Americus times-recorder., 1903-06-17
Wall of Water Descended.

"On Sunday afternoon" said Mr..
McAtee, there had been very Sc
we're rainstorm> accompanied with
much wind and lightning. was
standing in front of the house and
noticed that a cloud of remarkable
denseness approached the top of the
hill on the east side of the canyon. I
turned for a moment when a roar
caused me to look again at the hill. /
saw a wall of water whose height /
would be afraid to guage rushing down
the mountain carrying immense trees
and tfmbers on its crest and tearing
every rock from it's foundation. This
terrific storm struck the upper part OF
the town first. The residence of
Thomas Howard was the first to fall
and his entire family was drowned
In the Krug home also every person
was drowned as was also the case in
the Hale and Sailing residences. All
of these houses were about four OF
five blocks above the business center
The house of Abram Hamsick was
entirely demolished. The Palace no.
tel was the first building to stem the
tide, and all the guests were saved.
but the houses below the Palace ho
tel were blown out into the street, over
turned and wrecked. The residence
Of c. A. Shea was carried away, and
the entire family, consisting of
wife and three daughters and Miss
Adkins, cousin, were lost The hug
band was absent In Portland attending
the Masonic convention C. e. Red
field, whose house was completely de-
stroyed, was also absent with Mr.
Rhea in Portland, and his wife and
baby were drowned. The body of
Mrs. Redfeld is among the recovered.
Carried Down Stream.
IA. G. Gieger's residence was ear.
ried away and Mr.. Gieger was drown.
ed His family is in the east. Georgd
Corser's house was next, but the fam.
lily succeeded in saving their lives b.
rushing to the upper stories, the house
being carried down the creek three.
quarters of a mile. When reached
by rescuers they found at the house
had been cut in two and Mr.. Corser
was standing in water up to his neck.
holding his wife uopn the roof and
keeping her from slipping with his
outstretched arm. Mr.. McSward and
J. Ayers, who were living in the same
residence. were drowned Oscar Nj.
ner's house was next demolished
Many Narrow Escapes.
1.-THE rest of the family succeeded
IN saving their lives by clinging to the
roof All the Wells family but two
were lost, and the house was carried
away. With the Wells residence went
the house of George Swaggert. Mr..
Swaggert's two married daughters
were drowned and their Ave childrenI
Mrs. Mallory was carried $50 yards
and was found lodged against store,
and Mr.. Mallory, a crippled old man,
was found safe, holding baby. JIM
Matlock's house was next. Mr.. Mat.
lock was drowned, but his family was
saved. DR., Htgg's house also went.
rest of the family escaped. Mrs
Elder was drowned in her residence.
The houses of Mr.. Boyd and Mr.. Wal
ton were also destroyed and both fam
lilies lost.
Perhaps the greatest loss of life
occurred at the Heppner hotel. Tho
hotel, which was run under the man.
agement of Jones 6 Ashbaugh, was
carried away. 1t is supposed thai
there was about so guests in this ho'
tel, all of whom are reported to be
lost The proprietors themselves were
saved, but their families are an1ons
the dead.
Residence Portion Destroyed.
Dunn and Mr.. Noble were entirely de-
molished and all persons in these. three
families drowned, as were the fami'
hes of James Jones and Henry Blair,
The barn of DR.. Swineburne and the
big livery stables of Whytes g. Mea
dows were entirely destroyed. e. ].
Farnsworth and Phillip Cohen were
also drowned The entire residence
portion of Heppner was destroyed, but
the business houses being on higher
ground and built of brick and stone,
were not so badly damaged. The
schoolhouse and courthouse, which
stand on the side of hill, were saw
ed, but two churches, the Methods;
and Presbyterian, were completely
wrecked.
Around the depot the rising watee
left great heaps of driftwood piled