The Tomahawk., 1903-06-25
WHOLE Town WIPED OUT.
Hundreds of People Are Reported
Drowned by Great Flood at
Heppner, Oregon.
BODIES OF 300 VICTIMS RECOVERED.

Estimated at OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF
Persons Still Unaccounted For
Cloudbursts Cause Damage at
Other Places.
Portland, Ore, June 16.-The mosr
appalling disaster in, the history OF
this state occurred Sunday evening
about six o'clock, when the town OF
Heppner was almost entirely destroy ed
by cloudburst and probably 500people
drowned. Heppner is the county seat
of Morrow county, and has about 1880
inhabitants. The most relia bic reports
state that the loss of life at Heppner
will be at least 500, though the number
of dead is probably larger. All the
telegra phi and telephone lines are down
and no accurate information can be
secured.
Bodies Recovered.
A report from lone, II miles from
Heppner, states that 800 bodies have
been recovered. A messenger who ar
rived at lone states that wall of wa
ter 20 feet high rushed down into the
gulch in which Heppner is situated and
carried everything before it. The
flood came with such suddenness that
the inha bitants 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 wiped out, but some of
the business part, which is on higher
ground, escaped.
Dashed Against Rocks.
Huge powders weighing tonwere
carried down by the current and many
people killed by being dashed against
the rocky bluff. Early in the after
noon a thunder storm occurred, cover
ing wide region of country, and later
a heavy rainstorm set in, many of the
small streams overfowing their banks
in a considerably short time. Bridges
were swept away like straws. and the
darkness of the night soon made the
situation more appalling.
Work of Relief.
AS soon as possible after the terri
rible flood subsidized the work of relief
was commenced: by the citizens of the
town. Dozens of bodies were found
lodged along the bends of the stream,
and several places they were piled over
one another. Up to Monday afternoon
200 bodies had been recovered almost
within the city limits. The buildings
which, were not carried away We're
moved from their foundations or top
pied over. Hundreds of horses, cattle,
sheep and hogs that had gone into the
creek bottoms, for water persisted.
At other Points.
Fifteen buildings in the town of Lex
ington, nine miles below Heppner on
Willow creek, were washed away, but
with no loss of life, the Inhabitants
having time to save themselves from
the surging torrent.
At lone considerabl BILE damage was
done to buildings, though no loss'of life
is reported from there.
Death List Grows.
The Dalles, Ore, June ia tele-
phone message from lone states that
the latest find in'the ruins of Heppner
indicates that the loss of life will be
much greater than at first supposed.
The casualty list will foot up 500, and
many of the bodies will never be recov-
cred The property loss by destruction
of buildings alone will aggregate
probably $1,0OO,000. This is regarded
as conservative estimate. One hun
dred and fifty of the best residences
were swept from the earth. The de-
bris is piled along the railroad track
to the height of freight cars. The re-
lief work is progressing at satisfac-
tory pace.
The Worst Over.
St. Louis, June 16.-The river has so
far receded that several of the eastern
roads that have been cut off from ST..
Louis since Monday last are now enter
Ing union station, and it is expected
l. L