The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-07-13
JOHN STO WN
Car Special Correspondents Observa-
lions n the Devastated Valley.


Special Correspondence Of the NEW DoxnIos;
JoHNsTowN, Pa, June $3.50
much has been said and written on
the Conemaugh flood within the last
few weeks that one who has not WIS.,
tied the scene might be constrained
to think that nothing new remains
to be known, but on the contrary
the half has not been and never can
be told. We visited the stricken
valley June %, just one month after
the fatal food had wrought its ruin,
We had made due allowance for ex-
aggerated newspaper reports and
flying rumors, but were Mortified to
find that they were all too true.
Only few weeks ago Johnstown
rejoiced in the consciousness of near
ly thirty thousand happy and con-
tented citizens, and millions of dol
lars worth of property, to-day the
site is desolate, dreary, and al
most deserted. Many of those who
survived have fed, scarcely daring
to look back on the wreck and ruin
that has been wrought. Only few
of the strongest buildings remain,
the others have not only been de-
molished but swept entirely away.
The heart grows sick when gazing
out over hundreds of acres one be-
holds the site of prosperous and
thriving city now covered with rocks
and sand, an arid desert, dreary
waste, unapproachable in it's desola-
ton. Going up the Conemaugh
Valley for about mile above any
vestige of a human habitation, i'm
agine our horror on being told that
all this was covered by the beautiful
village of Woodvale, with its 5000
inhabitants. just beyond stood the
round-house which was swept from
the face of the earth as completely
as though it had never existed
More than thirty huge engines were
taken up bodily carried hundred
yards, hurled against the rocks and
timbers borne along by the seething
torrent, piled one upon another and
and left buried in the rocks and
sand, a crushed and broken mass.
We talked with dozens of people
who had survived the flood and bare
ly escaped with their lives. Each
ones personal experience would make
thrilling chapter in the volumes that
could be written on this subject
The approach of the torrent is de.
scribed as having the appearance Of
a perpendicular wall enveloped in
binding dust, approaching with a
roar like thunder and the velocity
of storm cloud before which wood.
en- dwellings, magnificent brick
residences, immense business blocks
everything crumbled and was
swept along like chaff before the
wind. Even now, nearly five weeks
after the fatal event, the air seems
laden with death. To add to the
horror of the food destructive fire
broke out a few days ago and con.
sumed about twenty-five of the re.
naming buildings; two railroad
wrecks followed close on the heels
of this second disaster, one near
Latrobe where about fifteen bodies
have been recovered from the wreck,
and another at Altoona where many
cars were derailed with great loss to
the company, delaying all trains and
keeping the sufferers, whose friends
where on the i'll fated train, in fear
full suspense for many hours.
But any attempt at detailed de-
scription would soon grow too
lengthy for newspaper article. The
work of clearing away the debris
still continues. About 500 laborers
are employed, most of them from a
distance. Many have become sick
at the sight of the long rows Of dead
bodies and have left, others have be-
come accustomed TO the sight and
are bravely fighting on. The place
has been guarded by about 500 mill
tiamen, and, as some one remarked,
they have afforded such protection
as the hawk affords the dove, car
ried away much of the clothing and
eaten up the provisions. Money to
the amount of ST., 900 was paid them
for their services on the day we left.
A good police force is all that is OF
has been needed.
Many dead bodies are still unearth-
ed as the work proceeds. They are
now all in an advanced stage of de-
composition, making Identification
impossible. When body is discov.
cred it is sprinkled with bromine
wrapped in blanket and hurried
away to the morgue. Bromine, O
new disinfectant discovered and
manufactured by Haller, Beck & Co.
of Allegheny city, has speedily work
ed itself into favor and is now used
almost to the exclusion of all others
1t costs on an average only about :
cents per bucketful and not only ar
rests the putrefying process, but i'm
mediately stops the odor that arises
from the bodies, and is also an ex
cellent preventive in case Of fire
extinguishing the hottest flames in q
few moments. The fortunate dis
covery of this new disinfectant has
been instrumental no doubt in ward
ing off disease and preserving Tho
health of the people in the stricken
Johnstown region. 1t is harmless
cheap and effective, and has grown
into favorlsolely on its own merits and
bids fair in short time to reach an
immense sale.
From Conemaugh, two miles above
the railroad bridge on the right side
of the valley there is strip of ar
eight by quarter of mile wide
constituting the heart of chain Of
continuous towns thickly built ovel
for the whole distance, upon which
now stands only three buildings, the
crumbling walls of store house the
spectral walls and columns of the
Gautier wire works, and Touring
mill. This portion is only an exam
pie of the total destruction that has
been wrought from one end of the
valley to the other. The destruction
of life at Johnstown was worse thar
that at Pompeii; for there nearly all
the inhabitants escaped, carrying
with them many valuables and much
property, while here nothing in the
path of the flood was saved.
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