The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-06-26
OREGON HORROR
Was FATAL TO 500
Heppner Disaster Results in an
Appalling Loss Of
Life.
NO TIME FOR ESCAPE
WALL of Water Twenty Feet High
Swept Down the Valley With Tre-
mendous Force-Relief Work
Already Started.

~ AAASos
appalling disaster in the history of
this state occurred Sunday evening
about o'clock, when the town OF
Heppner was almost entirely destroyed
by cloudburst, and probably 500 peo-
pie drowned.
Eeppner is the county seat Of Nor
row county, and has about 1880 Inhab-
itantS.
The most reliable reports at o'clock
last night state that the loss of life at
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 800 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 car
ried everything before it.
Awful Rush of Water.
The food 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.
Earir 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 were swept away like straws,
and the darkness Of the night soon
made the situation more appalling.
AS soon as possible after the ter
rible flood subsidized the work Of rescue
was commenced by the remaining citi-
Gems Of the town.
A large number of bodies were lodged
along the banks Of the stream. and in
several places they were piled over one
another. Up to 2 o'clock this after
noon 200 bodies had been recovered al
most within the city limits.
The buildings that were not carried
away were moved from their founda-
tions or toppled over. Hundreds Of
horses cattle, sheep and hogs that had
gone into the creek bottoms for water
persisted.
Relief Work Is Started.
News of the calamity did not reacl.
the outside world until this morning,
all the mean. CT communication hav-
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 Navigat ton company started re-
lief train from The Dalles shortly after
noon with a party of 100. including
several doctors ana nurses, and mass
of supplies OF all kinds.
At 1870 O'Clock this afternoon a re-
lies train with more doctors and sup
plies started from this city. The PEG
pie Of Portland started relief fund as
soon as news Of the disaster spread
over the city, and within few hours
$1,000 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 Greek, 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
were 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 large
body Of men to help clear away debris
and recover bodies. Haste is very es-
sentia1. as the weather is turning warm
and the dead must be recovered before
putrefaction sets in"
Among the drowned are:
THOMAS HOWARD AND FAMILY
TIE GRUG FAMILY.
BOB HINES AND FAMILY.
MR.. AND MRS. H. A. DAWSON.
JAMES JONES and family.
MRS. CHARLES ANDREWS anG
child.
WELLS.
DR. YIEGER.
JOHN MYERS and family.
BEN PATTERSON and wife.
GEORGE NOBLE and family
SEVERAL CHINESE.
TEE MATTY FAMILY.
DIR. HIGGS' CHILD.
MISS ELLIOTT.
MRS. ELDER.
WILLIAM COHEN AND FAMILY.
ATTORNEY REDFERN AND FAM
lily.
WILLIAM WATTS AND FAMILY.
DR.. M'SWORD.
S. A. RHEA.
Mr.. CARRIs AND FAMILY.
MONTANA cIQulRuRST