The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1903-06-19


SION oil agony and sorrow on their thin
iaces- lhe bodies are quickly bathed
wrapped IN coarse white cloth, placed i'm
rOugh boxes and then carried to the
ourylhg ground, where a large crew il
engaged Ia digging graves and covering
Ihe DoXes. Before many Of the bodies
aFe allowed TO be taken away the rela
CiFes VIII cut lock OF hair, take a piece
ol tue destroyed clothing or secure some
other article, which is to be held bv the
remaining members of the families as
sonethlng to remember this horror
stricken occasion.
wiling Workers in PLENTY.
thousands OF men have reached Hem
ner, all coming from the surrounding
country, some on horseback and MANY
IN wagons, as there is no other trans
porCauon. A large vigilance committee
nas been formed and for the time the
ciCy government has been placed in ita
hands. Armed men patrol the path of
the rum, urging and commanding idle
men TO go to work. At first many men
dld nothing, but so rigid is the govern
ment that nearly all able bodied men are
now at work. The work can not be
done In day, but it will require weeks.
Although a large amount of work has
oeen done 1t has practically lust been
started.
Mayor Gilliam's Estimate.
Heppner, June 16. - Mayor Frank
dilllam makes the following statement.
FROM results of Investigations of the
past "a hours, | estimate that 300 lives
were lost IN the waterspout catastropbe
Inc searching parties have been WORKING
with might and main to get ont the
dead, and care for the bodies before il
ls too late to identity them. We need
IOU more 1aborers and will have them
on the way within another day. Our
principal need now is 20 get the streets
cleaned up before the heat breeds pesti
lence. Provisions have been coming in
with cOmmendable promptness and we
VIII be able to provide for the army of
workers. A house mover from Pendle-
ton has sent for paraphernalia To clear
MAN street of the buildings wrecked
in it,"
Town Will BE Rebuilt,
Heppner, June 17.-Just how MANY
perlshed in Sundays flood NAV never he
known. 1t Is probable the number does
not exceed $50. 1t is believed MANY
bodies have been buried in the mud de.
posted In the valley aud may never be
found. Reports from lone this morning
state that crops in the valley between
that town and Heppner are practically
ruined. This, with the damage to the
railway, may bring the total property
loss up to $1.0O0,O0O. The RAILWAY il
badly wrecked and may not be opened
to Heppner for a week, though "A train
reached Lexington this morning. At
heppner 1t isstated there are now plenty
Oi doctors and even more men than are
needed to do the work, it being esti-
mated that nearly 1000 people have
rushed into the little town since the dis
aster. More money is said to be wanted
and temporary shelter for the home
less is desired. The town will be rebuilt.
except the district along the creek. One
drowning is reported between Lexington
and Heppner, the victim being Mrs. Frey
who lived on a farm.
Leslie Matlock a Hero.
Leslie MatlOck, stockman of Morrow
county, is credited with saving the lives
OF more than 200 people living between
HeppDer and lone by his wild ride of
Sunday night. With the roaring tor
rent behind him, MatIOck galloped down
the banks of Willow creek, shouting:
me HOOD Is coming. Run for your
lives!"
he passed one stock ranch after an
other, where the inhabitants were peace
fully gathered beneath their roofs. listen
ing to the patter of the warm rain, so
welcome to the stockmen of that region.
they needed the cry of the dashing
hOrseman and without waiting to save
any Valuables rushed for higher ground,
only to verify the truth of young Mat
locke warning-and still the rider dashed
on.
The brave stockman knew that the
home OF his parents in Heppner had Just
been carried OFF by the flood and he was
sure he had lost relatives dear to him as
life itself, but he also knew that the peo-
pie along down Willow creek could still
be saved, and SO he lost no time in max
ing up his mind what to do. Were it
not Tor his presence OF mind and self
sacrifice, the list of dead and missing
would be much greater than it is TODAY.
The night was dark and the road down
the canyon was rough and stony, but
still the rider kept on.
''Flee for your lives; the flood is com
ing; don't wait to save a thingl"
And the roaring torrent close behind,
his pleadings
He reached Lexington, nine miles
away, ahead OF the food. Here num-
Der OF coy dwellings,, church and mill
lay in the path the torrent must take.
Had it not been for Matlock's ride at
least so residents of Lexington alone
would have been carried away with
their homes that are now piles of drift
wood in the waters of the Columbia
river.
Below Lexington many PROSPEROUS
stock ranches stood, and at Pettysville
quite a gathering of dwellings are clust-
cred. And the intrepid rider kept on.
The night darkened and the rain con-
tinued, but there were scores of lives yet
to be saved and at lone Matlock reached
a telephone by which the people between
there and Douglas were enabled to save
themselves in plenty Of time. lone itself
had already been warned by the brave
Herman, whose herOism had cost him
his life.
WHAT A CLOUDBURST Is.