The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-06
TROLLEY CAR SMASHED
1T WAS FILLED WITH PASSENGERS
and FEW ESCAPED.
indianapolis Man Among Those Who
PeriShed-ter0ic Effort TO
Rescue Women.

spout OF immense proportions striking in
the vicinity OF Oakford Park this after
noon at o'clock created flood that caused
great loss of life and property. 1t is known
at least twenty persons lost their lives and
rumors place the number OF dead at more
than 1oo but until a late hour tonight only
three or four bodies had been recovered.
having been washed to the banks of the
Little creek that runs parallel with the
park. The names OF those known and be-
lieved to have been drowned are:
MISS GERTRUDE KEEFER. aged nine
teen, of Jeanette.
EDWARD OBRIEN, of Latrobe. an en-
ploye of Brown-Ketcham Company here.
JOSEPH OVERLY. of indianapolis. Ind.
employed by Brown-Ketcham Company.
LUCY CRUM. of Jeanette.
JOHN LIGHT, councilman. wife and two
children, of Greensburg.
At 3 o'clock rain began to fan In torrents
In the vicinity Of the park and spread over
territory covering probably ten miles. A
half hour later the cloudburst occurred and
the umbrellas carried by the crowds OF peo-
pie were crushed like egg shells. The waters
in the lake north of Oakford Park began
to swell and Manager James McGrath. be-
leving that there was danger of a final
break in the great walls of the dam. hurried
had gathered under the roofs of the eating
stands, the merry-go-round, the theater.
the dancing pavilion and other buildings
in line of the water had the banks broke
and warned them to the hills. On both
sides of the pleasure grounds there are high
| hills, the park being situated in a ravine q
fourth of mile wide and mile long.
FLED NONE TOO SOON.
The people. protected from the rain. were
loath to leave the cozy places and not until
Mr. McGrath and his assistant. Charles z.
Thomas entered each building in turn and
simply drove the crowds out into the rain.
did they realize that the park managers
were in earnest. for they knew after care
full study of the dam that the awful food
meant probably the breaking of the wall
| that held FIVE acres of water. A half hour
after the building had been cleared OF the
people. the waters mounted the wall of the
dam and within five minutes water to the
depth of five feet was flowing over the en-
tire length of four hundred feet of the wall
The park or ravine studded with buildings.
the -go-round, the laughing gallery
| and other amusement places were twisted
about and all but the dancing pavilion and
large lunch stand were knocked from their
foundations. The rain continued to fall In
torrents and about o'clock forty feet OF
the wall of the dam to the east gave way
with a crash.
The flood beat down the ravine with
roar that could be heard for two miles.
A half mile down at the junction Of the
Greensburg and Jeanette and the park
| car lines, the car barns are located The
| entrance gates to the park were hurled by
the waters against the barn. Beyora were
| located the small waiting room and on the
4 tfdCk was SlduuihS a iducn With pcopte
on their way to Greensburg and JEANETTE.
| The electric storm had rendered the power
south of here useless and the motorman
was unable to move the car.
SWEPT INTO THE CREEK.
| The food struck the waiting room con-
tanning probably dozen people. A num-
Der of them struggled 10 a point OF safely.
but I'm the excitement that followed IL is
not known positively how many were lost.
| The street car was caught and swept into
the creek and whirled and tumbled about
A number of the people In the car Jumped
| or and there are conflicting stories
the number OF persons who were carried
with the car. Among those who were
| washed into the flood was c. NJ. McClain.
Of Greensburg. Edward OBrien and Joseph
| Overly and Miss Keefer and Mrs. crum.
Young McLain is a expert swimmer and
has exceptional courage The cries for
help from the two unknown women brought
the young man TO their side as they were
struggling in the water aud grabbing both
about the waist he kept their heads above
| water the three were carried I'm the d.
rection of the Jeanette by the food. The
brave lad held TO the women for more than
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