The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1903-07-11
TWO SCORE ARE. DEAD
BREAKING OF DAM At oAkFoRp
PARK, Pa, CAUSES HEAVY
LOSS OF LIFE.
Brush Creek Valley Scene Of Devas.
tation and Ruin, the Damage to
Property Being Estimated at $780,.
000-MajorIty Of the Victims Were
Pleasure Seekers Enjoying Days
Outinu.

Jeanette, Pa, July 7.-As a result
of the breaking of the Oakford Park
dam Sunday. twenty persons are
known to be dead and sixteen are
missing. The property loss in the val
ley will reach $1,500.000 and the dis.
tress is SO great that outside relief will
have to be asked for.
Brush creek valley Is a scene of
devastation and ruin. From the sight
OF the break Of the dam at Oakford
park to Wilmerding, taking in the
towns Of Jeanette, Penn, Larimer,
Greensburg, Irwin, Burrell and Manor,
the awful power Of the rushing waters,
following the breaking of the dam, is
apparent on all sides.
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 bod
les recovered but not identified.
The catastrophe was caused by q
waterspout, which flooded Brush creek,
small stream running past the park.
The disaster occurred late In the
afternoon, when the park was crammed
with pleasure seekers.
Buildings Are Swept Away.
The suddenness of the disaster, to-
gether with the attendant features.
was pathetic. Most of the people were
attracted to the park by the Children's
orchestra, juvenile musical organiza.
ton, which gave its initial open air
concert. The band was playing when
the storm came up. Many Of the mu.
sicians, who were girls, grabbed their
instruments and ran into the building
used as roller coaster, to the laugh.
ing gallery and the tent covering the
merry-go-round.
All these buildings, with the excep.
tion of the roller coaster building and
a portion of the merry-go-round, were
swept away. The exact number of
persons who were seeking shelter In
the buildings from the storm is not
known. Witnesses of the disaster say
at least 200 were housed in the places
| of shelter, while the officials of the
Pittsburg, McKeesport and Greensburg
Street Railway company assert that
most Of the persons in the buildings
escaped.
In addition to the loss of life in the
park many persons were drowned In
the valley below the dam. Houses
| were. washed away in all the towns
along the little stream and hundreds
of persons were thrown into the water.
A majority Of these were picked up by
rescuing parties, but many were
| drowned.
Every Bridge Washed Away.
The greatest property damage done
| by the flood in Brush creek was in the
vicinity of Irwin, the loss falling most
heavily on the Pennsylvania railroad
The estimated loss of property there
it is said, will reach s25O,OO0 Reports
show every bridge along the creek wat
washed away.
The search for bodies among the de
bris along Brush creek has begun. All
during the night bodies were seen In
the swirl of the creek.
Tho calamity at Oakford park
though on much smaller scale so fal
as loss of life is concerned, Is similar
In It's cause to that Of the great Johns
town flood of fourteen years ago. In
that case, as in this, dam whose wa
ters were swollen by a sudden flood
following on period Of rainy weather
burst and wrought ruin and great de-
| structiOn of life.