The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1903-06-24
FULLER DETAILS
Of the Great Flood that Destroyed
Heppner. Oregon.
DESCRIPTION BY EYE WITNESS
Wall Of Water Rushed Down Noun
tain Side. Wagon Loads of
Corpses Are Casted to
the Cemetery.
the Cemetery.

Corpses Are Casted to
the Cemetery.
Later news from Heppner, Oregon,
show that the first reports of the dis
aSter were not exaggerated. The
casualty list will foot up 500 and many
of the bodies will never be recovered.
The property loss and destruction of
buildings alone will aggregate prob
ably a million dollars. This is re-
garded us conservative estimate.
One hundred and fifty of the best resi-
denceS were swept from the earth.
The debris is piled along the railroad
track to the height OF freight cars
The relief work is progressing at a
satisfactory pace. James Herman, the
Oregon Railway and Navigation COM
pany agent, met his death at the tclc-
graph key trying to call Portland to
inform the outside world of the i'm
pending calamity.
Oneof the most thrilling adventures
was that of Tom Shutter, who with
SlTcdlll
in his house for mile and Il half. His
wife and two children climbed into
the upper rooms. Below town it
crossed the creek to the west side,
where it lodged in debris $50 yards
from the canyon bank. Shutter then
took his two little ones and swan Il
hundred yards. He landed the chill
dren and then rescued his wife.
HORRIBLE CONDITIONS.
The names OF lS9 persons whose
bodies have been discovered or who are
missing and believed to he dead as a
result of the Heppner flood, have
been obtained. In addition to the
bodies OF seven Chinese, three Japanese
and 81 strangers and babies, names
unknown, go To swell the list Elias
Connor, stock raiser of lone, re-
turned from Heppner at o'clock
Wednesday morning. He left the
scene of the disaster at G o'clock that
night.
1T is known" said Mr.. Connor,
that at least 275 or 300 people were
drowned, 1l5 corpseS have been haSti-
ly buried in wooden boxes and some
were merely wrapped in blankets
here were still several wagon loads
of dead on their way to the cemetery
when left. Heppner itself has now
been pretty we'll searched, except in
piles OF debris, where it is thought
great numbers of bodies will be found.
Between lone and IIeppncr," said
Mr.. Conror, there are great piles Of
debris, but the flood passed so quickly
that the roads have not been serious
ly damaged. 1t looks strange to see
the heavy steel rails bent and twisted
like cork screws and heavy timbers
splintered like matchwood. In IIepp-
ner itself the flood swept clean path
mile long and two blocks wide
through the town, going generally the
course Of Willow creek"
SURVIVORS STORY.
Three men who survived the flood
at Heppner-R. ID. Ball, j. j. Kelley
and A. p. Bradbury-have arrived at
Portland Oregon, after having wit
messed the destruction of the town
and assisted in the work of rescue.
Mr.. Kelley said: THE rain was not
falling in Heppner, but could be seen
some distance away. Sharp flashes of
lightning were accompanied by the
bowling thunder Then suddenly the
thunder died away, and low noise
was heard, very faint at first but grow
louder. The city is situated on Will
low creek, which makes sharp turn
above the city. AS the noise grew
louder and louder, the people became
frantic. Then in moment the van
of the flood burst into view around
the curve Of the creek, carrying ON
its crest the cabins and houses which
stood in its path. The people made
a rush to the hills, but were too late.
The flood was upon them. The little
river in five minutes was transformed
into Il roaring torrent 400 feet wide
and 20 feet deep. Houses were lifted
from their foundations and carried ON
the swirling waters. People were car
ried away i'm their homes and forced
to crawl out on the roof. Then as
the houses moved down tine stream
they caught on to the trees and hung
there until morning, when they were
rescued"
HE SAW IT ALL.
David McAtce, a business man of
Ileppner, was an eye witness of the
disaster. In company with Frank
Spauldng he left lIcppner about TO- 3t
o'clock Sunday night on horseback
"On Sunday afternoon" said Mr. Nc
Atee, there had been a severe rain
storm, accompanied with much wind
and lightning. / was standing i'm front
of the house and noticed that clouC
OF remarkable density approached the
top of the hill on the east side OF the
canyon. | turned for moment, whcr
a roar caused me to look again at the
bill. saw Il wall Of water, the height
Of which | would be afraid to gauge
rushing down the mountain, carryin.
immense trees and timbcrS on its crest
and tearing away the very rocks from
their foundations. The terrific storm
struck the upper part Of the town first
The residence Of Thomas Howard wa!