Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-30


Rescue and Relief Taken Up and
Pushed with Tireless Energy.
One Family Reported Missing,
Found Sale.
Guthrie, o. T., April 29-In the food
stricken valley of the Cottonwood river
to-day has been one of heroic labors
towards the rescue of those unfortu-
mates whose lives were still endanger-
ed, and for the relief of the hundreds
OF destitute and hungry.
Tonight it seems certainty that the
loss of life in yesterdays deluge will
not exceed twenty.
All day the missing people, supposed
yesterday to have been drowned, have
been found clinging to bushes or drift
wood down the streams, on the west
bluffs, or scattered in farm houses for
miles.
During the greater part of yesterday
the roaring torrent Of water cut off
communication with the submerged
district and in the excitement the death
list was swollen to hundreds. The ne
gTOes who lived in the stricken portion
of the town had, in their terror. given
up their missing friends and relatives
as lost and it was the general belief
that scores had perished in their homes
or in tornado cellars. but when daylight
came to-day the flood had subsidized and
examinations Of the houses and cellars
failed to confirm the exaggerated re-
ported loss of life.
Daylight found dozens Of people still
clinging to the trees, overturned
houses or timbers. in perilous positions
which they had sustained all during
that weary night. For miles along the
scene of devastation 1,500 people home
less, half i'll 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 scene in the flood swept
district this morning was one Of desc
SntiOn.
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 district
There was a confused mass of debris
and overturned and demolished houses
scattered over the valley where last night
was a sea or water. The banks We're lit
tered with the dead carcasses of farm ami
mails. Whole squares. where yesterday
stood on home on nearly every lot, were
stripped. and nroc trees, torn ont by their
roots. were scattered everywhere.
Of 10 vrC
of rescue and relief was taken up with u
will and kept up with treless energy.
During last night men had been put TO
work in lumber yards constructing boats,
and dawn to-day witnessed dozen craft
darting out from all directions to the
rescue of the unfortunates. 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 family Of Wesley McGill, reported
Yesterday to be drowned, was found safe.
The only bodies found during the day
were those of Mrs. Fannie Ruffin and
five children. all lodged in pile OF drift
wood. These. with George owen, the
butcher. drowned while rescuinS others;
Frank Myers Mrs. Jane Watt, Mrs.
Francis Moore Mrs. Drummond, Mrs.
Dennis and child. and Mrs Watson, are
the only identified dead, though many are
still missing.
During the day systematic relief was per-
fec,ed and carried on. Ferries piled across
the river carrying provisions and cloth
ing everywhere and returning with the
injured. Such were carefully cared for IN
private homes in Guthrie. BY nightfaI
annie ARRANGEMENTS had been made Tor
the immediate care Of the homeless. and
there was an assurance of no further sut-
ferlng at least for the time being.
rive hundred homes were swept away;
,5o bouses we're wrecked. and twenty
etores DESTROYED. leaving LOCO people home
Iess and great many destitute. The
work OF supplying shelter and food Tor
all these was by no means small under
taking But the Guthrieites were equal
IN tbe task and tonight thousands of
dollars have been subscribed to aid the
afflicted.
The damage along the Cimarron river.
east is very extensive and hundreds OF
forms have been devastated along the
Deen Fork in Lincoln county. Hundreds
of mon worked all day rebuilding houses
along that stream.
The damage to property will be In the
neigbborhood Of 10000, while that sus-
tained in crops may equal or perhaps
doub1a that amount.