Cloudburst at the Little Town of Cecil, Pa. Seven of these met death at Cecil, a mining and oil hamlet in Washington county, the eighth victim going down at Carnegie. The dead are: MRS. Holmes, coal miner. Caused by a Cloudburst.
Samuel McKinney kept a boarding hcuse at Cecil for the accommodation of oil men and miners. The house was situated on the banks of Miller s run, a tributary of Chartiers creek. Ordinarily the run, which flows through a valley, banked by high and steep hills, would scarcely float a chip, but last night a cloudburst filled in its closely confined quarters to such an extent that everything on its banks was endangered.
Swept From Its Foundation. Suddenly the house, a two-storv frame, was washed from its foundation into the seething waters and rapidly carried down stream. It was then too late for anyone In the house to escape. Below the site of the house about yards stands an old-fashioned country bridge, which spans the stream.
The house crashed against this structure, the roof was torn off and the rest of the building was crushed like ar. Higgins and William Whitney were caught between the first and second floors. Higgins died there, but Whitney made a most miraculous escape. Those on the second floor were badly squeezed. Just below the bridge the wreckage of the house struck a sandbar, those of the party who were still alive clinging to the pieces.
Thomas Hayes, Vincent Wilkinson and others formed a rescuing party. Whitney was rescued, while fast in the wreckage, by Wilkinson, who also dragged the dead body of Higgins from its lodgment. Samuel McKinney was also saved by Wilkinson. After assisting in other rescues, Wilkinson heard a cry for help from upstream, and notwithstanding the extreme hazard attached to the attempt, the brave fellow made the effort to swim across with a rope.
