The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-06-19
HORROR
WAS FATAL TO 500
Heppner Disaster Results in Il
Appalling Loss Of
Life.
NO TIME FOR ESCAPE
} TIME FOR ESCAPE
Wall of Water Twenty Feet l4iab
Swept Down the Valley With Tre.
mendous Force-Reiief Work
Already Started.

Portland, Ore, June 16.-The rnost
appalling disaster in the history 81
this state occurred sunday evening
about s o'clock, when the town DC
Heppner was almost entirely destroyed
by ~cloudburst, and probably 500 peo-a
pie drowned. 81
Heppner is the county seat of Nor
row county, and has about 1880 inhab@
itants.
The most reliable reports at 6 O'clock
last night state that the loss of life al
Heppner will be at least 500. though the
number of dead probably is larger. All
the telegraph and telephone wires are
down, and no accurate information can
be obtained.
A report from lone, seventeen miles
from Heppner. states that 500 bodies
have been recovered. #
A messenger who arrived at lone
states that a wall of water twenty feet
high rushed down into the gulch in
which Heppner is situated, and carr
ried everything before 1t.
Awful Rush of Water. n
The flood came with such sudden
ness that the Inhabitants were unable
to seek places of safety, and were car.
ried down to death by the awful rush Of
water.
Almost the entire residence portion
OF the town was wiped out, but some
Of the business part, which is on higher
ground. escaped.
Huge boulders weighing a ton were
carried down by the current, and many
people were killed by being dashed
against the rocky bluff.
Early in the afternoon a thunder-
storm occurred, covering a wide region
Of country, and later a heavy rainstorm
set in, many of the smaller streams
overlooking their banks in a short time.
Bridges We're swept away like straws,
and the darkness of the night soon
made the situation more appalling.
AS soon as possible after the ter
rible food subsidized the work of rescue
was commenced by the remaining citi-s
zens of the town.
A large number of bodies were lodged
along the banks Of the stream, and I'M
several places they were piled over ones
another. Up to 2 o'clock this after
loon 200 bodies had been recovered all
most within the city limits.
The buildings that were not carried
away We're moved from their founda-
tons or toppled over. Hundreds of
horses, cattle, sheep and hogs that had
gone into the creek bottoms for water
persisted. .N
Relief WorA Is Started.
News of the calamity did not reach
the outside world until this morning,
all the means OF communication hay-a
ing been cut off. AS soon as possible
news was sent by courier to the near
by towns looking to the relief of the
stricken people. The Oregon Railway
and Navigation company started a re-
lief train from The DalleS shortly after.
noon with a party of 100. including
several doctors ana nurses, and a mass,
Of supplies of all kinds.
At 1870 O'Clock this afternoon a re-
lief train with more doctors and sup
plies started from this city. The peo-
pie of Portland started a relief fund as.
soon as news of h disaster spread
over the city, and within d few hours
$4,000 was raised.
Supplies will be rushed forward to-
Heppner as fast as they can be assem-
bled here.
Fifteen buildings in the town of Lex
ington, nine miles below Heppner, on
Willow Creek, were washed away, but
| with no loss of life, the Inhabitants
having time to save themselves FROM
the surging torrent.
At lone, seventeen miles away con-
siderable damage was done TO build
ings, though no loss of life is reported
from there.
800 Bodies Recovered.
Word was received from lone late
yesterday afternoon that 800 collins
We're needed at once at Heppner. The
| weather is hot, and it is necessary that
the dead should be buried at once. One
hundred collins have already been sent
on the Oregon Railway and Navigation
railroad relief train, and 100 will be
! sent from The Dalles and Portland.
The Portland office of the Oregon
and Navigation company last evening
received the following message from
Heppner via Echo:
Roughly estimated, almost all the
people living on the banks Of Willow
creek drowned.
Need relief in the shape of a large
body Of men to help clear away debris
and recover bodies. Haste is very es-
%sential, us the weather is turning warm
and the dead must be recovered before
putrefaction sets in"
Among the drowned are:
THOMAS HOWARD AND FAMILY,
THE GRUG FAMILY.
BOB HINES AND FAMILY.
MIR. AND MRS. H. "A. DAWSON.
JAMES JONES and family.
MRS. CHARLES ANDREWS and
child.
WELLS.
DIR. YIEGER.
JOHN MYERS and family.
BEN PATTERSON and wife.
GEORGE NOBLE and family. II
SEVERAL CHINESE.
THE MATTY FAMILY. 49, fs&fi Ne
sgDR.@HIGGS. CHILE. as:ss 4ssassas3.3 Il ii
MISS ELLIOTT.
Mrs. ELDER. 3Est5E M
WILLIAM COHEN AND FAMTLl.
ATTORNEY REDFERN AND FANS
lily. 3S
WILLIAM WATTS AND FAMILY.
DIR. M.SWORD.
S.. "A. RHEA.s it
MIR. cARRIs AND FAMILY.
MONTANA cLoUpBURsT.