The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-07-09
SCORES WHELMED
FrightfuI Loss of Life Fol-
lows Breaking of a Dam.
CAUSED BY CL0UDBURST
Sunday Pleasure Seekers Caught in
Park Ravine at G-cenbur9,
Pennsylvania, by Terrific
s Flood.

A water spout of immense proper
tions struck in the vicinity Of Oakford
park, Greenburg, Pa, Sunday after
acon and created q flood that caused
great loss Of life and property. 1t is
known that at least twenty persons
lost their lives and rumors place the
number OF dead at more than one hun
dred, but up to late hour Sunday
uisi1t only three or four bodies had
been. recovered. having been washed 10
the banks of the little creek that runs
parallel with the park.
Ats3 O'Clock rain began to fall in Tor
rents in the vicinity of the park, and
spread over territory covering proba-
bly, ten miles.
Ashalf hour later the cloudburst- oc-
Cured. The waters In the lake north
of oakford park began to rise, and
Manager James McGrath. believing
there was danger of final break In
the great walls Of the uam, hurried
among the crowds of pleasure seekers
who had gathered under the roofs OF
the eating stands, the dancing pavilion
and other buildings in line OF the wa
ter, should the banks break, and warn
ed them to run to the hills.
A telephone message from Jeannetto>
received at midnight stated that from
fifty 10 seventy-fve men, women and
children perished by the cloudburst at
Oakford park The majority were
drowned, or their lives were beaten ont
against the rocks In Brush creek, but
number were electrocuted.
At least SEQ people were at the park
seeking relief from the heat. When
the storm burst the greater number
sought the hillside, preferring the shell
ter of the forest trees to the park
buildings, because they did not care
to be below the level of the dam and
but little above the level OF Bush creek.
When the dam broke solid wall OF
water twenty feet high. rushed down
and completely filed the narrow ravine
with it's car tracks, car barn and res
taurant. In front of the car barn stood
a car containing from fifty to seventy
passengers, many of them seeking %
return to Jeanette, others using as
a temporary shelter.
with the immense body of water be-
hind it, the crest of the flood bore
down. with irresistible force It car
riedswith 1t in its embrace the loaded
street car and the crowded restaurant
The food was filed with men, women
and schildren struggling for their lives.
The poles carrying the heavily charg-
ed trolley wires were uprooted and
strewn along the gounds. In number
of instances-how many it is not yet
known-the victims of the food, gasp
ing for anything that might save them
from the fury of the water, seized the
trolley wires and met death by being
electrocuted instead of being drowned
Several bodies have already been re-
covered, showing that death was the
result of this cause.
It is almost the concensus of opin-
ion of the people Of Jeannettee that
fully one hundred persons perished IN
the Hood while many conservative per
sons maintain that the official death
list will contain fully one hundred and
fifty more Many persons who witness
ed the calamity claim that from 100 10
$50 lives were lost, while there are 9TH
ers who were. in the hills overlooking
the death valley who insist that not
more than a score Of persons were
washed away by the roaring waters.
Great destruction Of property result
ed az Irwin, Manor and Lariner, and
Greensburg suffered still more severe,
ly. The great part of the latter little
city was under water, but no lives are
reported lost.
Atsthe Greensburg race track twen-
ty-fYe valuable race horses were
drowned.
The total loss by food, it is estimat-
ed, win reach sSO0,000.