The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-04-29
A BRAVE ACT.

TeScuerS were drowned even before
those they had tried TO save had beer
reached.
A BRAVE ACT.
Gus Plat, business manager of the
Guthrie Leader, and George Willis, E
merchant tailor, swan the river at the
risk of their lives and secured a boat
by which a number of persons were
saved.
A negro woman with a baby in hel
arms desperately tried to steady her
self in tree top, calling the while fol
help. She grew weaker and the BABY
slipped into the water and was
drowned. She was finally rescued, ano
said her family of six had succumbed
a woman wading from home with
her baby on her head was seen TO 60
under, and a man swimming the chan
mel to reach four women and 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 it went to pieces. They ali per-
ished.
An old negro woman was seen riding
a house top. The building soon turned
over and she was drowned.
Three men. Walter Olds, Nandusen
and Eugene Gillim, sought to rescue an
old man from tree. Their raft STRUCK
an Overhanging tree and they oarely
saved themselves by clamhering into
another tree They were finally rescued
on a rope sent to them by means oA d
shotgun and cord.
LODGED IN A TREE
Two men. secured a small stern-wheel
boat and started to the rescue OF d
haif-dozen men and women lodged IN
a tree. The persons were rescued anu 11,la
the cheers of the spectators me
cable holding the craft finally broke
and it was carried down stream, but
ultimately landed safely. AdJutant-
General Jameson of the territorial MI
Iitia, narrowly escaped with ms FANNY
He was forced to wade and lead MS
horse with his family in the buggy.
John Metz, aged SO, was capsized
while trying to save woman, VINO
sank before he reached her. Metz him.
self was barely rescued.
George Owens, Attorney league Ray,
and Dick Pearson were pIeclpltated
into the water while trying to save
some people and Owens was drowned
The wife and five children of wesley
McGiIl (colored) were drowned in their
home.
Gus Platt and George Willis swan
through the main current, cut nat
boat from its mornings and saved
seven people. making a landing miles
below the city.
PROBABLE VICTIMS.
Tonight 40 or 50 people could be seen
clinging to trees and roofs OF bulldlngS
but could not be reached, and Will
have to spend the night where they
are The strength of many may FAN
before morning. If 1t does, nothing out
a watery grave awaits them. The rate
of many others, who are known TO
have been carried down stream, will
not be known until daybreak. and
perhaDs not then. 1t is impossible to
get any definite news from the nun
dreds of rescued people on the blutfs
west OF the city, and those who
escaped are rushing frantically about
in search of missing ones The river is
going down rapidly tonight
It is impossible, even, to approx
1nately estimate the loss of life.
When darkness settled over the city
tonight. the widest stories were af1oat
Many were claiming that all OF oO
lives had been lost and not infre-
quently men were heard claiming that
fully 200 had persisted. Those wilder
estimates are unquestionally eXag-
gerated. but the eXaggeration is not
to be wondered at if the frightful Incl
dents of the disaster are but con-
sidered. Lives were lost in the flood in
every direction in plain view OF the
few who were heroically carrying on
the work of rescue, and of the many
who stood helpless at the edge of the
raging waters. Men. women and chill
dren struggled in the torrent side by
side with horses, cattle and swine, one
perishing here, another there and on
the other places several disappearing
together beneath the flood.
SOME OF THE UNFORTUNATE.
At dark tonight but two bodies had
been recovered. The bodies recovered
are those of the following:
Anna Kaiser school teacher.
Frank Mayors.
others known to have been drowned
are:
George Owens
J. H Calhoun, wife and child.
Charlie Rufner and wife.
Mrs. Frances Moore.
John Beard.
Mrs. Sue Wilson.
Jennie Taylor.
Sammy Jackson.
George SmitherS
Rastus McLiiil.
Lena Burke.
Mrs. Watt.
Mrs Wesley McGill and five children. |
John Metz.
Mrs. James Montgomery.
Mrs. Dummins.
Jim Lilly.
Mrs. Dumas.
H H. Beckfinger.
It is believed that loss of life has
also occurred south of Guthrie, along
the Cottonwood river. Many farm
houses in that district are reported to |
have been swept away. Seven miles
south of here, at Seward, Hunts store
and the pOstoffice were swept away.
Four thousand dollars were raised in
Guthrie this afternoon for the relief of
the sufferers.