The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-17
THE FLOOD
AT HEPPNER
The List of its Victims May
Reach Five Hundred.
LEARN FURTHER DETAILS
Waters Came Round the Bend With
Frightful Roar, Bearing Houses on
its Crest-Operator Lost
Life at Key.
LEARN FURTHER DETAILS

PENDLETON, ORE. June 16.--Three
men who survived the flood at Heppner-
r. II. Ball, J. j. Kelley and A. 2. Brad
bury-have arrived here, after having
witnessed the destruction of the town
and assisted in the work Of rescue. Mr.
Kelley said:
"The rain was not falling in Heppner
but could be seen some distance away
Sharp flashes Of lightning were accom-
panied BY tho bowling thunder. Then,
suddenly. the thunder died away and
low noise was heard. very faint at first.
ated on Willow Creek. which makes a
sharp turn above the city. As the noise
grew louder and louder. the people be-
came frantic. Then. in moment the
van Of the flood burst into view around
the curve of the creek. carrying on its
crest the cabins and houses which stood
in It's path The people made rush to
the hills. but were too late. Tho flood
was upon them. The little river in five
minutes was transformed into roar
Ing torrent 400 feet wide and 20 feet
deep. People were caught In their homes
and forced to crawl out on tho roof
Then, as the house moved down the
stream. they caught on to the trees and
hung there until morning, when they
were rescued.
HAsTY FUNERALS.
The names of 1S9 per1ons whose bodies
have been recovered. or who are miss
ing and believed to be dead as result
Of the Heppner flood. have been OBJ
tained. In addition. the bodies Of seven
Chinese, three Japanese and twenty-o one
strangers and babies, names unknown,
go to swell the list.
Elias Conner a stock raiser. Of lone.
returned from Heppner at O'Clock this
morning. He left the scene Of the dis
aster at o'clock last night.
ut is known said Mr.. Conner that
at least 275 or 500 people were drowned;
i115 corpses have been hastily buried in
wooden boxes and some were merely
wrapped in blankets. There were still
several wagon loads of dead bodies on
their way 10 the cemetery when lei
Heppner itself has now been pretty we'll
searched, except in piles Of debris.
where 1t is thought great numbers OF
bodies will be found.
between lone and Heppner." said
Mr. Conner, there are great piles OF
debris. but the flood passed so quickly
that the roads have not been seriously
damaged. It looks strange to see the
heavy steel rails bent and twisted IKE
.corkscrews and the heavy tln'oers
SIN Heppner itself the flood swept
clean path mile long and two blocks
wide through the town. following gem
orally the course Of Willow Greek"
MAY REACH 500.
A telephone message from lone states
that the latest find in the ruins OF Iiepp-
ner indicates that the loss of life Will
be much greater than at first supposed
The casualty list will foot UP 500, and
manv of the bodies will never be recov-
cred The property loss and destruction
of buildings alone will aggregate probably
a million dollars. This is regarded as
conservative estimate. One hundred ana
fifty Of the best residences were swept
from the earth. The debris Is piled along
the railroad track to the height of freight
cars. The relief work is progressing at
satisfactory pace
James Herman. the Oregon Railway and
Navigation Company agent, met MS DEAN
at the telegraph key. trying TO call Port-
land to inform the outside world OF the
impending calamity
One of the most thrilling adventures
was that of Tom Shutter, who. with his
family was carried down stream In his
house for a mile and half. Fills vito
and two children stepped into the upper
rooms. Below town the house was shot
across the creek to the west side, Where
II lodged in the debris one hundred ana
nifty yards from the canyon pank. snuter
then took his two little ones and swan
| n, hundred yards. He landed the children
and then rescued his Wife
Seventy-flve men are digging graves on
| the hillside. Prompt measures are being
| taken to prevent plague. The weather
| threatens to become hot, and relief
corps to clean the town Is urgently need
| ed. .
IT. r. Baird, OF Portland, lost his wife
md three children. They were visiting
| her father. Mrs. Clarence Andrews and
| three children, of Seattle. are among the
| lt st. Her husband is In 6ltka. Alaska.
| She is n sister OF Mrs. Baird.