New-York tribune., 1903-07-06
rp4 TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1BuNE.I


Pittsburg, July 5-AnOther dam horror, al
most similar to the one which swept away
Johnstown, happened this afternoon at Oakford
Park. near Jeanette. twenty-eight miles east Of
this city. in which anywhere from fifty to sew
enty-fve people lost their lives. The exact
number of fatalities is not known. and perhaps
never will be known. Many bodies were swept
away, while others were found crushed and
unrecognizable. the victims having taken refuge
in a building which collapsed Still others were
burned and blackened from having come IN
contact with live electric wires.
The accident came so suddenly that the peo-
pie were caught penned in a small space. and
were unable to escape. The dam which burst
was known as Oakford Park Lane dam 1t was
a forty-foot embankment, damming a number
of small streams This afternoon four hundred
people assembled at the resort. The day had
been beautiful one. but warm and sultry.
Suddenly the skies darkened. and severe storm
swept over the park The rain fell in torrents.
It was the worst cloudburst ever known in this
part of the country.
Manv Of those at the park sought shelter in
NAAOS~ 60
the car barns, while others huddled in a small
building occupied By a restaurant. While the
storm was at its worst there was a crash like
thunder Forty feet of the dam had given away
and wall of water forty feet high swept down
on the pleasure seekers. who were caught In the
little valley which forms the park. There is
sloping land on either side of small stream
known as Brush Greek, and to this higher land
the terror stricken people fed. Many OF them.
however. could not get away.
When the wall of water was seen approach
ing there was a panic in the restaurant building
The forty people who had taken refuge there
made a frantic effort to escape, which resulted
in the frail building collapsing. Some we're
trampled to death in the excitement which fol-
lowed While others were hurrying across the
streetcar tracks the trolley wire fell. and caught
them. How many were killed by it will never
be known.
trolley car which contained from fifty to
seventy-fve people was crossing the bridge over
Brush Creek The motorman saw the great
wave Of water coming. and put on all the power
1t was another race for life. but the wave ran
the faster. and when the car reached the centre
Of the bridge the water struck it. The bridge
was swept aside as though it had been a log
taking the car with it
A number of bodies have been taken from the
car, but many others were washed down the
valley volume of water about forty feet
high. and between four hundred and five hun
dred feet wide swept through the narrow val
lev north of Jeanette, washing everything be-
fore it West Penn Station. Jeanette Manor and
as far as Pitcairn are a scene of ruin Hundreds
Of houses have been washed away along the
banks of the creek which parallels the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad. and has its outlet at the mouth
of Turtle Creek into the Monongahela River.
George Wilhelm. of West Jeanette. thirteen
wears old. was with eight boys playing cards
in a stable. The other seven hoated away on
the roof and were rescued. but Wilhelm was
drowned James westwood. thirty-hve years
old OF Penn Station. was drowned His wife
and three children were rescued. Mrs Levi
Baker. Of Penn Station. was sick in bed Her
house was carried away and she was drowned
John MachjusEy. forty years old. was drowned
George williams thirty-hve years old. was
drowned. HIS wife was saved Alex Victor was
dashed against tree and died from his in
iuries Mrs. Nigga and her four children were
drowned.
Three rnsuassrs of . family were rescued On