The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-06-17
AWFUL GLOUDBURsT.
Town at Base of Blue Mountains
Wiped OF the Map.
Five Hundred People May be Lost in
Flood at Heppner, Oregon.

Portland, Ore, June 15.-Five hun
dred people lost their lives in cloud
burst that almost entirely destroyed
the town Of Heppner, Ore, at 6
O'Clock last night.
Heppner is the county seat of Nor
row county and had about l,250 in
habitants.
All the telephone and telegraph
wires are down and no accurate in
formation can be obtained, but the
estimate of loss Of life is based on the
most reliable reports received up to
tonight. A report from lone, II miles
from Heppner, is to the effect that
800 bodies have been recovered. A
messenger who arrived at lone said a
wall of water 20 feet high rushed
down into tie gulch in which Heppner
is situated, carrying everything before
it.
The flood came 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 is on
higher ground, escaped.
Huge boulders weighing ton were
carried down by the current and many
people were killed by being dashed
against the rocky bluff.
Early in the afternoon thunder
storm occurred, covering wide re-
gion of country, and later heavy
rainstorm set in, many of the small
streams overhowing their banks in a
short time. Bridges were swept away
| like straws.
AS soon as possible after the food
had subsided the work of relief was
commenced by the citizens of the
town. Dozens Of bodies were found
| in the creeks and in some places they
were piled over one another. Up tc
| 9 o'clock this afternoon over 2OC
bodies had been recovered almost
within the city limits. The buildings
which we're not carried away were
moved from their foundations or top
pied over.
Hundreds Of horses, cattle and sheer
and hogs that had gone into the creek
bottoms for water perished.
News of the calamity did not reach
the outside world until today, ali the
means of communication having
ceased.
As soon as possible news was sent
by courier to nearby towns. The Ore
gon Railway and Navigation company
started relief train with physicians
and supplies from The Dallas shortly
after noon. At 1.30 this Afternoon
another train of relief started for the
scene from this city. Citizens of Port
land started relief fund as soon as
the news of the disaster spread ovel
the city, and within a few hours s.,
| 600 was raised.
Supplies will be rushed to Heppnel
as soon as they can be assembled.
Fifteen buildings in the town o.
Lexington, nine miles below Heppner,
on Willow Creek, were washed away,
but with NO loss of life, the inhabit
ants having time to save themselves
from the surging torrent.
At lone, II miles away, considerable
damage was done to buildings, al
though no loss of life is reported from
there.
Mayor George H. Williams today re.
ceiyed the following dispatch:
Lexington, Ore, June 15.-Cloud
burst occurred last evening. Large
part of town destroyed. Help needed.
S. E. Natson, Mayor.
Portla nd, Ore, June 15.-Word wa:
received here from lone late this after
noon that 800 cofins were needed al
once at Heppner. The weather is
warm and it is necessary that the deae
should be buried at once.
One hundred cofins were sent on the
Oregon Railway and Navigation over
land train tonight and 100 more will
be sent from the Dallas and Portland
The Portland Office of the O. R. & N
railway this afternoon received the
following Message from Heppner: :.
Roughly estimated almost all the
whole people living on the banks Of
the Willow Creek we're drowned. -
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