VINO
went 10 work with a will, but could nor
make rapid progress oh account Oh I 'e
swift and dangerous current Nine OF the
families were taken out of secohd-stoIy
windows within half hour and many peo-
ple we're picked up clinging to debris.
Nothing definite will be known as 10 ,ne
loss of life until morning or even ,he
names of the people that are IN the flood,
and perhaps not then, as there were sey
eral thoroughfares in the flooded distflct
ON which there are usually people at an
hours OF the night. .
Al midnight the water commenced TO
racede RAPIDLY and the creek VIII likely be
back in it's natural channel by morn -,
Loaded cars have been placed on brldees
with the hope OF keeping them up. as the
Mahoning river Is high and rising rapidiy'
GUADALUPE SEALS.