The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-06-19
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LEE |
Spokant. Wash, June 15.-SpeciaI
news by telegraph and telephone ad-
vices from Arlington, Ore, state that
the town of Heppner, Ore, was de-
stroyed by a great flood Of water that
rushed down Willows Creek between 6
and z o'clock last evening.
Reports from lone state tina about
800 people were drowned. At ) O'Clock
Il m, it was reported that 100 bodies
had been found Wires are down and
only meagre reports of the disaster
have been obtained and We're brought
out by messengers. Heppner is a town
of about 1850 inhabitants, the seat of
Morrow county. at the terminus of
4 branch of the Oregon Railroad and
Navigation Company. Farming and
stock raising are the chief Industries.
Willows Creek. which is given as the
EauSe of the disaster is ordinarily Il
small stream, and early reports indicate
the food was cauSed by either one or
two ClOud-burStS.
Arlington. Ore, June IA message
direct from Heppner says three hundred
were drowned in the clOud-burst there
yesterday. The water ran one hour
and a half. 1t came down in a mighty
torrent, sweeping everything before 1t.
Portland. Ore, Tune Interpretations
for the relief of Heppner are in pro-
gress at various points from Portland
10 PendletOn. The oregon Railway and
Navigation Company dispatched a re-
lief train from The Dallas at 1890 and
1T 1:30 p. m. u train left this city carry
iTg Superintendent j. b. O'Brien and a
rps of egineerS.
dozens of wagons with supplies and
- -
f., I nearby points, where there is no
r. communication.
following dispatch was received
FRI Heppner by the OregOnian at l
p H.
thirds of Heppner was swept
LN,.- eSterday by a terrible flood.
Flu. 50 people were drowned. The
we;,tL. is hot today and the bodies can
nc ' -tOvered on account Of the de-
brI.- 500. # men. The business
pc";ryn OF the town is left with small
dallage. Outside assistance is needed
to bury the dead and clear away the
WTeckage.
y number of wool buyers from Bos-
- are supposed to have been at
Feupner when the cloud-burst occurred
sLid are supposed to nave persisted.
Mayor George H. Williams today re-
ceiVed the following dispatch:
Lexington. Ore. June 10, 1908.
"Cloud-burst occurred last evening.
Large part of town destroyed. Help
needed.
! rslgnedD s. E. NATsON.
Mayor
Mayor Williams Immediately wired
the following reply:
What 40 You need. money or pro-
visions? Civ more details"
1t Is impossible to communicate di-
rect with Heppner as all telegraph ana
telephone wires have been destroyed
along Willows Creek
Portland, O., June 15.-Five hundred
people lost their lives in Il clOud-burSt
that almost entirely destroyed the town
of Heppner, Oregon. at 8 o'clock last
night
All the telephone and telegraph wires
- are down and no accurate Information
can be obtained, but the estimate of
loss of life is based on the most re-
liable reports received up to tonight. 4
report from lone. seventeen miles from
Heppner is to the effect that 500 bodies
nave been recovered. A messenger who
arrived at lone said that a wall of wa
ter twenty feet high rushed down into
the gulch, in which He~nner is situated
carrying everything before it.
The Hood anne with such suddenness
that the inhabitants were unable TO
seek places of safety and were carried
down to death by the awful rush of
water.
Almost the entire residence portion
of the town was destroyed but some of
the business part which i ON higher
ground. escaped.
Huge bOulders weighing a ton were
carried down bv the current ard many
people were killed b. ha.us dashed
against the rocky bluff.
Early III the afternoon = thunder
storm occurred. covering Il VIDE region
of country. and later a heavy rain
storm set in. many 81 the small streams
oVertiOWInS their banks II i short time.
Bridges were swept aw like straws.
As soon as possible after the flood
mad subsidized the work of relief was
commenced by the citizens of the town.
Dozens of bodies were FOUND III the
creeks and some places they We're piled
over one another. Up to > o'clock this
afternoon over 200 bodies had been re-
covered almost within To city limits.
The buildings. which We're not carried
away were moved from their fOunda-
Sions or tOppled over.
Hundreds of horses. cattle. sheep and
hogs that had zone into the creek bot
toms for water persisted.
News of the calamity did not reach
the outside world until today. all the
means of communication having ceased.
The citizens of Portland started a re-
lief fund as soon as the news of the
disaster spread over the city and with
IN a few u $4,000 vas raised.
Supplies will be rushed to Heppner
as soon as they can be assembled.
Fifteen buildings in the town of Lex
ingtOn. nine miles below Heppner or
Willow Greek. were washed away. but
with no loss of life. the inhabitants
having time TO save themselves from
the surging torrent.
At lone. miles away con-
siderable damage was done to buildings
although no loss of life IS reported from
there.
Word was received here from lone
49, .<--r,,O0~ +hn- 9nn 1e;-- ---