The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-06-18
HORROR AT HEPPNER
Graphic Description by a Man Who
Witnessed Same.
WAS AWE INSPIRING.
Residences We're Swept From Their
Locations as if They We're Mere
Atoms and Hundreds of
~. Occupants Drowned.

Portland, Ore, June ia special tC
the Oregonian from lone, Ore, says:
David MeAlee, business man of Hepp-
ner, whose residence is on a branch
above Heppner, was an eye witness to
Sundays eloudburst. In company with
Frank Spaulding he left Heppner about
$50 O'Clock Sunday night on horseback.
ION Sunday afternoon" said Mr.. Nc
Alec, there had been a severe rain
storm, accompanied by much wind and
lightning. I was standing in my house
and noticed that a cloud of remarkable
denseness approached the top of the hill
on the east side of the canyon. 7 turned
for a moment, when a roar caused me
to look again at the hill. / saw a
wall of water, whose height / would be
afraid to gauge. rushing down the
mountain, carrying immense trees and
timbers on its crest and tearing every
rock from its foundation. This terrific
storm struck the upper part of town
hrst. 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 at d. Hale's and Stilling.s
home. These houses were about four
blocks from the business center The
house OF Abraham Hamsick was COM
pletely demolished The Palace hotel
was the first building to stem the tide
and all its guests were saved, but all
houses below the Palace hotel were
blown out into the street, overturned
and wrecked. The residence of G. A.
Rhea was carried away and his en-
tire family, consisting of his wife, three
daughters and Miss Adkins, cousin.
was lost. Mr.. Rhea himself was absent
at Portland attending the Masonic con-
veniion. G. b. Redfield, whose house
was completely destroyed, was also
absent with MIR. Rhea Mr.. Redfields
WIFE and baby were drowned The body
OF Mrs. Redfield has been recovered. A.
z. Gieger,s residence was carried away
and Mrs. Gieger drowned. His family
is In the east. George Conser's house
was next, but his family succeeded in
saving their lives by rushing 90 the up
per stories, the house being carried
down the creek fhree-quarters of
mile. When reached by rescuers, they
found the house had been cut in two
and Mr.. C0nser standing in water up
to his neck. holding his wife upon the
roof and keeping her from slipping with
outstretched arms. DR.. McSward and
Ayres. who were living in the same
residence. were drowned. Oscar Miners
mouse was next demolished and Mrs
Miner drowned. The rest of the family
succeeded in saving their lives by cling
Ing to the roof. All of the Wells family |
but two were lost and the house was
carried away. With the Wells residence |
went the house of George Swaggert. !
Mr.. Swaggert's two married daughters ],
were drowned, with their five children.
The Mallory house was carried $50 |
Yards and found lodged against a store
and Mallory, crippled old man. was |
found safe, holding the baby. Jim |
Matlock's' house was next. Mr.. Mat |
ock was drowned, but his family was
saved. DR.. Higgs' house also went. |
Here one child was drowned, but the
'est Of the family escaped. Mrs Elder /
vas drowned in her residences The |
houses of Mr.. Boyd and Mr.. Walton
we're also destroyed and both families
ost
Perhaps the greatest loss of life oe-
'urred in the Heppner hotel. This
iouse, which is run under the manage
nent Of Jones & Ashbaugh, was car
led away. It is supposed there were
lbout sixty guests in the hotel, all of
whom are reported to be lost. The
,roprietors themselves were saved, but
heir families are among the dead.
The houses of Ben Patterson, Mr..
Dunn and Mr.. Noble were entirely de-
nolished. ALI persons in these three
antilles were crowned, as were the
antilles of James Jones and Henryt
Blair. The barn of Dr. Swineburn and
he big livery stable of Whites 81
feadows We're entirely destroyed Z. J. |
farnsworth and Philip Cohen were also
roWnsd
The entire residence portion of Hepp-
Ter was destroyed. but the business
ouses, being on higher ground and
eng generally built of brick and stone, |
Fas not SO badly damaged. The school
ouse and courthouse. which stand on
he side Of a hill were saved. but two
hurches, Methodist and Presbyterian, | (
7ere completely wrecked