The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-26
NINETEEN ARE DEAD
IN DELAWARE,
OHIO
FLOODED OLETANGY RIVER
CLAIMS NEARLY A SCORE
OF VICTIMS.

0eleWdFe, OnlO, WiaFCn <o."DetWeou
rs and 100 persons were drowned in
tho flooded OIetangy river today, ac-
cordng to estimates made by tho po-
lice tonight. More conservative re-
ports place the number Of dead be-
tw.en rs and So
The names of only % of those be-
lieved to be dead have becn obtained.
Added to the earlier report, they are:
hrs. Quirk, Jerry McAuIiff, - Bills,
Mrs. Bills and three children.
Scores Of persons still are clinging
to tops Of trees, roofs Of houses and
other available footings.
Tonight fires were built along the
banks Of The river to cheer the ma
rooned ones, while desperate efforts to
rescue continue.
Life. saving crews from Toledo and
Cleveland lake stations have been
summoned. When they arrive breeches
buoys will be fired from cannon to.
those in isolated houses and tree tops.
Communication with the main sec
tion Of the city was still unobtainabIe
tonight.
The number of deaths on that side
is still unknown.
Walter Raines, who was thrown into
tho river when the Big Four bridge
was washed out, still is in the tree top
where he caught. He has cIung there
moro than eight hours. Hundreds of
persons along the banks stood in
dreanching rain and cheered would
be rescuers who tried in vain to reach
him. Scores Of the stranded have been
clinDing to trees and house tops with
out food and in drenching rain since
z o'clock this morning.
Delaware, Ohio, March 25.-With
79 persons reported dead, swept away
in the flooded OIentangy river, scores
of others missing and between 300 and
400 families homeless, this town of
about 10000 inhabitants, with the ex-
ception of a crippled telegraph service,
is cut off tonight from surroundnq
territory Mayor Leas, who was re-
ported drowned, but saved himself by
catching hold of the roof of a shed,
estimated the number of dead at be-
tween 25 and rs.
Scores Of persons are marooned in
trees and on housetops. A wall of
water seven feet high is rushing
through the main part of the city. The
tive bridges connecting the east and
main sections have been washed away.
East Delaware reports the following
drowned there:
K. M. MELCHING, WIFE AND
SEVEN CHILDREN.
MRS. sILAS SMITH AND THREE
CHILDREN.
MRS. SAM JONES
MISS ESTHER JONES
AS darkness gathered, weeping wo-
men and children lined the east bank
of the river waving handkerchiefs to
their loved ones marooned in houses
and trees in the sWrling river.
IN one tree, where six persons were
clinging to the branches, repeated eff
forts to throw them a rope failed
-Four persons were thrown into the
river when the Big Four bridge gave
way. Three We're rescued, but one
man, who caught on a tree after being
carried two hundred yards down the
stream is still marooned there.
just as the bridge was swept out,
a man clnging to the roof of a house
which was being swept down stream,
waved his shirt at the people on the
shore and then was lost to view as
the house struck the bridge and crum-
pied.
Several buildings of the Ohio Wes-
leyan university are inundated
One baby was rescued as it f1oated
down stream. Another baby could not
be recovered.
Silas Smith, whose wife and children
were drowned, grasped the roof of a
house as it floated down stream and
drifted safely into lumber yard.
BY climbing into a tree the Rev.
Eugene Bush rescued two babies and
several adults. The minister fastened
himself to a tree and threw a rope to
a man who with several women and
children was being carried down
stream on house. All were hauled to
shore.
C..L