Milford chronicle., 1903-07-10

Through hafine With Terrific Roar
Carrying Everything Before It.
y q S,sssli'., t..cs,se 9siss-ssa~7'-'
Greensburg, Pa, July 6.-A water
spout of immense proportions STRUCK
IN the vicinity Of OakfOrd Park and
created a flood that caused great loss
Df life and property. Thirty-six per
sons lost their lives, but only 20
bodies have been recovered, having
been washed to the banks Of me creek
thai runs parallel with the park
The monetary loss by the food will
reach $500, 900. as follows: At Jean
nette, S975.000; al Penn, S195,0O0 at
Irwin, S192, 900. The average pay roll
IN Jeanette is s6O0,0O and nearly
every plant in town will be suspended
for 80 or 60 days.
Rain began to fan in torrents m the
vicinity Of the park and spread over
territory covering probably 10 miles
A half hour later the cloudburst oc-
Cured. The waters in the lake north
OF Oakord Park began to rise, and
Manager James McGrath. believing
there was danger of a final break in
the great walls of the dam, hurried
among the crowds Of pleasure-seekers
who had gathered under the roofs of
the eating stands, the dancing pavil-
ION and other buildings in line OF the
water. warning them to run to the hills.
On both sides OF the pleasure grounds
are high hills. the park being located
in a rayine about fourth of a mile
wide and a mile long A half hour al
ter the buildings had been cleared of
the people the waters mounted the
wall of the dam. and within five min
utes water seven feet in depth was
flowing over the entire length of 400
feet of the wall The park buildings.
the merry-go-round and other amuse-
ment places were twisted about. and
all but the dancing pavilion and lunch
stand were knocked from their foun-
dations. The rain continued to fall in
awful torrents, and 40 feet of the wall
of the dam to the east gave way with |
an awful crash. The flood beat down |
the ravine with a roar that was heard |
for two miles. A half-mile down, at |
the junction Of the Greensburg and !
jeanette and the park car lines, the |
car barns are located The entrance |
gates to the park were lifted. and
with the force Of a pile driver the
mammoth posts were hurled by the
waters against the barn. Beyond
were the waiting rooms, and on the
track was standing car laden with
people on their way home from
Greensburg and jeanette. The cleo
trio storm had rendered the power
south of here useless and the motor
man was unable to move the car. The
flood struck the waiting room. contain
ang probably a dozen people. A num-
ber of them struggled to a point of |
safety, but in the excitement that fol-
lowed there is no way to be positive |
how many were lost The street car
was caught and swept into the creek.
A number Of the people in the car are
and conflicting stories as to ,
the number Of persons who were car
ried with the car makes an estimate ,
impossible. Edward OBrien and Jo. ,
seph Overly and Misses Keefer and
CTum were among those thrown into / !
the water A young man named Nc
Lain went to the rescue of the ladies.
He grabbed them about the waists :
and kept their heads above water as
hey were carried in the direction of :
Jeanette by the raging torrent. The :
brave young man held to the women :
or more than a mile. and then. ex- !,
iausted and ready to sink to his =
leath. he released his hold and the :
women sank Il was with the greatest
Iificulty that he reached shore.
The food was filled with men. wo-
nen and children struggling for their =,
ives. The poles carrying the heavily p,
harged trolley wires were uprooted N
nd strewn on the ground. A number ! h,
f instances-how many is not vet o,
nown-the victims of the flood. =,
rasping for anything that might save II,
lem from the fury of the water. 10
eized the trolley wires and met death W
y being eleetrocuted instead of be- -,
lg drowned. Several bodies have al Ia
lady been recovered that show that 81
cath was the result of this cause.
The scene was heart-rendng. The 81,
ailing of the mothers who have GER -
inly lost loved ones was pitiful. 10