The Gainesville star. [volume] (Gainesville, Fla.) 1903-19??, 1903-06-19
WAGON LOADS OF DEAD.
stories Of Eye.WItnesses Of pesolatlOn
and Death Wrought In oregon.
Majority Of Victims Babies.

ner, Oregon, indicates that the loss OF
life will be much greater than at first
supposed. The casualty list will foot
up to Ave hundred, and many OF the
bodies will never be recovered.
The property loss and destruction OF
buildings alone will aggregate probably
81 900, 900. This is regarded as con
seryative estimate. One hundred and
fifty Of the best residences were swept
from the earth. The debris Is piled
along the railroad track to the height
Of freight cars The relief work is pro-
crossing at a satisfactory pace.
The names of 1sS persons whose
bodies have been recovered or who are
missing and believed to be dead as
result Of the Heppner food have been
obtained. In addition the bodies OF
seyen Chinese, three Japanese and
twenty.one strangers and babies
names unknown, go to swell the list.
Ellas Cooper, a stock raiser, OF
lone, returned from Heppner at 2
O'Clock Tuesday morning. He left the
scene Of the disaster at O'Clock Mon
day night.
Stories OF Eye-Wltnessss.
ut is known" said Mr.. CoAnor.
that at least 275 or 300 people were
drowned, It's corpses having been has
tily buried in wooden boxes and some
were merely wrapped In blankets.
/ There were still several wagon loads
of dead on their way to the cemetery
when left. Heppner itself has now
been pretty we'll searched except In
piles OF debris, where 1t is thought
great number OF bodies will be found.
I'm Heppner Itself the food swept
a clean path a mile long and two
blocks wide through the town, follow.
ing generally the course OF Willow
creek"
Three men who survived the food at
Heppner-AR. d. Ball, j. j. Kelly and
A. p. Bradbury--also arrived In lone
after having witnessed the destruction
of the town and assisted In the work
of rescue. Mr.. Kelly said:
THE rain was not falling at Hepp.
ner, but could be seen some distance
away. Sharp flashes OF lightning were
accompanied by the bowling thunder.
Then suddenly the thunder died away,
and low noise was heard, very
faint at first, but growing louder. The
city Is situated on Willow Creek,
which makes a sharp turn above the
city. AS the noise grew founder the
people became frantic. Then In a mo-
ment the van of the food burst into
view around lie curve OF the creek,
carrying on its crest the cabins and
Louses which stood In its path. The
people made q rush to the hills, but
were too late. The mood, was upon
them. The little river In Ave minutes
was transformed into roaring torrent
400 feet wide and 20 feet deep. Homes
were lifted from their foundations and
carried on the swlrling waters"
From the time the food came until
1t went into the regular channel OF the
creek, flowing through the town, II
was about two hours. 1t was about 5
o'clock when the storm first started to
gather to the west OF Heppner. The
rushing torrent came at $3.50 o'clock,
when most OF the inhabitants were at
supper II struck first In the canyon
on Willow Creek six miles above town,
and there was no warning until the
mighty wall OF water had reached
town.
Those who we're on the streets
shouted warning as they rushed madly
to the hills for their lives. They did
not dare to turn back or they, too,
would have been swept away
Fathers left wives and children to
perish, as they had not a moment to
spare. In some cases men returned to
save members OF their families, but It
was too late, and many were carried to
their death while returning. Those
who had reached the banks ia safety,
Immediately formed themselves into
rescuing parties, and started in to save
those that could be reached.
: A pathetic feature of the horror is
the number of little ones that were
killed In Heppner or the 500 vlctima
1t is probable that 300 OF them were
mere babies.