Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-16
FULLY 500 LOST.
Heppner, Ore, Nearly Swept
Away bya CIoudburst.
Said That at Least 500 of inhabitants
Lost Their Lives.
But Little of Town Left Standing-De.
tails Hard to Obtain.

POftland, Ore, June 13.-F1Ve hum
dred people lost their lives in n cloud
burst that almost entirely destroyed
the town of Heppner, Oregon, at
o'clock last night. Heppner is the
county seat of Morrow county and had
about 1850 inhabitants. All the tele-
graph and telephone wires are down
and no accurate Information can be
obtained, but the estimate of loss of
life is based on the most reliable re-
ports received up to tonight.
A report from lone, II miles from
Heppner, is to the effect that 800 bodies
have been recovered. A messenger has
arrived at lone and says that a wall
of water 20 feet high rushed down into
the gulch in which Heppner is situated,
carrying everything before it. The
flood came with such suddenness that
the inhabitants were unable to seek
places of safety and were carried down
to death by the awful rush of water.
Almost the entire residence portion of
the town was destroyed, but some of
the business part which is on higher
ground escaped.
Boulders weighing a ton We're carried
down by the current and many people
We're killed by being crushed against
the rocky bluff. Early in the afternoon
a thunder storm occurred, covering a
wide region of country, and later a
heavy rain storm set in. Many of the
small streams overlooked their banks
in short time. Bridges were swept
away like straws.
AS soon as possible after the flood
had subdued the work of relief was
commenced by the citizens of the town.
Dozens of bodies We're found lodged
along the bends of Willow creek and
in several places, they We're piled over
one another. Up to 2 o'clock this after
noon, 200 bodies had been recovered al
most within the city limits.
The buildings which were not carried
away were moved from their founda-
tons or toppled over.
Hundreds of horses, cattle, sheep and
hogs that had gone into the creek bot
toms for water, persisted.
News of the calamity did not reach
the outside world until today, all the
means of communication having been
cut off. AS soon as possible news was
sent by courier to the nearby towns.
The Oregon Railway & Navigation Co,
started a relief train with physicians
and supplies from The Dalles shortly
afternoon. At 1.30, this afternoon, an
other relief train started from the scene
from this city. The citizens of Port
land started relief fund as soon as
the news of the disaster spread over
the city, and within a few hours $4,000
was raised. Supplies will be rushed
to Heppener as soon as they can be as
scmbled.
Fifteen buildings in the town Of Lex
inGton, nine miles below Heppner on
Willow Creek, We're washed away but
with no loss of life the inhabitants
the surging torrent.
At lone, II miles away, considerable
damage was done to buildings, although
no loss of life is reported from there.
Boston, June ia number of wool buy
ers from Boston We're in Heppncr, Oregon,
last week. hGt II is not known here
whether they stayed over Sunday. H. G.
Benedict of Denny, Rice & Benedict, said
that some of the buyers may have re-
manned there to look after the shipment
of their purchases. Mr. Benedict thought
ilIHl VI Hp'i ial'>l Ntth,
at l1crpner has been lost.
Portland, Ore, June 15.-TIeppner is the
center of a large farming and stock grow
ing country. The town is built on the
banks of Willow Creek in the ncighbor-
hood of the ConVerging point of four other
mountain streams that drain II large area
of rolling and hilly country which reaches
from three to 20 miles to the foothills and
along the course of Willow creek itself for
Il distance of y miles to the base of Blue
mountain.
10 the east and west of the town, run
ming southwest and southeast respective
lE. until they empty into Willow creek
are two deep Gulches which run back some
three miles along the foothills as they
narrow to form the valley in which the
town is located.
Flowing almost directly south to the
W illOW creek and joining Il half mile or 50
above the town is Balm creek, which
drains. in its course to the foothills for
4 distance of - miles, wide region of
billy country.
Next comes the main water course, Will
low creek with an immense area of
drainage that extends northeast for dis
lance of % miles to the Blue mountain
Further east four miles is Hinton creek
which runs practically parallel with Will
low creek for distance of 20 miles. hav-
ing its rise in the foothills and entering
into the most eastcrly gulch few miles
south of IIeppner.
The greater part of the business and
residence section of the town lying to the
west of the creek is Il low bottom coy.
cring an area of about 1900 by 100 feet.