Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-07
OUTSIDE RELIEF
Urgently Needed for the Suf-
ferers at Jeanette, Pa.
At Least 20 Dead, l6 Missing and
Property Loss Of $780,, 900.
Tragic Deaths and Thrilling Rescues
During the Panic.

jeanette, Pa, July Gas a result
of the breaking of the Oakford Park
dam, yesterday, 20 persons are known
to be dead and is are missing. The
property loss, in the valley will reach
$1,500 600 and the distress Is so great
that outside relief will have to be asked
for. The number of lives lost was not
80 great as estimated, but the list is
long enough ito be appalling.
From happy prosperous contented
valley, this section in single day has
been transformed into a great house
hold of mourning. Pretty homes have
been wrecked and great works forced
into idleness. All day hundreds of
willing hands pulled away the great
piles Of debris, searching for the miss
ing residents Of the valley. All during
last night volunteers searched along
the path Of the torrent and when
morning came their labors did not
cease. \ relief fund of $12, 900 has been
raised between the merchants and bus
mess men who generally are heavy
losers and $4,000 is needed from out
side sources.
The coroner's inquest which is in
tended to be very thorough. is not
likely to be held for at least a week.
owing to the extremely hot weather.
The stencil from the dead animals and
from the clogged sewers is becoming
n menace to the health of the commu-
nifty and both here and at Penn sta
ton much money will be required to
place the towns again In a sanitary
condition.
At South Jeanette, a rescuing party
was organized Immediately after the
wall of water passed. This party
saved fully 1876 persons who had been
thrown into the stream by their houses
being overturned.
The death of Mrs. Schrader was most
tragic. number of people saw her
house swept from it's foundations.
They had seen her open the front door,
and retreat before the thrush of the
water. When the house was floating
i'm mid-stream persons who were watch
ing it suddenly saw the shingles of the
roof fly off. With n piece of board the
frenzied woman was trying to get on
the roof. Her strength soon failed
howere, and with upliftcd hands she
fell back into the water filled house.
1t was broken up shortly after by
others hitting it and the body of the
drowned woman was seen to float out
I'm the stream and disappear.
Four members of the family of
William Nigga, coal miner, were
drowned in the flood, The father was
visiting nearby friend. With the
first rush of the waters the wife
screamed and her six children all col
1eoted around her. In vain did the
father attempt to get to his home to
rescue his family, but was forced to
see all swept away. AS the house
speeded down stream it was smashed
by heavy timbers and the seven occu-
pants were hurled into the water.
With the aid of Il friend the father was
able to save his son Adam, aged IL
years. and John, aged Z, and Susie,
aged H. was also rescued.
Almost together with the dam in
Oakford Park, the Forthitt dam, about
mile north of this place, gave way
carrying wide destruction along the
valley of Bull Creek which cmptics
into a larger stream of Rluch creek i'll
the lower part Of Jeanette.
To add to the alarm caused by the
disaster in Oakford Park, it was re-
ported, today. that the big reservoir
of the West Moreland Water Co, at
RadabauEh about mile from this
town, was likely to give away and
that the people In the vicinity had
taken fright and fed to the uplands.