The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-30

tho RESCUE ot those GnxcFtunates whose
lives were stiil endangered. and fer ths
relief of the hundreds of destitute and
the hungry. Tonight II seeFnS a cersAin-
g that the loss % life in yesterdays de-
luxe VIII noi exceed twenty. All day miss
ing people. supposed yesterday 20 haze
been drowned have been found cisnglng
Ia bushes or dFiftwoo1 down the stream
on the west hlafs OF scattered ia farm
houses fer miles
Daring the greater part OF yesterday
tho roaring torrent of water cut or ccFn-
fagnication with the submerged district.
ard IN the general excitement the death
list was sweiied 70 hundreds. The
negroes who liveI sn the stricken portion
o. the town. had in their terror. given
up their missing friends or relatives as
lost and IL was the general belief that
scores had perished In their homes or ia
tornado cellars, but when daylight came
this morning the Hood had subsidized. and
examinations today ~ the houses ard
cellars failed 70 conHFm the reported
heavy loss OF lie.
Daylight found dozens Of people still
ciinEins 10 trees. overturned houses ar
thinkers in periious positions which they
had sustained all during ths weary night.
For miles along the scene Of devastation
]. 10 people homeless. half I'LL from e&-
posure and hunger passed a miserable
night. and morning found most of them
too weak 10 afford much assistance either
10 themselves or others.
The scene in the fleod-swept district this
morning was one of aesolatiog. The river
fell rapidly during the night. and when tue
sun rose the awful extent of the damage
done TO property could be seen. The river
Is still bank fNli. but the water has re-
ceded from most of the inundated district
There was confused mass of debris and
overturned and demolished houses scat-
tered over the valley where last night Was
sea of water. The banks we're Uttered
with the dead careasses of horses, cat-
tie, hogs and chickens. Whole blocks.
where yesterday stood home on nearly
every lot. are slipped bare huge trees,
tern up by their roots. were scattered cv-
erywhere. great knlches had been washed
out OF the streets. gardens were devas-
tated. fruit trees ieveled, lawns and flower
beds cleared of level as a table and
fences completely gone
With the first ray of daylight the work
Of rescue and relief was taken up with a
vengeance and kept up with tireless
energy until nightfall tonight made IL Inn
possible 10 continue. During the night
men had been put 10 work In lumber
yards constructing boats. and dawn to-
day witnessed n dozen craft darting out
from all directions to the Rescue Of the
unfortanates. People who had missing
ones began searching everywhere for their
bodies. taking risks that ordinarily they
would not have been able to take. Many Of
those who had only lost property went up
and down the stream trying 20 recover
some of it-some parts Of a house, bed
clothing or wearing apparel. The work
Of the raftsmen proved most effective.
and one by oae the people were trans
ported from their perilous positions 10
places Of safety en- land.
All day long the reScuers worked inces-
sanity. and every house. drift pile and tree
was closely examined IN search % the
dead. Excited negroes who had climbed
TO the roof OF a house held an aii-uay
prayer meeting. and their shouting could
be plainly heard In Guthrie. They were
all finally rescued.
The family ~ Wesley McCsil. reported
yesterday as drowned was found safe.
During the day systematic relief was
perfected and carried on. Ferries piled
across the river, carrying provisions and
clothing everywhere and returning with
any injured or urgent cases Of distress.
Such were carefully cared Tor in private
homes In Guthrie BY nightfau ample arr
rangements had been made for the smne-
diate care OF the homeless. and there WAS
an assurance OF no further suffering, AZ
least for the time being.
Five hundred homes have been swept
away. iaa houses were wrecked aud twenty
stores devastated leaving 80 people
homeless and hair as many destitute. The
work OF supplying shelter and food for ali
these was no mean undertaking. But
Guthrie was equal 70 the task and by to-
nixht thousands Of dollars had been SUBJ
scribed to aid the afflicted and was being
distributed with good eject under the d.
reegion Of the Guthrie Club.
The damage along tho Clmarreu RIVER
east is very extensive. ard hundreds OF
farms have bsen devastated along Deep
Fork IN Lincoln county. Hundreds OF
men worked all day rebuilding houses
along the stream or strengthening or tear
ing down damaged bridges. as tne ease
warranted.
The santa Fs haa 80 men working on
lts tracks atone Late this afternoon
trains were running north. bat Il will be
several days yeg before the ROAD Il open
s1uth. The approaches 10 the new bridge
acro&s the s!marFon river Bre ersmhltng
away ard passengers today were trans
ferred ~ boats. Between Gathrls and
Sewsr ~ fully SIX miles % track are gone.
TIE Santa Fe road II refusing shipments
q live stock er perishab4e freight. BAD
washouts have also been experienced on
the cnoetaw railroad west % okiafo<na
CITY.
The recedlnx iood has Ieft an immense
rfIe q mrerkaEe AZ the FailTesa bridge.
two miles below the city. Search for the
dsad RMs begun ~ that point this even
ing and when darkness p4t stop 20 the
work the foaiss o. white man and a
colsrea baby had been recovered. u -
cIalmea that several bodies have been
sighted ia tne seurts there.
Ar attempt was FnadA 30 poll the reaf-
denfs Of West Guthrie this afternoon.
hss thn count Is not considered az al
accurate * shows eighty-two persons
frlsssax most of them icing negroes
The only bodies found during the day
were Those % Mrs Fannie kusfn ard
FIVE children all lodged ia pile of
arlftwood. TfsAe. with George Owen. fhe
butcher. drowned while FeAcning others.
Frank Myers Mr.. Ella Dumas Mrs
Jane Watt Mrs. Frances Moore. Mrs
Ururnond. Mrs. Dennis and child aad
Mrs. Watson are t5e only idenfined dead.
Many persons are still missing. however.
III R~no'. Bridge. Gene.
FL RENO .. r. April 2s.--The food ~
ire North Canadian river - falling airnoaT
Az rapidly So * rose. and tonight the Ma
ser has 80 far reeede5 fvosa the bottoms
Eh4E farraeFs are TatarnlsaE 30 faesr homes.
All bridge have been gwept away. how
ever ard as rns highways are gyacfknsily
srayraezz BE * vii - soFsss days before
0rsfsn@~v business ear e resumed. There
haa been 10 raiiraass traffic IN or cur Of
sn1s e4sy sEaee tHx aood-
K 4 believed tzxt z@sssrr1liy ~aszt has
Ts9 Ess-sma Entisraa ~ ne excessive rafn&.
tssxf esrss viii mostly cave % ~ replizrted-
a ga sFq qrs