Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-06-24
VICTIMS OF
THE FLOOD
Seventeen Members Of the Ashbaugh
Family Meet Death In the Hepp-
ner, Ore, Disaster.
HEART TOUCHING INCIDENTS
One Mother Throws Her Own Child
Away and Takes Her Neigh.
bor's Child to the Shore.

Heppner, Ore, June 1.-two thous-
and men and hundreds of horses are
at work this morning rushing restor-
alton of order out of chaos. The bod.
les of two Stalter children have been
found. The corpses were discovered
today and were preserved in hail.
stone banks, although badly MANNED.
The relief fund in sight approximates
$1,000.
The city council has posted bulle-
tins asking those who are here for
idle curiosity to make their visits rs
short as possible.
There is no fear of epidemic, accord.
ing to Health Officer Kisner. Prompt
work in improving the sanitary condi.
tions has undoubtedly saved the town
from an epidemic. There Is consid-
cradle sickness but 1t is not of a serious
nature. Physicians are kept busy
looking after women, especially those
who are Ill from the effects of fright.
Seventeen In One Family. =.
Much sympathy is felt for the Ash
baugh family. In the three blood re-
lated families Of Nose and Ed. Ash
baugh and Pearl Jones, brotherin-law
to the two, seventeen members OF
these families were killed or drowned,
Four children in n family are miss.
ing. Mrs. Nose Ashbaugh Is one of
the saved. She suffers with attacks
Of hysteria at intervals and Is In q
pitiful condition. Mrs. Nose Ash
baugh is a sister-inlaw Of Mrs. Jones
and when the God came she started
to fee with two infants, one OF them
being her own babe and the other one
of Mrs. Jones. She held an infant
under each arm.
Valiant Deed Of Woman.
Buffeted by waves that raced around
her and twisted her skirts about her
legs the woman valiantly contended
to save herself and both children.
IL prayed aloud to God to a v the
little one II l should fall" she said
'but my own poor little one was the
one to go. Maybe He knows the
choice of the infants had to be made
The agonized mother could hesitate
only an instant. The mountain ol
water bore down upon her. She In
tended to sacrifice Mrs. Jones child
for her own. In the excitement she
inadvertently let go of her own baby
and reached dry ground with Mrs
Jones' child.
Saved From Suicide.
Dazed by the discovery made short
ly afterwards that the child whose
life she had protected vas another
she would have plunged into the blacl
boiling stream In search OF her baby
but was restrained by kindly hands.
Today there Is a greater crowd o.
vadlaced watchers lowering about the
hall of the dead. Every hour or two
arrivals of strangers from distant
points swell the crowd on Main street
Parties OF friends and relatives art
organized and are searching the val
ley for miles for clues to the bodies
OF their missing friends or relatives
Orphans, children, bereaved mothers
and fathers pace the street In from
of the hall of the dead absenting them
selves to eat while watching for ar
rivals OF recovered bodies.
Baggage Washed Away.
Thirty pieces of baggage, including
grips and trunks, have been picked VI
and searched for identification Of thu
owners. The baggage is stored In |
warehouse and has led to the discoy
cry of several persons either alive Of
dead. There are FIVE trunks in which
no means of identification appear
Several eastern transients who were
here in Heppner may be lost.
The baggage has the following