The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-06-25
Heppner, 0re., Practically
Wiped Out in a Moment,
with Property Loss Of
Fully $1,000,000.
TORRENT SWEEPS A GULCH
Bowlders Weighing Ton Are Carried
in Current, Crushing Those Who Es.
cape Death by Drowning-Corpses
Piled Many Deep at Bends in Stream.

Word. was received in Portland Mon
day that the little town of Heppner, Ore,
was destroyed by waterspout Sunday
evening and that between 400 and 500
lives were lost. Only meager reports
were received, but as it was stated that
105 bodies were recovered by o'clock in
the morning, the belief was held that
the disaster is one of the worst known
in the Pacific coast States.
Quickly following the cyclones in Mis-
souri, and Iowa, the foods at Kansas
City, Topeka and other points, the cy-
clone at Gainesville, and the food at
Spartanburg, involving an aggregate loss
of 418 lives, comes the news of "a cloud
burst and consequent food at the little
town of Heppner, Ore, by which nearly
400 lives have been lost. Fatalities of
this kind have been so common during
the last four weeks that they almost
have ceased to attract more than pass
ing attention. The world is becoming
familiar with horrors, so fast do they
tread upon each others heels.
Heppner is a town of about 1850 in
habitants, the seat of Morrow County,
Oregon, at the terminus of branch of
the Oregon Railroad and Navigation
Company. Farming and stock raising
are the chief industries.
Caused by Cloudbursts.
Willow creek, which is. given as the
cause Of the disaster, is ordinarily a
small stream and early reports indicate
the flood was caused by either one or two
cloudbursts. 1t is said the waterspout
descended on the town shortly after 6
o'clock Sunday evening. The torrent
rushed down Willow creek, causing the
stream to overflow its banks and spread
over the doomed village SO suddenly
that few of the inhabitants had a chance
for their lives.
News of the disaster came to Portland
from lone and Arlington, which had te.-
ephone communication with Heppner.
The Oregon Railroad and Navigation
SOAhPdhy ScncAdl OAuCcS EcCclNcu a lCAC-
gram from lone stating that the COM
pany's station at Heppner was washed
away By flood and that many people
were drowned. Later advices from Ar
lington estimated the loss of life at more
than 400.
The flood came so suddenly that escape
was impossible. Rushing down the gulch
in which the town is situated, twenty
foot wall Of water engulfed everything
but few business blocks on high ground.
Bowlders of ton in weight were car
ried down by the current, and many who
escaped drowning were killed by being
dashed against them. A heavy rain fol-
lowed the cloudburst, small streams over
flowed their banks, bridges were swept
away like straws, and the fall Of dark
ness made the situation still more ap-
palling.
Though the town is the seat of Nor
row County and has population of
1850, so complete was the destruction
and so difficult the roads that news of
the disaster did not reach the outside
world until the next morning. when
mounted couriers reached neighboring
villages to beseech their assistance.
The cloudburst, had been preceded by
heavy rains all day, and about in the
afternoon by violent electrical storm.
The crashing of the thunder drowned the
roar of the approaching torrent which,
although it was seen before it actually
struck the town, was moving SO rapidly
that escape was impossible.
As soon as the water had subsidized
sufficiently the work of relief commenc-
ed by the surviving citizens. In the dark
ness and heavy rain it progressed slowly,
but with the dawn scores of bodies were
found. AS soon as neighboring towns
were notified help began to be rushed in
from every direction.
Town in Deep Valley.
Hcppner is the center of large farm
ing and stock-growing country The town
is built on the banks of Willow creek,
in the neighborhood of the conyerging
point of four other mountain streams
that drain a large area of rolling and
hilly country, reaching from three to
twenty miles to the foothills and along
the course of Willow creek itself for a
distance of twenty-five miles to the base
of the Blue Mountains.
To the east and west of the town, run
ming southwest and southeast, respec
lively, until they empty into Willow
creeks are two deep gulches, which run
back some three miles along the foot
hills as they narrow to form the valley
in which the town is located.
Flowing almost directly south to Will
low creek and joining half mile or so
above. the town is Balm creek, which
drains, in its course to the foothills, for
a distance of fifteen miles, a wide region
of hilly country.
Next comes the main water course.
Willow creek, with an immense area of
drainage that extends northeast for
distance Of twenty-five miles to the Blue
Mountains.
Farther east. four miles, is Hinton
creek, that runs practically parallel with
Willow creek for distance of twenty
miles, having its rise in the foothills
and entering into the most easterly gulch
a few miles south of Heppner.
The greater part of the business and
residence section Of the town lying to
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