The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-06-08


bridge. Perhaps fire in stove in
one of the houses started the flames.
AS the houses dashed against the
immense stone structure and was
crushed like egg shells the flames
spread, and Johnstown last night
was illuminated by them 50 that
person a mile away could see to read
newspaper, The victims of the
food were wedged in among shat
tered boards and timbers, and so be-
came victims of the flames.
Persons who were on the Pennsyl-
yania railroad side of the Conemaugh
this afternoon say the cries of the
illfated people could be heard issuing
from the ruins as the flames spread
toward them. The bridge itself was
intact, but the approaches to ION
the east side were washed away by
the mighty wash of water. and q
boiling, roaring torrent seethed be.
tween either end of it and the shore.
This afternoon men succeeded in
reaching the ruins, but were power
less to aid. No appliances were at
hand to do proper work, and the
people who are wedged in among
the ruins of their houses against the
Immense stone bridge, facing death
s1y flood, by fire, by hunger and by
Fexposure, are in all human probable
iity beyond hope. How many of
then are in this awful plight may
never be fully known.
The wife and two daughters of L.
w. Halford. President Harrison's
Secretary we're nearly victims of the
flood. They were in train which
was caught in the torrent, and one
car. containing II persons was swept
away. Mrs. Halford and daughters
were rescued by the trainmen and
taken to Ebensburg, whence they
will be sent to Washington.
GREENsBURG, June 1.-The first
section of the day express, which
passed here at o'clock, was lying
between Sang Hollow and Johns
town, yesterday afternoon, when the
waters came down. The food cut
one of the cars, containing about 90
or 60 passengers, loose and it was car
ried away. and it is supposed the
passengers have perished.
A house was seen floating down
the Kiskiminetas Saturday, near the
intersection of the Allegheny. In an
upper window was man quietly
trusting to fate. The house swept
down and crashed against the rail-
road bridge at the intersection, and
with it the man, who was seen no
more.
One of the most touching sights
along the Allegheny river was wit.
messed Saturday afternoon at Verona.
John Grimes, a Well-known citizen
OF that place, was out in skiff look
ing for bodies among the drift. He
noticed pile Of debris coming down
the stream, which looked as if there
might be something valuable among
it. Mr.. Grimes rowed out and
thought he saw cradle in the mid.
die of the pile and almost concealed
out of sight. He came down to the
debris and was surprised to see the
chubby little hands up IN the air. He
carefully forged the Prov of his skif'
through the great mass of debris and
sure enough there was a baby there
as peaceful and contented as one could
wish.
Great difficulty was experienced
getting the cradle to shore, but when
the landing was made, hundred
hands wanted to grasp the little darI-
ing. Mr.. Grimes took it home and
notified the authorities in this city of
his find. The baby is boy about 5
months old, and his rescuer is wish
ing that he be allowed to keep it.
The story of Mr.. Larkin rescuing
the baby from cake of floating ice
has been equaIed by Mr.. Grimes res
cuing one from a mass of debris. The
little one was quite wet from his
ride. but he is apparently none the
worse for his adventure. How the
cradle could haye passed through the
debris, all the way from Johnstown
to this city, without overturning and
spilling out its happy occupant, is a
mystery.
/ The splendid city of a few days
|ago, does not in the flats, contain
[ 9fty solid houses. Where hundreds
htood, and outside of the club house,
not one house has signs of any one
living in them. OF course the houses
on the hillsides remain as before the
food and are filled to their utmost
capacity.
Acres and acres of the business
portions of the town with hundreds