The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-07-06

6reenburg. Pa. July 6.--A cloudburst Of
immense proportions struck in the ,i,a-
tty OF oakford Park at o'clock yester-
day afternoon and created a food that
caused great loss OF Life aAa property. II
II known that at least 20 persons lost
their lives and rumors place the number
OF dead at more than a hundred. but up
20 a late hour tonight only three or four
bodies have been recovered having been
washed TO the banks of the little creek
that runs parallel with the park Among
those drowned are:
Miss Gertrude Keeler, aged 10, OF Jean
nette.
Edward OBrien OF Latrobe. an employe
OF the Brown Ketcham company here.
Joseph overly of Indianapolis. employ
Cd by the Brown Ketcham company.
Lucy Crum OF Jeanette.
Councilman John Light wife and two
children OF Greensburg
At O'Clock rain began TO fall In tor
rents In the vicinity OF the park and
spread over territory covering probably
10 miles. A half hour later the cloud
burst occurred
& PEOPLE HAD WARNING.
The waters In the lake north OF Oak
ford Park began to rise. and Manager
James McGrath. believing there was dan
ger OF final break In the great walls OF
the dam, hurried among the crowd OF
pleasure seekers, who had gathered un-
der the roofs OF the eating stand, the
dancing pavilion and other buildings In
line OF the water. and warned them 10
run TO the hills. On both sides OF the
pleasure grounds are high hills. the park
oeinG located In ravine. a fourth of a
mile wide, and mile long.
The people. being protected from the
xnrAH lAfl.
ard not until Mr.. McGrath and his assist
ant, Charles f. Thomas. entered each
building In turn. and simply drove the
crowds out into the rain, did they realize
anat the managers were I'm earnest
Ine rain continued TO fall In torrents
and about o'clock 10 feet OF the wall OF
the dam gave way with an awful crash.
Tne Hood beat down the ravine with a
roar that was heard for two miles The
entrance gates TO the park were lifted
and with the force of piledriver the
mammoth posts We're hurled against the
car barn. Beyond were located the small
waiting room and on the track was stand
Ing a car laden with people on their way
from Greensburg and Jeanette
CAR SWEPT FROM RAILS.
The electric storm had rendered the
power south OF here useless and the no
torman was unable to move the car.
III.
tanning probably n dozen people. A num-
Der OF them struggled TO a point OF safety
The street car was caught and swept into |
the creek. Among those who were /
washed into the flood was c. NJ McClain !
OF Greenburg. Edward OBrlen and Jo-
seph Overly and Misses Keefer and Crum.
xoung McClain Is an expert swimmer, /
and the cries for help from the two un- |
know women brought the young man to 4
their side as they struggled in the water. I
He grabbed them about the waists and /
Kept their heads above water az the three /
were carried In the direction OF Jeanette 4
oy the raging torrents. McClain held to |
the women for more than a mile and I
then, exhausted and ready 10 sink 10 his /
death, he released his hold and the wo- I
men sank II was with the greatest diff
Guilty that he managed 10 get 20 shore
II Is believed that ten people who were
IN the car were drowned
CARRYING THE SAD NEWS
Standing on the platform near the wait
ne room were an unknown man and his
wife. When the flood came the husband q
escaped, but the wife was carried away.
II was o'clock when the first messen-
ger bearing the news of the terrible
catastrophe reached Greensburg
There was but one way to get there for
he thousands who had friends spending
he afternoon at the park. and that was
% walk over circuitous road, a distance
" fully seven miles. Hundreds OF people
Who al nightfal! missed members OF their
amilies at supper time FASTENED with
anterns over the hills I'm search Of their
owed -enes
Late last night many OF those who wore
irst reported missing from Greensburg
urned up here and II Is now believed that
Tot more than four or five people OF this
,lace went down I'm the flood
II Is thought that with the various
'utlets the water will subside before
morning and that at least some OF the
'odies VIII be recovered.
WAFER STILL RISING.
Pittsburg, July GA telephone message
rom jeanette received at midnight saws
rom go 10 Is men. women and children
'erished by the cloudburst at Oakford
ark today. The majority were drown
d or their lives beaten out aga nst the
ocks In Brush creek. but quite a number
we're elcctrocuted.
At least 500 persons were AT the park
eeking relief from the heat. When the
arh brcke sold wall OF water % feet
ign rushed down and completely flied
he narrow ravhe with its car TRACKS.
ar barn an restaurants. In front or