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Newspapers - General News 1903
| Tuesday, June 16, 1903
- Daily
Kennebec Journal (Augusta, ME) Heppner, Ore., Nearly Swept Away by a Cloudburst. Said That at Least 500 of Inhabitants Lost their Lives. But Little of Town Left Standing-Details Hard to Obtain Portland, Ore., June 15-Five hundred people lost their lives in a cloudburst that almost entirely destroyed the town of Heppner, Oregon, at 6 o'clock last night. Heppner is the county seat of Morrow county and had about 1250 inhabitants. All the telegraph and telephone wires are down and no accurate information can be obtained, but the estimate of loss of life is based on the most reliable reports received up to tonight. A report from Ione, 17 miles from Heppner, is to the effect that 300 bodies have been recovered. A messenger has arrived at Ione and says that a wall of water 20 feet high rushed down into the gulch in which Heppner is situated, carrying everything before it. The flood came with such suddenness that the inhabitants 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 destroyed, but some of the business part which is on higher ground escaped. Boulders weighing a ton were carried down by the current and many people were killed by being crushed against the rocky bluff. Early in the afternoon a thunder storm occurred, covering a wide region of country, and later a heavy rain storm set in. many of the small streams overflowed their banks in a short time. Bridges were swept away like straws. As soon as possible after the flood had subdued the work of relief was commenced by the citizens of the town. Dozens of bodies were found lodged along the bends of Willow creek and in several places, they were piled over one another. up to 2 o'clock this afternoon, 200 bodies had been recovered almost within the city limits. The buildings which were not carried away were moved from their foundations or toppled over. Hundreds of horses, cattle, sheep and that had gone into the creek bottoms for water, perished. News of the calamity did not reach the outside world until today, all means of communication having been cut off. As soon as possible news was sent by courier to the nearby towns. The Oregon Railway & Navigation Co., started a relief train with physicians and supplies from The Dalles shortly afternoon. At 1:30, this afternoon, another relief train started from the scene from this city. The citizens of Portland started a relief fund as soon as the news of the disaster spread over the city, and within a few hours $5000 was raised. Supplies will be rushed to Heppner as soon as they can be assembled. Fifteen buildings in the town of Lexington, 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 Ione, 17 miles away, considerable damage was done to buildings, although no loss of life is reported from there. Contrbiured by Shauna Williams |
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