The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-29


arms tried to steady herself in tree top,
calling for help. She grew weak and
the baby slipped into the water and was
drowned. She was finally rescued and
said her family Of six had been lost
A woman wading from her home with
her baby ON her head was seen to 60
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 a child were carried away
on a bridge further down stream and one
man and two women, in plain sight OF
shore were ON house roof when IL went
to pieces. They all perished.
An old negro woman was seen cllnging
to a house top. The building soon turn
ed over and she was drowned.
Three men, Walter Olds, John Van
Dusen and Eugene Gilla, sought to res
cue an old man from a tree. Their raft
struck an overhanging tree and they
barely saved themselves by clambermg
into another tree. They were finally res
cued on a rope sent to them by means
of shot gun and cord. Two men Sc
cured a small stern wheel pleasure boat
and started to the rescue of half dozen
men and women lodged in a tree. The per-
spectators. The cable holding the
craft finally broke and it was carried
down the stream but ultimately landed
safely.
Adiutant General Jameson, of the ter
ritorial militia, narrowly escaped with
his family He was forced to wade and
lead his horse with his family in the
buggy.
John Metz, aged 55, was capsized while
trying to save a woman who sank be-
fore he reached her. Metz himself was
barely rescued.
George Owens, attorney league Ray
and Dick Pearson, were precipitated into
the water while trying to save some peo-
pie, and Owens was drowned.
The wife and five children of Wesley
McGill, colored, were drowned in their
home.
Tonight forty or fifty people could be
seen clinging to trees and roofs of build
ings, but could not be reached and will
have to spend the night where they are.
The strength of many may fail before
morning. The fate of many others who
are known to have been carried down
stream will not be known till day break
and perhaps not them.
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 frantically about in
search of missing ones. The river is 60
ing down rapidly tonight.
When the sun went down this evening.
but two bodies had been recovered, those
of Anna Kaiser. a school teacher, and
Frank Mayers. Others known to have
been drowned are: George Owens. j. IL.
Calhoun. wife and child; Charlie Rufner
and wife: Rastus McGill, Lena Burk,
Mrs. Watt. Mrs. Wesley McGill and
FIVE children: John Metz Mrs II. James
Montgomery. Mrs. Dummills, Jim Lilly,
Mrs. Dumas. Ii. II. Beckfinger. Mrs.
Francis Moore. John Read. Mrs. Sue
Wilson. Jennie Taylor Sammie Jackson,
George Smithers,
1t is believed that loss of life has also
occurred south of Guthrie. along the Cot
ton river.
Many farm houses are reported to have
been swept away. Seven miles south
of here, at Seward, Hunts store and the
post-ofiice were destroyed.
-Four thousand dollars were raised in
Guthrie this afternoon for the relief Of
the sufferers.
A WEEK OF STORM AND FLOOD.
Ell Reno, Oklahoma, April 2S.-For the
first time since the white man settled in
and Canadian Valley 20 years ago, this
mornings sun set its rays over an Okla
homa sea. The final storm and flood
came as fitting climax to a week of un-
usually heavy rains and DANA ging floods.
A fierce storm Saturday tore out sewers
and moved small buildings. Saturday at
midnight hurricane blowing 46 miles an
hour drove binding sheets of water
through the roofs of the poorly or already
damage houses. People were driven in
terror to their storm cellars and caves
and spent the night in momentary eXpec-
tation of being blown away by storm or
flood. Sunday dawned bright and clear,
but yesterday noon another deluge des-
cended By six o'clock the rainfall a.
mounted to over five inches. A huge
black cloud was observed moving toward
the city from the west. The cry Get
under ground arose on all sides and the
streets We're soon filled with running
shouting people, seeking cave or cellar
Stores and homes were deserted and
the people huddled together awaiting the
blow. The centre of the storm passed
over the southeastern corner of the town,
striking the hills across the valley, wreck
ing all it touched.
- With the tornado came the heaviest fall
of water ever recorded here in a like
period, over two inches falling in thirty
minutes. All day the river had been ris
ing at a frightful rate, reaching the rail
road bridge and moving it out Of line
The wagon bridge went out when the
water reached it's floor and the bridge and
drift, serving as an obstruction, forced
the water out over the bottoms, washing
out crops, moving houses and drowning
stock. A dam on the Ellison ranch gave
way and carried out a bridge on the fort
Reno road, swept the fair grounds clean
and flooded the yards Of the Choctaw
railroad. Rising into the houses of the
bottom farmers it compelled them to de-
sert their homes.
THE WORK OF RESCUE
A party composed of A e. Woodhff,
Pete Carr, Henry Schaeffer, Charles JUS