Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1903-06-19
DEATH in THE FLOOD
CIOudburst at Eieppner Causes Great
Loss of Life and Property.

O'Clock Sunday afternoon let IooS
a hungry food Of water, whicl
swept down the hillside in a wal
30 feet high and 200 yards WIDE
Reaching the bottom Of the canyon
the liquid avalanche reared it
mighty front over the doomed town
and carried to destruction nearly
every building and human beinl
that lay in its path, leavinga a waste
of desolation to mark its trail. Th,
destroying torrent raced down th'
narrow gorge of Willow Creek, in
undating as it reached them th'
settlements of Lexington, lone anc
Douglas, but lessening in fury anc
in volume as the thirsty alkali sol
of the Valley drank up the water
like a sponge. Behind it lay nearly
300 dead, drowned like rats in 3
trap. The suddenness of the catas-
trophe gave the victims no warn.
ing, overwhelming them for the
main part as they sat within theil
homes.
Immediately after the fatal food
had wiped the major portion Of
Heppner out of existence, swift
couriers on horseback sped to warn
the residents of the Valley towards
the Columbia of the coming peril.
Leslie Matlock, son Of an ex-sheriff
of Morrow county, rode wild ride
for Is miles ahead Of the raging
waters. His horse dropped dead,
but he secured another, and again
another, covering the 65 miles to
Arlington in seven hours. To this
Paul Revere of Oregon is un-
doubtedly due the fact that the
ranchers of the Willow Greek
country below Heppner lost SO
little stock and property.
Sunday had been very hot and
sultry, and heavy clouds gathered
on the mountain crest above the
city. But littlerain fell in Heppner,
none at the beginning of the flood.
The people were enjoying the cool
evening breeze when they were
startled by heavy thunder and
sharp lightning. This was followed
by terrific roar and rumbling,
which they could not account for.
The water came rushing down the
river in bulk. AS seen from the
Palace Hotel, it appeared to be
about six feet higher in the middle
than on the edges. A very bank Of
water it was, carrying on its crest
everything gathered in its path.
The water struck Heppner about
$40, and in less than three minutes
the streets were rivers from five to
six feet deep. The little stream,
Willow Greek, which is ordinarily
ten feet wide and six inches deep,
was transformed into a raging
torrent, 400 feet wide and 20 feet
deep in about five minutes.
The people did not realize what
had happened until the flood struck
the town. Then it was too late.
Houses were swept away on the
crest of the river, and turned topsy
turvy. In the Palace Hotel there
was considerable water, but the
building had a stone foundation
and the superstructure was of
brick, and did not move.
Leslie Matlock was the hero of
the day. When the food first
came he mounted a horse and rode
at break-neck speed down the can
yon in front of the rushing waters
to notify the people of Lexington,
a small town nine miles below. He
had to go over rough and stony
road. The night was dark and
stormy. His horse leaped over
powders, sometimes nearly throw
ing the rider, yet not once losing
his feet he arrived at Lexington
Just a few minutes ahead of the
food. The people were warned
and Immediately left for the hill
sides, not having time to take any
thing with them. Every person
escaped, but when the flood had
passed only two houses were stand
ing. Lexington has a population
Of about 500.
lone was the next town down the
line. The people there were warned
by Matlock by telephone. They
left their homes, but as the town is
built on a wide fiat very little
damage was done. No buildings
were washed away, but some were
moved from their foundations.
A. P. Bradbury, a commercial
traveller, was interviewed and de-
scribes the approach of the food.
He was in his room, preparing his
evening toilet, when he heard
thunderous monotone. Looking
out of the window, his view was up
the river. At first he could not
believe what he saw. A, bank of !
water 20 feet high was coming down |
the narrow gorge. SWirling and
foaming, it came on, while he stood |
speechless and spellbound watching
it. The first house it-struck was a
small, wooden building, and Mr..
Bradbury saw the building no
more. 1t was smashed to splinters.