New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-04
Millions of Dollars Dam
age Done as Great Storm
Sweeps City.
DARKNESS ADDS
TO FLOOD TERROR
SiXty-Mile Gale LaSheS Atlantic
CoaSt-VeSSelS Wrecked and
Shore Property Damaged.

Erie, Penn, Aug. 3-TweAty- y-hve
lives lost, as estimated by the police,
millions OF dollars in property damage,
and the city in total darkness, is the
result of cloudburst soon after s
o'clock tonight that eliminated in q
food which inundated a large section
of the city.
Caring for Sufferers.
Three hundred food sufferers are
housed in the national guard armory.
Children who have been separated from
parents and parents frantically search
ing for children are huddled together
in pitiable plight
The Erie Dry Goods Company, large
department store. has opened its doors
and is distributing clothing to the food
sufferers. The Board of Commerce has
started a relief fund
About two hundred persons are
housed in the City Rescue Mission, and
hospitals and other institutions have
opened their doors to the distressed.
1t was estimated at midnight that
two thousand persons were homeless.
The heavy precipitation caused dams
south of the city to burst, letting out
a food Of water that filled the main
business streets to a depth Of five feet,
and in some sections reaching TO the
second story windows of dwelling
houses. Among the first plants to 20
out Of commission was the Erie County
Electric Company. which supplied the
city with light. Then "The Erie Dis
patch" morning newspaper, whose
building adioins the electric light plant,
was flooded. and all idea OF getting out
morning paper was abandoned until
midnight when the staff moved to the
plant of "The Erie Times"
In the meantime. the first bulletin
Of the Aocd was sent to the outside
world by the Associated Press operator,
who waded i'm water MP 10 his arm
pits to the Western Union Telegraph
Office il distance of five blocks, and
e sent out his story ,of the food.
I'll telephone wires were put out Of
commission by the flooding Of conduits,
nd it was several hours before crippled
telegraph communication could be part
ly restored.
Many Imprisoned in Houses.
Al Ninth Street, along Mil Greek.
the food was at its worst. II is I'M
possible tonight to ascertain hJw
many persons lost their lives there
Many are still imprisoned i'm houses.
and rcscuers, led by Mayor Stern and
members Of the city council, have been
unable 10 get them out.
The entire eastern section Of the city
is cut of by the water, and what con
ditious prevail in the centre of this
district cannot be coniectured
Among the missing are Assistant
Fire Chief James Buernon and four
frcmen. II was reported to the police
that Il house foated down Mill Creek
with four women and three children
clinging to it. Ruernon and the fire
men tried 10 rescue them. but IT is be-
lieved they lost their lives IN the at
tempt.
Every store in state Street. the main
business street Of the city, is flooded.
and at least fifty houses have been
washed away.
The Jarecki manufacturing plant has
been washed away, and twenty auto
mobiles that were in the garages went
with them.
A little girl standing on the bank
of Mil Creek was carried down 70 her
death when the bank cavcd m.
Many Cities Suffer.
All Northwestern Pennsylvania sut-
fered from heavy rains tonight. Nearly
every street i'm Meadyille was swept by
floods. and business houses IN the cen
ire of the city were inundated. a
ffty-foot concrete wall around ALE
ghenv College, high up on hill, was
torn away by the water.
Cambridge Springs reports the heav-
lest rainfall in it's history. All the
streets were flooded and the business
section suffered serious loss. All bus
mess was forced 10 suspend when the
electric light plant was put out OF COM
mission.
Titusville reports heavy rains, and
Cochranton was flood-swept from sugar
Creek and suffered heavily. The dam
age throughout Crawford County was
heavy.
Toronto, Ont. Aus 3.-In the forty
mile gale which ragged on Lake Ontario
today, the worst in several years, the
freight steamer Alexandria. Of the Can
ada Steamship Lines, from Montreal 10
Toronto. ran ashore at the Scarbor..
ough Bluffs. about three miles east OF
this city.
The surf was too heavy to permit
the launching Of a boat. but Captain
William Bloomfield and his crew. TWEEN
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