Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-23
CLOUD-BURSTlN OHIO.
PART OF THE CITY OF YOUNGs.
TOWN FLOODED.
HOUSES SWEPT FROM FOUNDATION.
Many People Believed to Have Been
Dro"ned-Gre"t Damage to Pro-
perty, Particularly That of Rail-
wnys-Trains Discontinued.

YOUNGSTOWN, o., July 22.--At
o'clock tonight a terrific cloud-burse
struck this town. flooding the entire yal-
ley and causing great damage to pzo-
perty, both in the city and along tho
railway lines. Many people are supposed
TO be drowned. The entire country eass
and west for twenty miles was flooded.
and the damage will be enormous, the
railroads being the heaviest losers. The
Erie railroad west of Warren fourteen
Miles and north OF Sharon ror the same
distance was entirely flooded out, AMI
orders were issued to discontinue aAt
trains.
Many residences here were flooded ana
their occupants were taken away by tho
police and fire departments. The Ma
honing Valley electric lines were flooded
out and all the bridges washed away.
The Catholic church at Niles was struck
by lightning about the same hour and
nearly destroyed, while business houses
and manufacturing concerns were flooded
out.
Henry Myers. a tailor. while standing
struck by lightning and killed instantly.
He leaves n family.
The excursion trains which left hero
this morning for Lake Erie are all side e
tracked thirty miles out. and will pro-
badly not reach the city tonight. on
every railroad leading into the city comes
reports OF extensive washouts and
bridges swept away. and railroad officials
say the loss will be the heaviest they
have ever known.
At l0:S0 o'clock tonight came the fifsr
tangible information Of the damage done
by the storm Along Crab creek. running
into the city from the northeast. along
the Lake Erie and North Shore road, and
emptying into the AIahoning river near
the Lake Shore depot. a cloud-burst oc-
'curred about ten miles out The water
did not begin TO rise much IN tho city un-
til after o'clock.
HOUSES SWEPT AWAY.
At about 10 o'clock the water camo
down the valley into the city. and forms
ed into a flood, sweeping everything that
was not fastened down before IL. The
bed Of the creek was not more than
twenty feet wide. and the flood spread ont
to a width of about 2o00 feet. IL roso
quickly. and I'm less than thirty minutes
the Water was up to tho second story OF
district and was still rising 1t Is re-
ported that at II o'clock none OF the
people had escaped from the houses. The
whole district was I'm darkness except In
some places, where a lone electric light
shone. Firemen, police. and others were
on hand quickly. but were powerless 10
rescue anybody, as not a boat was TO bo
had In that part OF the city. The cries
Of those I'm the houses were heartrend-
ing to those who stood at the waters
edge. and were forced 20 retreat slowly
on account of the gradually rising water.
IL IS almost certain that many people
were drowned. one whole family was
heard crying for help from upstairs win
dows. when suddenly there was q grind
ing noise. as II the house was being
moved from It's foundation and soon the
cries from that place ceased.
The intense darkness made II impossi-
BILE to see what was going on, but IT Is
supposed that the house and its occu-
pants went down i'm the food. People
at the waters edge heard a man crying
for help who was apparently being car
ried down I'm the flood. The voice grew
fainter. and Il is supposed the unfortu-
nate man perished. Pitiful cries for help
were heard continually. but the crowd
on the shore could do nothing In the way
Of giving aid. The police and tremen
went at once 10 another part Of the city
after boats.
1t was midnight before boats were got,
ten TO the flooded Crab-Creek District
and the work OF rescue started. The
boats were manned by nremen. tyho 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 half an hour and many people
were picked up clngIng to debris Mo-
thing definite will be known as to tho
loss OF life until morning or even the
names OF the people that are In tho
food and perhaps not then.
WATER RECEDING.
At midnight the water commenced 10
recede rapidly, and the creek VIII Dkely
be back In its natural course by morning,
The Erie and Lake Shore trains. in@
cluding passenger and excursion ones,
were caught as they were, and VIII pro-
badly not be moved until daylight. as na
chances will be taken. Loaded cars hava
Leen placed on bridges with the hope of
Keeping them up. as the Mahoning river
Il high and rising rapidly.
ssss1s~xxs~zn~z~ss~sB