The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-07-11
TWENTY-FIVE FOOT WALL
OF WATER RUSHED DOWN
THE VALLEY.
Swept Through Park where
Hundreds of People were Spend
ing the Day Many Lost
Their Lives-Other ~
News.

morning broke clear and bright ov-
er the scene of death and destruc-
ton caused yesterday afternoon by
the breaking of the Oxford Park
dam, at time when the pleasure
resort was filled with people enjoy
ling Sabbath outing 1t is now
ESTIMATED that nearly so lives were
lost between here and the town of
iJeannette.
| The place where the awful disas-
ter occurred is Oakford Park, three
miles from Greensburg and one
mile from Jeannette. 1t was con-
sidered the prettiest park between
Altoona and Pitts5urg. The Pitts
burg, Greensburg & McKeesport
Electric Railway Company, laid the
resort out and every feature of the
metropolitan park was incorporat-
ed in its beauty. Hundreds we're
in the habit OF visiting Oakford ev-
cry summer day, and on Sunday
the crowds are immense. The Park
hes in ravine beside Brush Creek,
small. shallow stream. A high
embankment kept the creek in its
course. An artificial lake had been
built above the park proper, and to
held the 20 ac-es of.water an i'm
mense wall of stone had been con-
structed.
Yesterday there were fully 1000
people at the park owing to the4
beautiful character of the day. A
bout 3 clock in the afternoon q
light rain sprung up which increas-
ed into general downpour. The
merrymakers sought shelter in the
buildings covering the theatre. res
taurant, merry-go-rounds, etc,
An electric storm of the greatest
violence followed the general rain,
while flashes of lightning and roars
of thunder were going on without,
the people, sheltered from the
storms fury, believed themselves
safe.
At 4 o'clock in the afternoon Jas.
McGrath, manager of the park, in
specsd the dam which held tie
lake, and at once determined that
the lives of those in the park were
in danger. He summoned all the
attaches of the park and ordered
that the people be notified to leave
at once. Many refused to heed the
advice and had to be forcibly driv-
en- from their shelter. Those who
left early were saved, but others
who fingered rather than face the
severe storm were lost.
At 4:30 o'clock in the afternoon
the creek had become SO swollen
that four inches of water began
flowing over the 400 feet of en-
bankment which lined the park. A
half-uour afterwards the dam which
had held back the waters of the ar
tificial lake broke, and with a mad
rush wall of water 25 feet high
swept down the ravine and valley
below, carrying everything before
it. Frantic men, women and little
children endeavored to escape. Ma
ny of the belated ones were drown
ed or were killed in the Jam Of de-
bris that rode on the crest of the
torrent.
A street car standing at the little
station about ready to leave for
Jeanette was hurled from hetrack,
and. the unfortunate people
who were passengers were carried to
their deaths in the mad waters.
A dispatch from Irwin, a town
further up Brush Greek, states that
the little stream was suddenlyaswol-
len by terrific cloudburst that
happened two miles above Irwin
shortly after 3 o'clock in the after
noon. At 2 o'clock today the num-
Der of dead is not known, but it is
estimated that no less than SO per-