Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-07-29

Youngstown, o., Flooded by n ClOu0s
Burst-Numbers Drowned In Their Houses
The Work OF Rescue Delayed Tor vans
of Beats, While the Flood Swept Every
thing Before 1t-Immense Damage
Done.
YOUNGSTOWN, O., July 2s.-At seven
o'clock last night terrific cloud-burst
struck this town, flooding the entire
valley and causing great damage to
property, both in the city and along
the railway lines. Many people are
supposed to be drowned. The entire
country east and west for 90 miles was
flooded and the damage will be enor-
nous, the railroads being the heaviest
losers.
The Erie road, west of Warren Il
| miles, and north of Sharon for the
same distance, was entirely flooded
| and orders were issued to discontinue
all trains.
Many residences here were flooded
and the occupants were taken, away by
the police and fire departments. The
Mahoning valley electric lines Were
flooded and all the bridges washed
away.
The Catholic church at Niles was
struck by lightning at the same hour
and nearly destroyed by fire, while
business houses and manufacturing
concerns were inundated.
| Henry Myers, a tailor, while stand
| ing at his residence on Mill street. was
struck by lightning and killed in
stantly. He leaves a family. The ex-
cursion train, which left here yester-
day morning for Lake Erie were all
side-tracked so miles out. On every
road leading into the city comes re-
ports of extensive washouts and
bridges swept away, and railroad Off
Gals say the loss will be the heaviest
they have ever known.
At 1890 o'clock last night came the
tangible information of the damage
done by the storm. Along Crab creek
running into the city in the northeast
along the Erie and Lake Shore roads,
emptying into the Mahoning river near
the Lake shore depot, a cloud-burst
occurred about ten miles out and the
water did not begin to rise much in
the city until after nine o'clock.
At about ten o'clock the water came
down the valley into the city and
formed into a flood, sweeping every
thing that was not fastened down be-
| AOE0 lie L hC OCNA IA OAAC SAGCA " cAo hSS
more than 90 feet wide, and the flood
spread out to a width of about 1000
feet. It rose quickly, and in less than
80 minutes the water was up to the
second story of all the dwelling houses
in the flooded districts, and was still
rising.
It was a certainty at IL o'clock that
none of the people escaped from the
houses. The whole district was COW
cred with darkness, except one small
place where a lone electric light shone.
Firemen, police and others were on
hand quickly. but rescue work was
extremely difficult, as not boat was to
be had in that part of the city. The
cries of those imprisoned in the houses
were heartrending to those on the
waters edge, but they were compelled
to retreat slowly on account of the ris-
ing water.
It is almost certainty that many
persons were drowned. One whole
family were heard crying for help
from upstairs windows, when suddenly
there was grinding noise, as if the
house was being moved from its founda-
ton, and soon the cries from that place
ceased.
The intense darkness made it impos-
sible to see what was going on, but it
is supposed the house and its occupants
went down in the flood. People at the
waters edge heard man crying for
help who was apparently being carried
down in the flood. The voice grew
fainter and it is supposed the unfortu-
nate man persisted. Pitiful cries for
help were heard continually, but the
crowd on the shore cauld do nothing
in the way of giving aid. Police and
firemen went at once to another part
of the city after boats with which to
rescue the water bound people.
1t was midnight before boats were
gotten to the flooded Crab creek dis
trict and the work of rescue could be
started. The boats were manned by
firemen, who went to work with a will
but could not make rapid progress on
account of the swift and dangerous
current. Nine families were taken
out of second-story windows within 9
half hour and many people were picked
up clinging to debris as it hoated on
the angry flood.
This work was continued with zes
during the entire night. Many were
saved, but it is true, also, that very
many were drowned, and their bodies
carried away by the angry waters
! how many cannot at this writing be-
even estimated.
DISASTROUS FLOODS