The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-07-01
HUNDREDS PERISH
CloudbQrst Sweeps Through
Heppner, Ore, Carrying
Everything Before II.
HEROES OF THE DISASTER
Horseman, Who Galloped Ahead Of
Huge Wall 81 Water,
Saved Scores.
TELEGRAPHER DIED AT KEYBOARD
Child Saw Parents Swept Away While
She Was Left Uninjured In
Railroad Station.
rELEGRAPHER DIED AT KEYBOARD


great mass of debris which was once
the town of Heppner has caused the
conviction that the number Of people
drowned in tie Good was at least 500,
and many of the bodies will never be
recovered.
The loss by the destruction of build
ings alone amounts to S1,000,OO0. One
hundred and fifty of the best residences
in the town were swept away. The
debris is piled along the railroad track
in piles as high as freight cars.
Relief work is progressing satisfac-
torily, but more supplies are being
asked for. An offer to send physicians
and doctors was declined, there being
but few injured.
Eighty-five Identified victims have been
buried. One hundred and fifty names
have been recorded on the list Of the
missing, besides twenty visitors to the
town, whose names are not known.
The disaster developed number Of
heroes. An unknown horseman, who
rode at breakneck speed ahead of the
flood and warned the inhabitants Of
Lexington and Iona in time for them to
escape from the valley, was one of
these. He has not been seen since the
food
Joseph Keitley, seventy years old,
used the roof of house as raft and
saved the lives Of three persons who
were struggling in the water.
James Herman, the Oregon Railway
and Navigation Company's agent, met
his death at the telegraph key while
trying to call Portland to inform the
outside world Of the impending calam-
ity.
His little daughter Katie, who was
saved by remaining In the station
house, said her father and mother were
lost in the whirl of waters. Katie
stood by while her father was calling
the Portland office, when the food
swept in the lower floor and curled
around him. Mrs. Herman rushed out
Of the house and started for q high
pount of ground, but was drowned.
One Of the most thrilling adventures
was that of Tom Shutter. who. with his
family, was carried downstream in his
house for mile and half. His wife
and two children stepped into the up
per rooms. Below town the house was
shot across the creek to the west side.
where it lodged in debris. $50 yards
from the canyon banks. Shutter then
took his two little ones and swan 200
yards. He landed the children, and
then rescued his wife.
II. R. Baird, of Portland, lost his
wife and three children. They were
visiting her father. Mrs. Clarence An
drews and three children, of Seattle.
are among the lost. Her husband is in
Sitka, Alaska. She is q sister of Mrs.
Baird.
r. D. Kelly. who escaped from Fepp-
ner, says: THE rain was not falling in
Heppner, but could be seen some dis
tance away. Sharp flashes of lightning
were accompanied by the bowling
thunder. Then, suddenly, the thunder
died away, and low noise was heard
very faint at first, but growing louder.
The city is situated on Willow Greek,
which makes a sharp turn above the
city. AS the noise grew louder and
louder the people became frantic. Then,
in a moment the van Of the flood burst
into -'iew around the curve Of the
creek. carrying on It's crest the cabins
and houses which stood in it's path.
The people made rush to the hills,
but were too late. The food was upon
them. The little river in five minutes
was transformed into roaring torrent
400 feet wide and twenty feet deep.
Houses were lifted from foundations
and carried on the swirling waters.
People We're caught in their homes and
forced to crawl on the roof. Then, as
the house moved down the stream.
they caught on to the trees and hung
there until morning, when they were
rescued
''The depot was left standing: also
two warehouses containing 2,500,OOO
pounds of WOOL"
Elias Connor. stock raiser, of lone,
one of the latest to leave the scene of
the disaster, said:
"One hundred and fifteen corpses
have been hastily buried in wooden
boxes and some were merely wrapped
in blankets. There were still several
wagon loads Of dead on their way to
the cemetery when 1 left Heppner
itself has now been pretty we'll
searched, except in piles of debris,
Made New Governor of Kishinefr.