The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1903-07-09
PLEASURE SEEKERS
MEET SWIFT DEATH
@reat Loss of Life Reported
In Pennsylvania.
WATER SPOUT THE CAUSE.

WATER SPOUT THE CAUSE.
Dam Near ereensburg Breaks From
erfiowns Waters and Sweeps
Down Valley with Dlrefui .Resuits.
story Of Disaster. ..
Greensburg, Pa, July IA water
spout OF immense proportions struck
In the Vicinity of Oakford park at 4
O'Clock Sunday afternoon and created
flood that caused great loss OF life
and property. IL is known that at
least twenty persons lost their lives
and rumors place the number Of dead
at more than one hundred.
Breaking Of the Dam.
AT 3 o'clock rain began to fall In tor.
rents In the vicinity Of the park. and
spread over territory covering prob.
ably 10 miles.
A half hour later the cloudburst
occurred. the waters In the lake north
Of Oakfoyd park began to rise, and
Manager James McGrath. believing
there was danger Of a final break In
the great walls OF the dam, hurried
among the crowds Of pleasure seek.
ers who had gathered under the roofs
Of the eating stands, tie dancing pa
Wilton and other buildings In line OF
the water, should the banks break,
and warned them TO run to the hills.
A half hour after the buildings had
been cleared Of the people the waters
20 ~ hn <loy
within five minutes water feet deep
was flowing over the entire length of
400 feet of the wall The rain con-
tinued in torrents. and at about 4
O'Clock 10 feet Of the wall of the dam.
to tho east, gave way. The flood
rushed down the ravipe with a roar
that was heard for miles. A half
mis down. at the junction of the
Greensburg and Jeanette, the park car
barns ere located.
Car Washed Into Creek.
The entrance gates to the park
were lifted and. with the force of a
pile driver, the mammoth posts were
hurled by the waters against the ba,
sin. Beyond were located the small
waiting room and on the track was
standing car laden with people on
their way from Greensburg and Jean.
nette The electric storm had rem.
dered the power south of here useless
and the motorman was unable 10 move
the car. The food struck the waiting
Toom containing probably IL people
A number Of them Struggled to a point
hl,t In
followed 1t Is impossible to say how
many were lost.
At least 800 persons were at the
park seeking relief from the heat
When the storm burst the greater num-
ber sought the hillside, preferring the
shelter Of the forest trees to the park
buildings because they did not care to
be below the level of the dam and but
little above the level of Brush creek.
When the dam broke a solid wall OF
water 20 feet high rushed down and
completely filled the narrow ravine
with Its car tracks. car barn and res,
taurant. In front of the car barn
stood car containing from SO 70 7(
passengers. many of them seeking to
return to Jeanette, others using it
as a temporary shelter.
Many Pereons Electrocuted.
With the immense body of water
behind 1t the crest of the flood bore
down with ilTogistible force 1t swept
down the narrow ravine. 1t carried
with 1t in It's embrace the loaded car
and tho crowded restaurant. The
children struggling for their lives. The
poles earring the heavily charged troll.
ley wires were uprootod and strewn
along the grounds. In q number OF
instances--how many it is not yet
known--the victims of the food. grasp.
Ing for everything that might save
them from the fury of the water, seiz.
ed the trolley wires and met death by
being electrocuted instead of being
drowned. Several bodies have already
been recovered, showing that death
was the result from this cause.
DR.. Freshwater, Of a rescuing party,
stated this morning that they had res
cued fully $50 persons who had been
thrown into the streams by their
houses being overturned. Almost to-
gether with the wreck of Oak Ford
park, the Fort Pitt dam about half
q mile north Of this place, gave way
carrying wide destruction along the
valley Of Bull creek which empties In.
to Brush creek in the lower part OF
Jeanette The Pitt dam served to
supply the Fort Pitt Glass works at
that point.
To add TO the alarm caused by the
disaster In Oakford park, it was re.
ported this morning that the big res.
ervoirs Of the Westmoreland Water
company at Radibaugh, about a mile
from this town, were likely TO give
way and that tho people In tho vicinity
had taken fright and fed to the up.
lands. The reservoir at Radibaugh
covers about 18 acres and supplies
Greensburg, Jeanette, Ossen Manor
and other points further down the val.
ley.
Tho Pennsylvania station culvert ia
strewed with debris, under which It "a
expected the bodies Of six unfortunate
OF the food will be found. Yesterday
afternoon most Of the people were at:
Gacted 10 che park by the children's
orchestra, q Juvenile musical organiza
tion which gave it's opening concord.
The band was playing when the storm
came up. Many OF the musicians
who were girls hurried. and grabbed