The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1903-06-19
THE HEPPNEE HORROR.

The awful terror that came to Hep
pner Sunday night is the worst calamity
that has ever happened east of the Rocky
mountains, from the cause of elements.
We read of the awful catastrophes in
thesEastern and Middle states with a
mihd composed and dulled because Of
the frequency Of their occurrence, sup
,plemented, perhaps, by the thought
that in those localities the death-dealing
cyclone and the submerging food have
become part Of the climatic conditions
But now, that the storm mantle has
ruthlessly been thrown aside, and al
most at our very door scores Of people
have perished, with terrible, sinking
awe the realization Of what is transpir-
ingin those eastern states nearly every
week has been buried in the minds Of
all. Tho cloud burst that broke over
Heppner and caused death and devas-
talion is one Of fseyeral that has appear
ed in that community in past years.
The others were of small violence COM
pared to that Of Sunday night which
came down the canyon in which the
town is situated, but conclusively dem
onstrates that some powerful influence,
mineral or otherwise, is secreted in that
locality, and this influence makes itself
felt in the relative action OF electric
storms and accompanying cloud bursts.
Heppner, with its 1400 people, was
favorably situated to receive the dire
destruction that visited it. In Willow
creek basin, veritable canyon, the
prosperous little city has been growing
for years, 1t nestled at the confluence
Of three canyons that drain high foot
hills in the Blue mountains, so miles
southwest of Athena. The cloud burst
occurred on the hillside slopes Of these
three canyons, and before the Heppner
people realized it, seething billow Of
turbulent water in wall to feet high
was hurled with mighty, grinding, tear
ing force against the lower portion of
the town. Huge boulders, trees that
bud stood for centuries, and all else
movable, came without moments
Warming, racing unfettered and un-
checked along its path of destruction.
Houses were crushed into kindling
wood or whirled along the crest Of the
Il 'od. Terrified inmates frantically ap-
uealed to those on higher ground in
fain for help; in the rushing mass Of
water and wreckage fathers, mothers
and children waged useless battle for
LIES existence. Few, indeed, who felt
the clasp Of those icy waters live today
to tell OF the experience, and those who
do were saved by accident, only, In
less than an hour the food had passed
and darkness came to shield the horror
OF natures tragedy from the eyes Of the
living. But mans anxiety to know the
fate of those dear to him could not bo
denied, and by the light of lanterns
through the long night willing hands
delved in the mud and wrecxage for the
dead. When the grey dawn Of morning
came 100 bodies had been recovered,
and the terrible news and call for help
had been sent by carrier to the outside
world. The adjoining counties respond
ed, and as quickly as horse flesh could
cover them, hundreds went to Hep
pner's assistance. The work Of recovery
goes on day and night. About 200 is
given in the list of dead. Others are
yet to be found, and yet others will per-
haps never be found. Over the grief
stricken picture Of orphans, widowed
mothers, broken families and the un-
identified dead, it is better to draw the
veil of silence than to attempt to depict
the walls of anguish and heart.throbs
OF sorrow.