The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-04-29
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
The DIaStsr Preceded by storms aud =
Tornado = Thrilling Ineidsnt' The

The DIssSlsr Preceded by storms aud a
Tornado = Thrilling incidents The
RssrUe Work.
Ell RENO. o. T., April 2S.--For the
FIRST time since the white man settled
in the Canadian valley. twenty-nIue
years ago. this mornings sun sent It's
rays over an Oklahoma SEQ. The final
storm and flood came as a hitting eli.
max to week OF unusually heavy
rains and damaging foods.
The dry spell was broken Saturday
when Il fierce storm that turned the
streets into torrents, washed away
crossings. tore out sewers ana moved
small buildings. broke upon the town.
Saturday at midnight the people were
frightened nearly TO distraction when
n hurricane. blowing fOriy-siN miles an
hour. drove binding sheets ~ water
though the roofs or their poorly or al
ready damaged houses and threatened
TO carry away their possessions. They
were driven in terror TO their storm
cellars and caves md spent the night In
momentary expectation OF btinB borne
away by storm or flood.
Sunday morning shone bright and
clear and the gauge showed fall 0f
81 inches since Saturday noon. The
streets had been plowed with gulches.
small buildings toppled over and here
and there bits OF furniture and other
household effects iioated about. The
valley OF the Canadian which Saturday
morning had been a beautiful stretch
OF farms and homes, on Sunday dis
played a long network OF lakes and
islands. dotted with half flooded houses,
and horses and cattle struggling for
places Of safety. j.,
Yesterday at noon n heavy cloud
swept up from the west and another de.
luue spread over the town. The water
fell In perfect sheets and by six o'clock
the rainfall amounted TO over ave inch
ss.
4 calm about o'clock brought at
tentIon to an Intensely black and mon
s.rous cloud moving toward the city,
from the west II was typical tOrna-
! do, indicated bv the peculiar whistle OF
the wind. which almost universally ac-
companies a twister. The cry ''get un-
der cover" arose on all sides and the
! streets were 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 pass
ed over the southeastern corner of the
town, striking the hills across the val
ley. wrecking all It touched.
Rescue Work.
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 rising at n frightful rate. reaching
che slecpers OF the railroad bridge and
moving II 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 TO
the torrent and carried out bridge on
the Fort Reno road. swept the fair
grounds clean and flooded the yards OF
the Ch0ctaw railroad, Rising into the
housps Of the bottom farmers. Il com
pelled them to desert their places and
endeavor To save their lives.
Tho .e4Cue " many families was
made at great danger to the rescuers.
A party consisting OF 4. T.. WoOdlihc.
Pete Carr, Henry SChaeifer, Charles
Justin. James T0mpkinE, Rev. Father
Hall and others Immediately set to
work rcsculng the unf1rtunates. In tho
home of Thomas Palmer. the llltcr's
wife and several children were rescued
from the tops OF bureaus Just as the
water was creeping up to their feet.
They had been screaming for help for
some time and II was with difficulty
that they were removed to the lmprO-
viscd RATS OF the rescuers and taken to
dry land. The families of Mrs, Hail.
Tom Potter, Colonel Seyery and Mrs.
Black were rescued from their homes In
q similar manner In each instance the
water had swept through the windows
and was gradually rising During tho
trip a raft Of railroad ties went 10 pieces
on submerged wlrc fence ana the cn-
tire party was prcclpltatcd into the
water. They were all saved 4 little
child OF Frank Holman, fell into q