Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 June 1892 — FLOOD AND FLAME. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FLOOD AND FLAME.

HUNDREDS DEAD *MfD AWFUL DESOLATION. The Dreadful Dliaeter Which VhlteMhe OU Creek Vall«h Deitroxlßc 800 lives and Millions of DoUarn* Worth of Prop-erty-Ton Thousand Persons Homeless. Work of tho Elements. Oil City, Pa., correspond eno« Tho people of the Oil Greek valley can as yet hardly realize the horrible exporienoe which they have been through. The real extent of tho flood and conflagrations, however, is now becoming apparent. Sinoo that aw<ul day the death list has constantly grown until its size is appalling. The true death loss will probably never be known, as many of the victims were foreigners without friends to report them missing. The frightful calamity which has befallen our beautiful oity, as well as Titusville up the creek and the country lying between. is seoond Ho but one in thehistory of the country—that «f Johnstown just three years ago. For the last six weeks rafn has faHen so steadily and so such an extent that the ground beoame thoroughly saturated and as tho rainfkU continued in a steady downpour, augmented at times by violent cloudbursts and waterspouts, the mountain streams were swollen to torrents, whioh in turn made rivers out of small and harmless streams. When at last tho Spariansbark dam burst, letting Into Oil Creek Valley a lake of water one and a half miles long and three-fourths of a ratio In widen, tho tw*> cities ot Titusville and Oil City, with the country between, above and below, wore flooded as they nrfver had been beforo. Many families sought safety in the hills, while many others

were penned Into houses by the rising waters, seeking a refuge in the upper stories. tJoliusiown on a Reduoed Scale. Many of the soenos along the valley were repetitions of those o» Johnstown throe years ago on a reduced scale. Houses, baniß, roofs, fenoee, driftwood, horses, cattle, dogs, chickens, and even human beings were swept by on the crost of the torrent which swept through the valley. The current was so strong that few dared konturo to the rescue of the unfortunate creatures swept by, who, with agonized faces, begged for aid. Up and down the valley but three bridges remain out of scores standing before the flood. Tho debris of these

bridges added to the dangers of the flood, which had risen so high as to expose the buildings of the low lands to the resistless battering of whatever might bo drifted against them. Strong buildings, which would otherwise have withstood the flood, were thus reduced to ruins, filling the torrent with their debris. But the most awful part of the calamity had ye'. To come to the flood-stricken people. An oil tank up the creek had been carried from Its foundation by the flood and Its contents spilled over tho surface of the water. P.efineries and distilleries were made to leak to such an’ extent that the air became charged with gases. Many old residents, noticing tho oil on the water and the gas in the air, became fearful lest a lire should be started which would add horrors unto horrors. One of these,- John S. Klein, Superintendent of the National Transit Company’s shops, ran from his house at tho top of his speed warning people to put out their fires and run to tlfc hills. But few obeyed. A Flood of Khtme. Thousands of spectators, as night settled down over the flooded valley, stood watching the torrent, with its burden of animate and inanimate objects. Suddenly, far up the stream, was heard a low, dull report, Immediately followed by others, more distinct and apparently nearer. The whole scene had been shrouded in darkness, when suddenly the whole heavens seemed ablaze. An immense tongue of flame was seen to shoot up into the sky, and then the raging torrent and the gas-laden air above it became a sea of tire. The scene that followtd Is indescribable. With screams of terror people rushed from the water’s edge, in their madness trampling under foot men, women and children. The 6hock of tk explosions had thrown many to the ground, to rise only in a lake of fire. Scores were injured in the awful panic, being carried beyond the reach of the flames by the cooler ones of the crowds. The flames on top of the waters went up as well as down the creek. At Titusville, miles up the valley, were scenes similar to those at Oil City. There a panic was also caused by the burning oil.

