The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-04-30
TIE FLO0D AiT GUTHRIE
First Reports Exaggerated the
Probable Loss Of Life.
DEATH LIST NOT OVER TWENTY.

Fifteen Hundred People Homeless.
and Many ofThem Utterly Destitute.
Guthrie Promptly Furnishes Relief
For the Victims OF the Great Flood
Guthrie, o. t.. April 30.-In the food
stricken valley of the Cottonwood river
yesterday was one of heroic effort to-
wards the rescue of those unfortunates
whose lives were still endangered, and
for the relief of the hundreds of desti-
tute and hungry. Today it seems a
certainty that the loss of life in We'd
nesday's deluge will not exceed 20.
Persons supposed to have been drown
ed were found clinging to bushes or
driftwood down the stream, on the
west of the bluffs or scattered in
farmhouses for miles, During the
greater part of Wednesday the torrent
cut off communication with the sub
merged district, and in the Excitement
the death list was swelled to hundreds.
Daylight found dozens of persons
still clinging to trees, overturned
houses or timbers in perilous positions.
For miles along the scene of de-
vastation 1900 people, homeless, half
i'll from exposure and hunger passed
most of them too weak to help them
selves or give assistance to others. The
scene in the flood swept districts yes
terday morning was one Of desola-
tion. The river fell rapidly during the
night, and while it is still bank full
the water has receded from most OF
the inundated districts. There is a con-
fused mass of debris and overturned
and demolished houses scattered over
the valley where Wednesday night was
q sea of water. The banks are Uttered
with the carcasses of farm animals.
Whole blocks where stood a home in
nearly every lot were stripped and
huge trees torn up by the roots are
scattered everywhere.
There were thrilling incidents by tho
score. John Nelson, a negro 80 years
o. age, cut q hole in the roof of his
house and pulled his family up, all
floating to safety. Henry Wilson, Civ
en- up to die of consumption waded
into the water and saved four people.
He is getting well.
pr. Sargent floated Is miles on a
kitchen roof. George Ruffin saved three
children, and was swept away while
trying to reach his mother. John Metz
Two printers who could not swim a
stroke manned a raft to rescue people,
but were swept away and had to be
rescued. Persons were saved by firing
rockets with lines to them. Thieves
attempted to loot houses all night but
were driven away The Santa Fe had
500 men working on it's tracks. Trans
went north yesterday, but it will be
several days yet before traffic opens
south,
With the first ray of daylight the
/ work Of rescue and relief was begun
with WILL and kept up with tireless
energy. During Wednesday night men
had been put to work in lumberyards
] constructing boats, and dawn yester-
/ day Witnessed a dozen craft starting
out from all directions to the rescue
/ of the unfortunates The work of the
raftsmen proved most effective, and
,4e uY one persons We're transported
from their perilous positions to places
! of safety. Every house, drift pile and
| tree was closely examined in search
/ OF the dead The family of Wesley
| McGiii, reported yesterday as drowned,
was found safe. The only bodies
found during the day were those OF
Mrs. Fannie Ruffin and FIVE children,
all lodged in a pile of driftwood, These,
with George Owen drowned while res
cuing others, Frank Meyers, Mrs. Jane
Watt, Mrs. Francis Moore, Mrs Drum
mond, Mrs. Dennis and child and Mrs.
| Watson, are the only identified dead,
/ though many are still missing,
| During the day systematic relief was
| perfected and carried on. Ferries piled
across the river, carrying provisions
and clothing, and returning with in
| jured. Such were carefully cared for
/ in private homes in Guthrie. By night
| fall ample arrangements had been
made for the immediate care of the
homeless, and there was an assurance
Of nc further suffering, at least for the
time being.
Five hundred homes We're swept
away, 150 houses were wrecked and q
stores devastated, leaving 1000 people
homeless and half as many destitute
The work Of supplying shelter and food
| for all these was by no means small
undertaking. But the Guthrieites were
equal to the task, and thousands Of
dollars have been subscribed to aid
the afflicted
The damage along the Cimarron
river east is very extensive, and hun
dreds of farms have been devastated
along Deep Fork, in Lincoln county
! Gangs of men worked all day rebuild
ing houses along the stream.
The damage to property will be in
the neighborhood of 100000, while that
sustained in crops may equal or per-
/ haps double that amount
The receding flood has left an i'm
mense pile Of wreckage at the rail-
road bridge, six miles below the city,
Search for the dead has begun at that
/ point. Last evening, when darkness
put stoo to the work, the bodies OF
white man and a colored baby had
been recovered. 1t is claimed that
several other bodies have been sighted
In the debris there.
An attempt was made to poll the
/ residents of West Guthrie yesterday
afternoon, but the count taken is not
! considered at all accurate 1t shows
! 81. persons missing, most of them being
/ negroes.
Ihad severe attacks of gravel and kidney
trouble and unable to get medicine or
doctor to cure me until l used Hop Bitters,
and they cured me in a short time.-A
/ DTeTrNCrrTsITED LAWYER OF WAYNE IN