The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-06
IN RUSHING WATER
Breaking Of Dam Carries Death
and Devastation.
Brush Greek Valley, Pennsylva.
MIA, Scene Of the Disaster.
MANY ARE DEAD.
List Includes from SO tc $50
People.
Fifteen Bodies of Victims Are
Recovered.
CAUSE, A CLOUDBURST.
Rushing Waters Break the Wall
of Lake.
Fifteen Bodies of Victims Are
Recovered.
CAUSE, A CLOUDBURST.
Rushing Waters Break the Wall
of Lake.
Torrent Sweeps Down on Pleas
ure Seekers in Part.

Jeanette, Pa, July 6.-It is estimated
that the loss of life through yesterdays
cloudburst and flood at Oakford park
will reach 75. Twenty bodies have
been recovered. Many are foreigners
and have not been identified.
Greensburg, Pa, July "a water
spout of immense proportions striking
in the vicinity of Oakford park Sunday
afternoon created a flood that caused a
great loss of life and property.
At o'clock rain began to fall in tor
rents in the vicinity of the park ana
spread over territory covering proba-
bly, ten miles. A half hour later the
cloudburst occurred, and then some of
the umbrellas carried by the crowds
were crushed like egg shells. The wa
ters in the lake north of Oakford park
began to swell, and Manager James Nc
Grath, believing that there was danger
of a final break in the great walls of the
dam, hurried among the crowds of
pleasure seekers who had gathered un-
der the roofs of the eating stands, the
pavilion and other buildings in line of
the water should the banks break and
warned them to run to the hills.
On both sides OF the grounds there ara
high hills. the park being located in 4
ravine about a quarter of a mile wide
and a mile long. Those being protected
from the rain did not want to leave.
and not until Mr.. MeGrath and his as
sistant entered each building in turn
and simply, drove the crowds cut 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 wa
ters mounted the wall of the dam and
within five minutes water to the depth
of five feet was flowing over the entire
length of 400 feet of the wall. The park
or ravine studded with buildings, the
ry-go-round, laughing gallery and
other amusement places were twisted
about and all but the dancing pavilion
and a large lunch stand were knocked
from their foundations
The rain continued to fall in torrents
and about 4 o'clock forty feet of the
wall of the dam to the east gave away
with a crash. The flood beat down
the ravine with a roar that was heard
for two miles. A half mile down, at the
junction of the Greensburg and jean
nette and the Park car lines, the barns
are located. The entrance gates to the
a piledriver the mammoth posts were
hurled by the waters against the barn.
Beyond were located the small waiting
room and on the track was standing a
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 un-
able 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 fol-
lowed it is not positively known 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 off and
there are conflicting stories as to the
number of persons who were carried
with the car.
THE DEATH LIST.
Jeanette, Pa, July 6.-Dawn broke
today on a scene of devastation and
ruin along the Brush creek valley.
From the site of the break of the dam
at Oakford park to Wilmerding, taking
in the towns of Jeanette, Penn, Lart-
mer, Greensburg, Irwin, Burrell and
Manor, the awful power of the rushing
waters following the breaking of the
dam is apparent on all sides
The damage to property will not be
less than 100000. while the number OF
lives suddenly blotted out is still un-
certain, the estimates running all the
way from so to $50.
Almost with the first streak of day
light, bureau was opened here where
the names of the identified dead recov- -
cred and the missing were registered,
together with a description of the
bodies recovered but not identified. A
revised list of the dead and missing 50
far as known is as follows, but it may
be days before the extent of the disaster
can be determined.
The. dead:
MISS GERTRUDE KEEFER. aged "a
years. of jeanette: body recovered.
KATE KEEFER, sister: body recovered.
JOHN FLEMING. stableboy at the Old
Fair grounds. Greensburg.
MRS. LEVI BAKER. West Jeanette
JOHN McCURKEY, aged 40, West Jean
GEORGE WILLIAMS, aged s5 years.
ALEX VICTOR. Jeanette
MRS. NIGG and four children of West
jeanette
UNKNOWN woman found at Manor.
UNKNOWN child found at Manor.
UNKNOWN man found at Penn.
EDWARD SMITH. aged 10 years, negro
boy of West jeanette
DAUGHTER of Fred Davis, aged 10
years of West Jeanette.
MRS. SCHRADER, aged 10 years
The missing:
Miss Lucy Crum, who was with Miss
Keefer of Jeanette
John and Lawrence O'NeaI. sons of Mr..
and Mrs. Barney ONeal.
Curtis Moore. Jeanette.
Samuel Nogel, jeanette.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Fink, Jeanette.
Ed O'Brien, Greensburg.
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