The flames on the water were carried by it to the buildings which it surrounded. Three gasoline tanks exploded almost instantaneously, adding their inflammable contents to feed the fire. The manufacturing and much of the resident portions of both Titus«le and Oil City were burning at the stfme time. These portions inelmded those houses in which whole families had retreated when the flood came upon them. Many of these unfortunate people were seen to leap into the water, preferring a death by that element to one by fire. It became utterly impossible to fight the flames, and the efforts of the Are

departments were concentrated upon preventing the flames spreading to buildings on higher ground. The burning oil and gas had filled the air with dense volumes of smoke, proving a great hindrance to the firemen and rescuers. The fire burned all night and far into the following day, whioh was little better than the night had been, owing to

the black smoke which obscured the heavens. The sounds of explosions wore frequent throughout the night. The fire literally burned itself out. For a distance of throe-fourths of a mile along tho banks of Oil Creek, in this oity, and covering a opnsiderable area on each side, but ono building has been loft by the flood and flames. This is a wnall frame dwelling without protection of any kind, closely surrounded by buildings, all of which have been burned. There it stands, with hardly a scratch, a lonely monument to the former prosperity of the desolated region. All around it are the ruins of the many buildings whioh once so proudly raised their head above their small and insignificant neighbor. The entire scene here as well as In Titusville is one of doath and destruction. The work of removing the bodies of tho victims from tho ruins has gone on rapidly since the ruins and smoldering debris cooled off sufficiently to allow the rescuers to work among them. Many todies will probably be uncovered by the receding waters. So far only a rough estimate can bo made of the loss of life, which is placed by conservative people as being not under 300 in both cities and the country between. The money loss is placed at no less than $3,000,000, this amount being about equally divided between the two cities. This, however, does not cover the immense loss suffered by the railroads, which will be bfcliged to rebuild much of their roads in the Valley. How tlio Fir- Started. There are many theories as to the origin of the fire. Some ascribe it to lightning, whioh might have struck one of the tanks up the creek. Others and by far the majority assign to the conflagration a much more likely cause—that the oil on the water was ignited by a spark from a locomotive on the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad. This seems verified by two young men, who wore on the track about half a mile west of the postoffice at Oil City. They noticed that a gasolino tank winch stood on the siding was leaking. Knowing the explosive nature of the material and

noticing a shifting engine approaching, they ran up the side hill, fearing an explosion. W r hen they reached the top they turned, and, looking below as the engine passed, witnessed a fearful sight. Flames shot a hundred feet into the air, and the earth was shaken by an awful explosion. They saw the engineer and fireman jump from the cab, and it is supposed they were instantly killed by the force of the explosion. In an instant the flames spread all over the upper part of the city, which was flooded with the oily water. Incident* of the Disaster* Many of the inoidents of the awful disaster were most pathetic, perhaps none more so than that of a woman with a little babe clasped to her breast, seen floating down the torrent at Titusville. Tho depot of the Dunkirk, Alle-

gheny Valley and Pittsburg Bailroad had been flooded and the drift being carried against it had made a large hole, through which the waters rushed with a loud noi6e. The mother, with the energy of despair, supported herself with one hand on a piece of timber while with the other she clung to the babe. The timber approached the hole under the depot. Every effort was made to rescue the woman before it should be too late, tut the current was too strong, and with an awful shriek the mother and babe were drawn into the hole by the rushing waters, to be seen no jnore alive. The thousands of spectators who 6tood watching the flood saw five men clinging to one stick of wood and endeavoring to reach a safe landing. Just as It seemed that they had accomplished their object a neighboring refinery exploded with fearful force, throwing burning oil upon the water surrounding them. Instantly they were enveloped In a sheet

of flame, and all went down together beneath the surging waters. The streets are filled w4th hungry, homeless, weeping, and distracted people, mourning the loss o t loved ones who have perished in the fiery flood or counted amqpg the missing. A. piece of shelter has now been found for allot the homeless people, but many are so crazed

with grief as to be almost unmanageable. One son porrows for the loas of his aged parents and two sistera, feimseM and brother being all that remain of a once happy household. A sad incident was the rescue of a little boy hardly 4 years old. Brave men. with ropes tied to their waists to enabk them to breast the terrifio current, had been working hard in attempting to rescue the hundreds who had patiently waited so? their turn to oome. They brought the little fellow ashore; and he

was placed in kind hands ready to receive him. When asked where his parents were he replied, with a sob, “Papa and mamma Is bof drowned.*

KINDLED BY A SPAIRK.

DRIFTING TO DEATH OK THE BEA OF FLAME.

THE PANIC AT THE RIVER.

SECTION OF OIL CITY AFTER THE FLOOD.

THEY DIED TOGETHER.