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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (June 16, 1903)
THE MORNING .OBEGONIAN, TUESDAY, JUXE 16, 1903. COURSE OF WILLOW CREEK H1NTONS FORK COMES IN BACK OF SCHOOLHOUSE (No 4) 1 7. BAPTIST CHURCH. 8. HBPPXER HOTEL. O. S. METHODIST CHURCH. 10. HEPPNER'S WAREHOUSE. 11. 31. C. I. CO. WAREHOUSES. f Photo taken by Thomas J. Humphreys, of Keppnsr. HEPPNER AND ITS ADJACANT TERRI TORY, WITH SCENES IN THE TOWN (No. 1) O. R. & N. STATION (No. 2) MAIN STREET, LOOKING NORTH CNo. 3) SCENE ON MAIN STREET - (No. 4) DECORATION DAY PARADE BLUE MTS i-y " - - !- - i , j I I Irv. and from there he hastened la tele- I "34 . " tl will disburse them for the benefit of those who need assistance as a result of the disaster. HOW THE NEWS CAME OCT. Horftubaclc JlesscnBcr Rides Daring; the XlRht. THE DALL.ES. Or.. June 15. (Special.) The first news of the disastrous cloud burst on "Willow Creek, which has almost completely destroyed the town of Heppner. Or., reached here at 8 o'clock this morn ing by way of Arlington. Word was brought to that place by B. A, McAtee. who left Heppner last night at 10 o'clock on horseback, reaching Arlington at an early hour this morning. At 5 o'clock yester day during a terrific thunderstorm, the waters of Willow Creek suddenly rose many feet, and without warning the resi dence portion of the town, which lies nearest the creek and In the narrowest part of the ravine, was swept away with the Inhabitants. Most families were at home for their evening meal at that hour. The flood came down Willow Creek, In tersecting It somewhere about Cecils. The business part of Heppner lies In the wider part of the valley, and here loss of life was not eo certain, -the flood hav ing an opportunity to spread. One 'hun dred and five bodies had been recovered at 5 o'clock this morning, and the loss of life was estimated at from 300 to 500. Storms have been continuous along the creek since Thursday last, since which time no telephone communication has been had with Heppner. Upon receipt of the news here, Henry 3Jaier. president of the Commercial Club, called a meeting of citizens at 10 o'clock. A committee was appointed consisting of W. H. Wilson. E. C. Pease. G. a Blake ley. E. L. Williams and James Kelly. These at once organized a party of re lief. The O. R. & N. Co. promptly offered a special train to carry any assistance to the scene. The relief train left at 1:30 o'clock, carylng Drs. Retuer and Fergu- ( son, with four nurses from the hospital, : ten teams, a number of saddle horses, a carload of provisions and bedding, cof I fins and an undertaker. Among the re lic! party were: J. Hampshire. E. O. Xc- IIotv Some Lncky Persons Missed Disaster. A. P. Bradbury, a commercial traveler of the Pacific Coast Biscuit Company, was known to be b Heppner at the time of the cloudburst, and his mother and sister, who live In Portland, feared that he had been drowned. They received a telephone message from him at Pendleton last even- lntr. hoirevw. which hnnished the!r fMK I He had escaped the flood, and managed i to reach Pendleton by riding cross-coun try, and from there he hastened to tele- 2 phone his anxious mother and his em- clovers.