Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-07-09
DEATH in THE FLOOD
A cloudburst Yesterday at Oakford
Park Broke the Dam.
MANY PERSONS LOST THEIR LIVES.
Tho Majority Were Drowned or Had Their
Lives Beaten Out Against the Rocks In
. Creek and Quite . Number
Were Electrocuted.

snout NJ immensa proportions. strfk
inc In the v,cinitv M Oalkford mark Yes
tardav aftsrnoon created a food tina
caused a great loss of life and proper.
~ n "a known that At least 20 lives
wsra Lost and rumora Mace the mum.
ber NJ dead AZ more than 100. but un.
M a late bour last night only three OF
so,r had been recovered. having been
washed IN the banks of the little creek
that rms narallel with the park. Al
three o,cIock rain began To fall in tor.
rents In the vicinity of the park and
snread over a territory covering prob
ablv ten miles. A half hour later the
cloudhurat occurred and then some Of
Tho umhre,laa carried BY the crowds
were crushed like egg shells. The wa
tars IN tbe lake north of Oakford park
began IN swell and Manager James NC
crstb believing that there was danger
q, a Anal break IN the great walls of
the dam hurried among the crowds of
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT who had gathered
under the roofs of the eating stands,
tho merrv-go-round the theater. dane
ine nayiIion and other buildings in
line Of the water. should the banks
break and warned them to run to the
Hills On both sides Of the grounds
tbore arc high hills the park being To-
Gated in a ravine about a fourth Of a
milo wide and a mile long. Those be-
trg nrotected from the rain did not
wert N leave and not until Mr.. Nc
cratb and HIS assistant entered each
hu,,ding in turn and simply drove the
crowds o,t into the rain did they real
,.o no, Tho marks managers were in
oarneat for thew knew. after careful
s.,,d,, y, tho dam that the awful flood
meant nrobablv the breaking of the
woI, that held five acres of water. A
half hour after the buildings had been
cleared of the people the waters
mounted the wall Of the dam and
w,th,n Ave minutes water to the depth
~ Ave- feet was flowing over the en-
t,ra ,erotb If lOO feet of the wall, The
..as ~ ~ rav,na studded with buildings.
~. ~, ,, ~ oo-rourd the laughing gal
,o.,, ond otIor amusement places were
twisted abou} and all but the dancing
s", ond large lunch stand were
i p sro-o tbe,r foundations. The
III. sor.,nuod ~ fall IN torrents and
ahn,,. tour o,c,ocl, An feet of the wall
~ ~ don, 70 the east gave way with
- o .n The Sood heat down the ra-
~, =. 1,,,h a roar that was heard for
W.. WY H. bols mi,e down at the
.wo ..,an =, +ha nreenhurp q yeannette
- az ar,, cor lines fine car barns
anu 49,, W. ri. entrance gates TO
a sne =, ,U ~, ,voro lifted and with the forcc
" .s' p n,,o dr,ver The mammoth posts
- h,s,od ~ nc waters against the
W. VIZ pavo,S waro located the small
JAIL D 49,, and IN the track was
v.a',,s. co. Iodon with neonle ON
~. . ~" n,e,, ,ro,, rreensburp and lean.
tne,r WY no 1880 stor1n bad rem
se. 49, 80. so,th ~ here use-
uerou no ~ 100 r,otorman was unable to
iess anu ~ NV ~. Tha aood struck the
move 'ne oa .ant.,nina nrohab,v a
wai.ins Ioon n,,n,Sar ~ them
uozen poop'o' ,a,n. - safe+v bnt IN
s.ruesieu " r.. .o,,owad n a. MT
lle eAo''. n -snau moro lost The
poS''l'e nov aa.,sh. ond swami into
street "a, Voc '.s,.,.S and trmbled
INC o'eeA anS =, ,ha naonle IN the
ABOUT a .u'e 49, DC conA,ct.
car luihpeu on a =. nnrshsr ~ nor.
ing stories % " w It'll ,hs cor
SONS VINO we.o '
from o. ~ 70 ~, "a teIenbone
rittspurs' ra'' Su.y sooo,,ad a.
messase iron 'ea 70 - 1r roar
iniunisne say ,..a. or,shad NV tba
women anu cnnuen p =. sa...rdov
clouupurst az oaAloiu pan ~ va
Inc majority WIZ u o. n~a,ns. az
their hves pea'en ous ass 80 ~
rocks IN brush creeA, "u' y y.e -
Der were eiectrocu'eu. =. az 1or,s
least SoV persons wele ~ W. r
seeking reiiel lIom 'ne 49,. n. nuu,ho.
the storm purs. 'ne sle% a,.r .So 49,
sought tne n,llslue' p.e.e 49, ~ .So nars