The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-06-16
Iernor-Stricke1 Citizens Were
Engnifed BY a Wall of
Water Tweaty Feet High.
and FezU Escaped.
TELEGRAPH OPERATOR
SAVES TOWN OF lone
Force Engaged IN Rescue In
adequate and Relief Train,
Wifb Surgeons, Starts From
"The DaLLes. +"

PENDLEToN. Ore, June 1s.-Abner
P Bradbury. travelling salesman for n
Portland wholesale house. has lust ar
rived here from Heppner. where he
witnessed the food disaster. He is the
hrst man to reach this place from the
stricken town.
Bradbury says the cIoudburst thar
destroyed Heppner occurred abour two
miles above the town, near Willow
Creek. which is ordinarily ten feet wide
and twenty feet deep. The water came
pouring down in a solid mass. twenty
feet high at the sides. and buIeing 70
an additional height OF six or moro
feet in the center. Every dwelling and
wooden building in the path of the scoa
was swept away.
Hotels Swept Away.
The Happner Hotel. a large three
story structure. was destroyed. The
Palace Hotel. which was built OF brsck
was swept from its foundations but LEFT
intact. The entire area swanr nv tba
mood presented an appearances OF utter
eesolation when Bradbury left town yes
terday- Dead bodies we're to be seen
floating on every hand. The force en-
gagged In rescue work was entirely ina6e-
Quate. and the workers were fast becon-
ing exhausted.
J. NJ Herman. agent and telegram
operator for the Oregon Railroad and
Navigation Company at Heppner. died
as the result Of his devotion to dutv-
!" hen his ONCE was surrounded on all
sides BY the seething food. Herman
stuck 20 his telegraph Instrument and
Informed lone. the next town below
HepPner, on Willow Greek thar the
h0oo was eominfg- It was due to this
iaet that the people Of lone escaped
Perished After Saving Town
Herman then attempted. with the he'll,
OF Frank Hart, friend. TO save himself
and family. Hart took charge Of Ker-
mans two children and Herman took his
wife. and all started for higher ground.
The waters advanced and they were
caught Hart ana the children STRUGGLED
through 10 safety. but Herman and his
wife were drowned
PORTLAND. June 16.-AII telegram
ard telephone wires are down and Il Is
impossible to get any information here
about the clOudburst at Heppner sunday
evening
From lone. fifteen miles from Hepp-
ner, comes q report that 500 bodies have
been recovered Some particulars have
been learned from a survivor The dav
dawned warm and sultry. Along toward
noon clouds appeared in the south. They
grew darker until at O'Clock in the
afternoon the tempest broke.
Crashing Roar Heard.
While the wind was blowing and the
rain pouring down. a thunderous. crash
ing roar was heard in the distance up
the gorge Louder and louder IL grew
and people with blanched faces ran from
the houses into the streets. almost TOO
terror-stricken TO move
II was al over before any OF the sur
vivors could comprehend the situation
or what was happening A wall OF water.
twenty feet high. bearing on its surface
trunks OF trees and boulders as lightly
as toys. rushed over the town.
Only few who happened to be on the
outskirts OF the city on the higher
ground, escaped 70 tell the awful story.
Where a few hours before was a peace
ful city. is now a lake covered with
floating bodies. The work OF relief was
commenced by the survivors as soon a.
the water subsidized
Scores Were Killed.
Scores of bodies were found lodged
against the banks OF the streams. and
in many places they were piled on each
other The buildings which were not
carried away BY the food were either
moved from their foundations or top
pied over.
So overwhelming wSs the calamity
that twelve hours elapsed before news
OF IL reached the outside world. and
then only BY courlers who crossed the
Every village. city and
hablet of eastern Oregon is doiLg its
best in raising money and sending re-
lief
Relief Train En- Route.
A relief train from The Dalles" has
gone with party OF 100. including Eve
doctors. SIX nurses. and supplies OF all
kinds In Portland IS. Oo0 was raised
a sew hours after the news was re-