The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-06-19
OREGON HORROR
WAS FATAL To 500
Heppner Disaster Results in an
Appalling Loss of
Life.
Q TIME FoR ESCAPE
Wall of Water Twenty Feet High
Swept Down the Valley With Ire
raeadous Foree-Reiief Work
Already Started.

Portland. Ore. June l6.-The mos
appalling disaster in the history O
this state occurred Sunday evening
about 5 O'Clock, when the town o
Eeppner was almost entirely destroyes
by cioudburst, and probably 800 pco
PIE drowned.
Heppner is the county seat OF Nor
row county. and has about l.25e tnhab
itantS
The most reliable reports at s o'cioci
last night state thai h loss OF life a
Heppner will be at least 500, though tn.
number OF dead probably Is anger. AL
the telegraph and telephone wires ar
down. and no accurate information car
be obtained.
A report from lone. seventeen mile.
from Heppnsr, states hac $40 bodies
have been recovered
a messenger whu arrived at lone
states that a wall of water twenty feet
high rushed dow into the gulch IL
which Eeppner is situated and car
rfed everything before it.
Awful Rush Of Water.
The food came with such sudden
ness that the Inhabitants were unable
to seek places OF safety, and were car
ried down 10 death by the awful rush OF
water.
Almost the entire residence portion
of the town was wiped out, but some
OF the business part, which is on higher
ground, escapes
Huge houIders weighing a ton were
carried down by the current. and many
people were killed by being dashed
against the rocky bIuS.
Early In the sfteru4on a thunder
storm occurred. covering g wide region
of country. and later q keayy ratnsto-m
set IN, many Of the smaller streams
nvS~fTN-rt-C r6nS- h1rG< t- - chrrr ra--
Bridges were swept away like straws,
n the darkness Of the night soon
mad the situation more appalling.
AS con as possible after the ter
rible food sabsided the work OF rescue
was commenced by the remaining CID
xens OF Re town
a large number OF bodies were lodged
along b banks Of the stream. and in
several places they were piled over one
another Up to 2 o'clock this after
oon 800 bodies had been recovered al
most within the city limits.
TIE buildings that were not carried
away were moved from their founia-
tons or toppled over. Hundreds OF
horses cattle sheep and hogs that hsd
gone int. the creek bottoms for water
perished-
Relief Work Is Started.
News OF the calamity did NO reacI.
the outside world until this morning,
all the means of communication hay-
ing been cut of. As soon as possible
news was sent by courier 20 the near
by towns looking to the relief of the
stricken people The Oregon Railway
and Navigation company Started q re-
lief train rom The DeiIes shortly after
noon with q party OF 100. including
several doctors aE4 nurses, 4 q mass
OF supplies Of all kinds.
AT 1850 o'clock this afternoon q re-
lief train with more doctors and sup
plies started from this city. The PEG
PIE OF Portland started g relief fund as
soon as news % the disaster spread
over the city, and within a few hours
$4,000 was raised
Supplies VIII be rushed forward 70
Heppner as fast IS they can be assem-
bled here.
Fifteen buildings in the town Of Lex
ingtou, nine miles below Esgpner, Of
Willow Greek. were washed away. but
with no loss of life, the inhabitants
having tine &c save themselves from
the surgins torrent
At lone, ~ssvsuteen miles away. OCT
siderable damage was dole To UEIi5-
ings, though 10 loss OK life is reported
from there.
800 Bodies Recovered.
Word was received from lone late
yesterday afternoon that SOC coMns
were ueeded az once at Eeppnar. The
sSG-AASA - l1SNf s-A - : -CNSSSG EAG-
the dead should be buried as once. One
hundred collins have already been sent
on the Oregon Railway and Navigation
railroad relief train. and 100 VIII be
sen from The Dalies and Portland
The Portland office O. the Oregon
and Navigation company last evening
received the following message from
Esppner via Echo:
Roughly estimated. almost all the
people living on the banks OF Willow
creek drowned
Need relief In the shape OF & large
body Of msn TO help clear away debris
and recover bodies. Haste is very es-
sental, rs the weather Is turning warm
and the dead nus be owe before
putretscdon sets IL
Among the drowned are:
THOMAS HOWARD AND FAMILY.
THE GRUG FAMILY.
BOB HINES AND FAMILY.
MR. AND MRS Il 4. DAWSON.
JAMES JONES and family.
MRS CHARLES ANDREWS and
child.
WELLS.
DR.. YIEGER
JOHN MYERS and family.
BEN PATTERSON and wife.
GEORGE NOBLE and family.
SEVERAL CHINESE.
THE MATTY FAMILY.
DR. Hogs CHILD.
MISS ELLIOTT.
MRS ELDER
WILLIAM COHEN AND FAMILY.
ATTORNEY REDFERN AND FAM.
ILF-
WILLIAM WATTS AND FAMILY.
DIR. A'SWORD.
S. A. RHEA.
MR. CARRIs AND FAMILY.
MONTANA cLoUD6uRsT.
Northern Pacific Trains Are Unable 70
Run Because of The Dar,,