Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-06-18
OREGON HORROR
WAS FATAL TO 500
Heppner Disaster Results in an
Appalling Loss of
Life.
NO TIME FOR ESCAPE

Wall Of Water Twenty Feet High
Swept Down the Valley With Ire
mendous Force-Relief Work
Already Started.
Portland, Ore, June 16.-The most
appalling disaster in the history of
this state occurred Sunday evening
about s o'clock, when the town of
Heppner was almost entirely destroyed
by cloudburst, and probably 500 peo-
pie drowned.
Heppner is the county seat of Nor
row county, and has about l,250 inhab-
5ttants.
The most reliable reports at 6 O'clock
last night state that the loss of life at
Heppner will be at least 500, though the
number of dead probably is larger. All
The telegraph and telephone wires are
down, and no accurate information can
be obtained.
A report from lone, seventeen miles
from Heppner, states that 800 bodies
have been recovered.
A messenger who arrived at lone
states that wall of water twenty feet
high rushed down into the gulch in
which Heppner is situated, and car
ried everything before it,
Awful huSh OF water.
The flood came with such sudden
ness that the inhabitants We're unable
to seek places of safety, and We're car
ried down to death by the awful rush of
water.
Almost the entire residence portion
of the town was wiped out, but some
of the business part. which is on higher
ground, escaped.
Huge boulders weighing a ton We're
carried down by the current and many
people were killed by being dashed
against the rocky bluff.
Early in the afternoon a thunder
storm occurred, covering wide region
of country, and later heavy rainstorm
set in, many of the smaller streamt
overhowing their banks in a short time.
Bridges We're swept away like straws
and the darkness of the night soon
made the situation more appalling.
AS soon as possible after the ter
rible flood subsidized the work of rescue
was commenced by the remaining cltl-
Iens of the town.
A large number of bodies were lodged
along the banks of the stream, and i'm
several places they We're piled over one
another. Up to o'clock this after
noon 200 bodies had been recovered al
most within the city limits.
The buildings that We're not carried
away were moved from their founda-
lions or toppled over Hundreds of
gone into the creek bottoms fos water
persisted
Relief Work is Started.
News of the calamity did not reach
the outside world until this morning,
all the means of communication hav-
ing been cut off. AS soon as possible
news was sent by courier to the near
by towns looking to the relief of the
stricken people. The Oregon Railway
and Navigation company started a re-
lief train from The Dalles shortly afte,
noon with a party of 100. including
several doctors ana nurses, and mass
Of supplies of all kinds.
AT 80 o'clock this afternoon re-
lief train with more doctors and sup
plies started from this city. The peo-
pie of Portland started a relief fund as
soon as news of TIE disaster spread
over the city, and within a few hours
$4,000 was raised.
Supplies will be rushed forward to
Heppner as fast as they can be assem-
oled here.
Fifteen buildings in the town of Lex
ngton, nine miles below Heppner, Oh
Willow Creek, were washed away, but
with no loss of life, the inhabitants
having time TO save themselves from
me SurRlnB torrent.
At lone, seventeen miles away, con-
siderable damage was done to build
lngs, though no loss of life is reported
from there.
300 Bodies Recovered.
Word was received from lone late
yesterday afternoon that 300 collins
were needed at once at Heppne-. The
weather is hot, and it is necessary that
the dead should be buried at once. One
hundred collins have already been sent
on the Oregon Railway and Navigation
railroad relief train, and 100 will be
sent from The Dalles and Portland.
The Portland Office of the Oregon
and Navigation company last evening
received the following message from
Heppner via Echo:
Roughly estimated, almost all the
people living ON the banks of Willow
creek drowned
Need relief i'm the shape of large
body of men to help clear away debris
and recover bodies. Haste is very es-
sential, as the weather is turning warm
and the dead must be recovered before
putrefaction sets in"
Among the drowned are:
THOMAS HOWARD AND FAMILY.
THE GRUG FAMILY.
BOB HINES AND FAMILY.
MIR. AND Mrs. III. A. DAWSON
JAMES JONES and family.
MRS. CHARLES ANDREWS and
child
WELLS.
DIR. YIEGER.
JOHN MYERS and family.
BEN PATTERSON and wife.
GEORGE NOBLE and family.
SEVERAL CHINESE.
THE MATTY FAMILY.
DIR. LIGGS' CHILD.
MISS ELLIOTT.
MRS. ELDER.
WILLIAM COHEN AND FAMILY.
ATTORNEY REDFEItN AND FAM
lily.
WILLIAM WATTS AND FAMILY.
DIR. M'SWORD.
S. A. RHf5A.
MIR. cARRIs AND FAMILY.
MONTANA cLouDBuRsT.
Northern Pacific Trains Are Unable to
Run Because of the Damage.
Tl,,tt Tg....