New-York tribune., 1903-06-17
DELUGE HIT TOWN.
Houses Carried 4zoay By the Ter
rife Flood.

T7fc FLOO0.
Portland Ore. June 16-David McAtee. a busi-
ness man, whose residence is on a bench" above
Heppner. was eyewitness of the disaster there
on Sunday. In company with Frank Spauld1ns ne
left Heppner about 1870 o'clock on Sunday night on
horseback and went TO lone. He said there to-
day.
ION Sunday afternoon there had been a severe
rainstorm, accompanied by much wind and light
ming. 1 was standing in front Of the house ana
noticed that a cloud of remarkable density ap-
preached the top of the hill on the east side OF
the canyon. l turned for a moment, when roar
caused me to look again at the hill. I saw wall
of water the height of which 1 would be afraid
to gauge, rushing down the mountain. carrying
immense trees and tbers on its crest and tearing
the very rocks from their foundations
The terrific storm struck the upper part Of the
town first. The residence Of Thomas Howard was
the first to fall. and his entire family was drowned
In the Krug home, also, every person was drowned,
as was the case in the Hale and Sailing residences
Ali of these houses about four or five blocks
above the business centre. The house of Abran
Hamsick was entirely demolished.
The Palace Hotel was the first building to stem
the tide, and all the guests were saved, but the
houses below that structure were overturned and
wrecked. The residence of G. A Rhea was car
ried away and the family. consisting of his wife
and three daughters and Miss Adkins. cousin
were lost. Mr.. Rhea was at Portland attending
the Masonic convention. c. E Redheld whose
residence was completely destroyed. was also ao-
sent His wife and baby were drowned The body
of Mrs Redfeld is among those recovered A G.
Giegers house was carried away. and Mr.. Gieger
was drowned. His family is in the East
HOUSE CUT IN TWO.
George Conser's house was reached next. but
the family saved their lives by rushing to the
rpper stories the house being carried down the
creek three-quaTters of a mile Rescuers found
that the house had been cut in two, and Mr. Con-
ser was standing in water up to his neck, holding
lraar Iar from 11iT ING
from his outstretched arms. DR.. McSwat and J.
Ayers who living in the same house, were
drowned.
oscar Miners house was next demolished and
Mrs Miner drowned. The rest of the family sue
ceeded in saving their Hyes by clingng to the roof
All the Wells family except two were lost, and the
house was carried away. With the Wells residence
went the house of George Swaggert Mr. Swag-
gerts two married daughters were drowned with
their five children.
"The Mallory house was carried hundred and
fifty yards and was found lodged against store.
and Mr.. Mallory. a crippled old man. was found
safe holding baby. James Matlock's house was
next Mr. MatIock was drowned. but his family
were saved Dr. Higgs's house also went. Here
one child was drowned. but the rest Of the family
escaped Mrs Elder drowned in her home.
The houses of Mr.. Boyd and MIR Walton were also
destroyed and both families Mr.. Barton sue
ceeded in saving all persons in his house though
they were badly bruised. The house itself was
washed away.
FIFTY LOST AT HOTEL
Perhaps the greatest loss of life occurred at the
Heppner Hotel This house, which under
the management of Jones C Ashbaugh was car
ried away. 1t is supposed that there were about
fifty guests all of whom are reported to be lost.
The propretors were saved, but their families are
among the dead
THE houses of Benjamin Patterson Mr.. Dunn
and Mr.. Nohe entirely demolished, and all
persons in the three families drowned. as were
the families of James Jones and Henry Blair The
barn of Dr. Swineburn and the big livery stable
of Whites & Meadows destroyed E j.
Farnsworth and Philip Cohn were also drowned
The entire residence portion of Heppner was de-
stroyed, but the business houses being on higher
ground and generally built of brick and stone.
were not so badly damaged. The schoolhouse and
the courthouse, which stand a side hill, were
saved but two churches-the Methodist and the
PRESBYTERIAN. were completely wrecked.
around the railroad station the rising water
left great heaps of driftwood piled higher than the
roof and the rescuing parties were forced 10 de-
molish these pyramids of timber in order TO ex-
tricate the bodies which were tangled in the brush
Undoubtedly many of the bodies were carried by
the rushing waters down the valley
DEAD sTREWN ALONG CANYON.
No systematic effort has yet been made to find
the dead who undoubtedly stTewn along the
canyon Every available from a radius Of
sixt,y-fve miles has been pressed into service at
Heppner Gangs of men at work clearing away
the piles of debris. rocks and tmbers which lie
piled III heaps H. the streets and taking out the
bodies About hundred persons were buried in
Heppner yesterday Owing TO the absence OF
proper facilities FOR caring FOR the dead the vic
TINS We're the most part buried in common
crates.
A relief train sent from The Dalles reached lone
last night and will proceed to Heppner as soon as
possible A wrecking train with gangs of men TO
repair both the tracks and telegraph wires left
here last night Il is expected that communication
with Lexington. seventeen miles from Heppner
will be restored to-day.
on The Dalies train five doctors. six trained
nurses. a committee OF twenty Elks and another
OF six Eagles. with all the necessary drugs and
supposed for the sick and wounded. There
is also of provisions.