The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-05-04
THE DISASTER AT GUTHRIE.
h Work of Rescuing the Unfortunates
and Collecting the Dead-The Death
Roll Not as Large as Supposed-The De-
struction of Property Immense.

Guthrie, O.. T., April 29.-In the flood
ed valley of the Cottonwood river to-
day there have been heroic efforts to-
wards the rescue Of those unfortunates
whose lives were still endangered, n
for the relief Of the hundrds of desti-
tute ard hungry. Tonight it seems a
certainty that the loss of life in yes
terday's deluge will not exceed twenty.
All day missing people, supposed yes
terday to have been drowned. have
been found clinging to bushes or drift
wood down the stream of the west
bluffs, or scattered in farm houses for
miles.
Daylight found dozens of people still
clinging to trees, overturned houses
and timbers in perilous positions, which
they had sustained all during the night.
For miles along the scene of devasta-
ton, 1900 people, homeless, half ill
from exposure and hunger. passed a
miserable night, and morning found
most of them too weak to give much
assistance either to themselves or
others. The river fell rapidly during
the night and when the sun rose the
extent Of the damage done to property
could be seen. The river is still bank
full, but the water had receded from
most of the inundated districts.
There was a confused mass of debris
and overturned n demolished houses
scattered over the valley where last
night was a sea of water. The banks
were Uttered with the carcasses of farm
animals. Whole blocks, where yester-
day stood a hon in nearly every lot,
were stripped, n huge trees, torn up
by their roots. were scattered every
where.
With the first ray of day light the
work of rescueing and relief was taken
up with a will and kept uD with tire
less energy. During last night men had
been put to work in lumber yards con-
structing boats, and dawn today wit
messed a dozen craft darting out from
all directions to the rescue of the I'M
fOrtunateS. The work of the raftsmen
proved most effective and one by one
the people were transported from their
perilous positions to places of safety
on land. Every house. drift pile and
tree was closely examined in search Of
the dead The only bodies ound dur
ing the day were those Of Mrs. Fannie
Ruffin and five children, all lodged in a
pile of driftwood. These, with George
Owen, the butcher drowned while res
cuing others, Frank Meyers, Mrs. Jane
Watt, Mrs. Francis Moore, Mrs. Drum
lliollu, liz DSillllS III Si1lU oiio AAo
Watson, are the only Identified dead,
though many are still missing.
During the day systematic relief was
perfected and carried on. Ferries piled
across the river, carrying provisions
and clothing everywhere and returning
with the injured. Such were carefully
cared for in private homes in Guthrie.
By night fall ample arrangements had
been made for the immediate car Of
the homeless and there was an assur-
ance of no further suffering, at least
for the time being.
Five hundred homes were swept
away; $50 houses were wrecked and
twenty stores devasted. leaving 1000
| people homeless and half as many des-
titute. The work Of supplying shelter
and food for all these was by no means
a small undertaking. But the Guthrie
ties were equal to the task and tonight
thousands of dollars have been sub
scribed to aid the afflicted. The dam
| age along the CimarOn river east is
| very extensive and hundreds Of farms
have been devastated along Deep Fork
in Lincoln county. Hundreds of men
| worked all day rebuilding houses along
the stream. The damage to property
will be in the neighborhood of 500, 900,
| while that sustained in crops may equal
or perhaps double that amount.