The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-29
AN OKLAHOMA SEA.
Wind and Water Caused Great De-
strMctiOn ut lei Reno.

structIOn ut Ell Keno.
FL Reno, O. T., April 2S.--For the first
time since the white man settled in the
Canadian valley, twenty nine years ago,
this mornings sun sent its rays over an
Oklahoma sea. The final storm and flood
came as a fitting climax to a week of IN
usually heavy rains and damaging floods.
The dry spell was broken Saturday, when
a fierce storm that turned the streets into
torrents, washed away bridges, tore out
sewers and moved small buildings. broke
upon the town. Saturday at midnight
the people were frightened nearly TO dis
traction when a hurricane blowing nearly
forty miles all hour drove binding sheets
of water through the roofs of their poorly
built or already damaged houses and
threatened TO carry away their posses
sions. They We're driven in terror to their
storm cellars and spent the night in mo
mentary expectation of being borne away
by storm or flood.
Sunday morning shone bright and clear,
and the gauge showed fall of five inches
since Saturday noon The city was plowed
with gulches, and here and there great
of the Canadian. which SATURDAY morning
had been a beautiful stretch OF farms and
homes on Sunday Displayed long net
work of lakes and Islands. dotted with
half flooded houses and horses and cattle
struggling for places OF safety.
Yesterday noon heavy cloud swept up
from the west ard another deluge spread
over the town. The water fell in perfect
sheets and by 8 o'clock the rainfall
autountpd IN nypr four inches.
A call about o'clock brought attention
TO an intensely black and monsrous cloud
moving toward the city frcm the west. 1t
was a typical tornado, Indicates by the pc
culiar whistle Of the wind wnich almost
universally accompanies a twtster. inc
cry. Got under ground" arose IN all sides
and the streets were soon filled with run
ming, shouting people, seeking cave or eel.
lar. Stores and homes were deserted ana
the people hldded together awaiting ire
break. The center of the storm passed. over
the southeastern corner OF the town. strih-
ing the hills across the valleys wreckl1g
all 1t touched. Within short period Oh
time over two inches Of water had fallen.
All day the river had been rising 1T
fearful rate, reaching the sleepers Of the
railroad bridge and moving 1t out oil me
The wagon bridge went when the wal.r
reached its floor, and, the bridge ana dillt
serving as an obstruction, forced the water
moving houses and drowning stock.
A dam on the Ellison ranch gave way TO
the torrent and carried out bridge on me
Fort Reno road, swept the FAR Grounns
clean and flooded the yards OF the chocta"
railroad. Rising into the houses OF boz
tom farmers, II compelled them TO desert
their places and endeayor TO save lhe'r
lives The rescue of many families was
made at great danger TO the rescuers ives
A party composed of A. i. Woodlih' re-
ter Carr. Henry schaefer, Charles justin
Rev. Father Hall and others Immediately
SRI to work resculng the unfortunates' IN
the home OF Thomas Palmer, the latter
wife and several children were rescued
from the tops OF bureaus just as the water
was creeping UP 10 their feet. They had
been screaming for help for some time
and it was with difficulty that they were
removed to tho improvised rafts OF 'he
rescuers and taken TO dry land. Ihe iaiiil-
lies of Mrs. Hall, Tom Potter, Colonei seV-
cry and Mrs. Black were rescued from their
homes in similar manner In each IN
stance the water had swept through me
windows ard was gradually rising. during
the trip raft OF railroad ties went 10
pieces on submerged wire fence, ana
the entire party We're preclpitateh lh'o 'he
water They were all saved.
A little child OF FRANK Holman zen lilso
washed out crossing and was drowneu'
his own life in trying to save the iit''e
one
The Ice plant was flooded and Harry
Bradford. the manager, narrowly esoapeu
drowning.
Lightning played havoc. striking me
spire OF the Presbyterian church and to-
tally wrecking II. The school mouse ioI
colored children was struck at O'CLOCK ~
the afternoon. The school house WIS
shattered and fifty pupils We're more %,
less hurt Among the seriously inlu'ea
are Eva Clauston Beulah Clauston'. ber-
tina Turner. Charles Waters. Several ON
err houses We're struck by lightning, NV
no one was killed. Further west the hsn'-
ming killed much stock.
The electric light wires went down anu
the town was In darkness last night
Reports from surrounding towns are
meagre, as telegraph wires are down anu
trains have ali been stopped on account OF
washouts.
II is known. however, that many homes