Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-07-08
|B|G DAM LET LOOSE.
Many Lives Lost and Much Prop
erty Destroyed.
Loss Of Life Would Have Been Much
Greater Had Not the Pleasure
Seekers Been Warned Of tho
Impending Danger.

Greensburg. Pa, July "a water.
spout Of immense proportions. striking
in the vicinity of Oakford park Sun,
day afternoon at o'clock, created
a flood that caused great loss OF life
and property. 1t is known that nj
least 20 persons lost their lives. ana
rumors place the number OF dead at
more than 100. but until a late hour
Sunday night only three or four bod
les have been recovered. having been
washed to the banks OF the little
creek that runs parallel with the
park.
At o'clock rain began to fall, In
torrents in the vicinity of the parl;
and spread over territory covering
probably ten miles.
A half-hour later the cloudburst
occurred. and the umbrellas carried
by the crowds of people were crushed
like eggshells. The waters in the lako
north OF Oakford park began 10
swell, and Manager James McGrath.
| believing that there was danger OF a
! final break in the great walls OF the
dam. hurried among the crowd OF
pleasure-seekers who had gathered
under the roofs of the eating standr.
the merry go-rouLd. the theater. tho
dancing pavilion and other buildings
in line OF the water should the banl:s
break and warned IL EN- to run to the
| hills.
| On both sides OF the pleasure
grounds there are high hills. the park
being situated in n ravine about a
| fourth of mile wide and milo
long. The people, protected from thu
rain, were 10th to leave the coy
| places, and not until Mr. McGIash
and his assistant entered each build.
ing in turn and simply drove IN,
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 FOOD
meant PROBABLY the breaking OF the
wall that held five acres OF water. \
| hali-hour after the buildings had
| been cleared OF the people, the waters
| mounted the wall of the dam, and
within five minutes waters TO the
| depth OF ftve feet was flowing over the
entire length of 400 feet of the wall.
The park or ravine. Sudden with
buildings, the merry go-round, the
laughing gallery and other amusement
places were twisted about and all but
the dancing pavilion and large lunch
stands were knocked from their foun.
dations. The rain continued to fall
| in torrents and at o'clock 40 feet Of
the wall Of the dam TO the east gavc
way with crash. The food beat
down the ravine with a roar that was
heard for two miles half mile
down at the junction OF the Greens.
burg and Jeanette and the park car
lines, the car barns are located. The
entrance gates to the park were lifted
and with the force Of pile driver the
| mammoth posts were hurled by the
waters against the barn. Beyond were
located t1e small waiting room and on
the track was standing a car laden
with people on their way from Green's
burg to Jeanette.
The electric storm had rendered tho
power south Of here useless and the
motorman was unable to move the car.
The flood struck the waiting room
containing probably a dozen people.
A number of them struggled to a point
OF safety but in the excitement that
followed IL is not positive how many
were lost TIE street car was caught
and swept into the creek and whirlcd
and tumblcd about. A number of the
people in the car jumped of and there
are conflicting stories as to the num-
Der of persons who were carried with
the car.
Irwin, Pa. July G.-The sudden
rising of Brush creek Sunday even
ing. caused by a cloudburst and the
breaking Of the Oakford dam. caused
damage near Irwin of several hundred
thousand dollars and probable loss Of
life.
so sudden was the rise I'm the
stream that people living along enc
banks barely had time 10 run TO tho
hills. Many houses and other build
ings were swept away. The water is
still rising The freight depot at this
place was washed away from its foun.
dations and carried down the stream.
taking with it the Irwin bridge. the
steel bridge on the Youghiogheny
branch. and the iron bridge to the
freight yards. Five loaded coal cars
on the bridges were swept down the
stream. mere is still a big volume
of water held back by debris nj
Manor. and this may break at any
| moment.
Graftinq' of FROG Skin.