The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-06

1 immense proportions striking in the vicin- ity of Oakford Park this afternoon at { l o'clock created flood that caused great loss of life and property. It is known that at least twenty persons lost their lives and rumors place the number of dead at more than 100, but until late hour tonight only three or four bodies have been recovered, these having been washed to the banks of the little creek that runs parallel with the park. The names of those known and believed to have been drown are:
 The Dead.
 Miss Gertrude Keefer, aged 19 of Jean nette.
 Edward o'Brien of Latrobe an employe of Brown Ketcham company.
 Joseph overby of Indianapolis, Ind, em- ployed by Brown Ketchum company.
 Lucy Crum, Jeannette.
 Councilman John Light wife and two children of Greenburg.
 At o'clock rain began to fall in tor- rents in the vicinity of the park, and spread over a terribly covering probably | ten miles.
 Umbrellas Crushed. 1 A half hour later the cloudburst oc-l cured and the umbrellas carried by the crowds of people were crushed like egg shells. The waters in the lake north of oalrford Park began to swell and Manager James McGrath, believing that there was danger of final break In the great walls of the dam, hurried among the crowds of pleasure seekers who had gathered under the roofs of the eating stands. the merry go-rounds the theatre, the dancing pavll- ion and other buildings in line of tho, water should the banks break, and warned them to run to the hill. On both sides of the pleasure grounds there are high hills, the park being situated in a ravine about fourth of mile wide and a mile long.
 People Driven to Safety.
 The people protected from the rain were loath to leave the cozy places and not un- til MT. McGrath and his assistant. Charles D. 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 careful study of the dam that the awful flood meant probably the break ing of the wall that held five acres of water.
 A half hour after the buildings had been cleared of the people. the waters mounted the walls of the dam and within five min utes water to the depth of five feet was flowing over the entire length of four hundred feet of the wall The park or ravine. studded with buildings, the mer- ry-go-rounds, 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 crash like artillery. The | ..tfth that was heard for two miles.
 Waters Sweep Down.
 A half mile down at the junction of the Greensburg and Jeannette and the Park car lines, the car barns are located. The entrance gates to the park were lifted. The with the force of a piledriver the mann moth posts were hurled by the waters against the barn. Beyond were located the waiting room and on the track was standing car laden with people on their way from Greensburg and Jeannette. The electric storm had rendered the power south of here useless and the motorman was unable to move the car. The flood struck the waiting room containing prob ably a dozen people. number of them struggled to point of safety but in the excitement that followed 1t Is not posi- tive how many were lost. The street car was caught and swept into the creek and whrled and tumbled about. A number oe the people in the car jumped off and there are conflicting stories as to the number i of persons who were carried off with the | current.
 An JHeroic Deed.
 Among those who were washed into l the flood was C. M. McClain of Greens burg. Edward O Bren and Joseph Over ly and Misses Keefer and Crum. Young McClain is an expert swimmer and has exceptional courage. The cries of help from the two young women brought the young man to their side as they were struggling in the water and grabbing both about the waist he kept their heads above water the three were carried fin the direction of Jeanette by the raging tide. The brave lad held to the women for more than mile and then exhausted and ready to sink to his death, he re- leased his hold and the women sank. 1t was with the greatest difficulty that he managed to get to shore. He went back to inc point. but up to late hour to- night the names of the women were not known. It Is believed that fully ten peo- pie were drowned.
 Wife Swept Away.
 Standing on the platform near the waiting room there were man and wife, whose names have not been learned. When the flood came the husband escaped but the wife was carried away. It Is saic that the couple resided at Jeannette 1t was ccock when the first messenger bearing the news of the terrible catastro- phe reached Greensburg.
 Ths park is ratronizcd by the people of thls town srd Jeannette, and when the fact that the dam had given way and | rumors said that from 200 to 300 people were drowned, excitement knew no bounds. The shutting down of the powe- house by electric rot rendered the ear rerVlce on the Pittsburg. McKeespor, ard Grtensbrrg railroad helpless, and the fact that tte roads and all lines to the park were iloc ded made t impossible to Geyc to the scene of the disaster.
 There was Lilt one way to get there