The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-06-01
been the elimination Of the struggle Of
the water against the embankment,
ANXIOUS FRIENDS,

been the elimination Of the struggle o
the water against the embankment'
: ANXIOUS FRIENDS.
The difficulty Of obtaining definite in
formation added tremendously to the
excitement and apprehension oithe PEG
pie in Pittsburgh, who had relatives and
friends at the scene Of tue disaster
Members Of the South Fork Club, and
among them some OF the most eminent
men in the Pittsburgh financial and
, mercantile world, were In or near Johns
town, and several Of them were accom-
panied by their wives and families,
There happened to be also quite num-
Der OF residents OF JohnstoWn In Pitts
burgh, and when the news OF the
horror was confirmed and the rail.
road bulletined the fact that no
trains would 60 east tonight the scene
at the Union Depot was profoundly
l pathetic and exciting But two trains
were sent out by the Pennsylvania road
from the Union station at Pittsburgh
and the first OF these was the special
train OF the Associated Press, The Pitts
burgh papers also sent out specials, but
up to 1880 nothing reliable as TO
the details OF loss OF life or property
had been asCertalned, The difficulty
in sending press dispatches was over
come by an expedlent familiar to the
Associated Press in trying times,
THE TERRIBLE TORRENT,
The course Of the torrent from the
broken dam at the foot oil the lake TO
Johnstown is almost eighteen miles, and
with the exception Of at one point the
water passed through narrow V
shaped valley. -Four miles below the
dam lay the town OF South Fork where
South Fork itself emptled into the
Conemaugh river. The town contained
about 1000 inhabitants. II has not
been heard from, but 1t Is said that
four.fiths OF II have been swept
away, -Four miles further down,
on the Conemaugh river which
runs parallel with the main line OF the
Pennsylvania railroad was the town OF
Mineral Point. 1t had 500 inhabitants;
ninety per cent OF the houses were on a
fiat and close to the river. It seems i'm
possible at this time to hope that any
Of them have escaped,
Six miles further down was the town
OF Conemaugh and here alone was a
typographical possibility for the spread
ing Of the food and the breaking OF It's
force. 1t contained 1900 inhabitants
and must be almost wholly devastated.
Woodvale with 1000 people lay o
mile below Conemaugh on the flat, and
one mile further down were Johnstown
and Its cluster Of sister towns, Cambria
City, Conemaugh borough and Prospect,
with total population OF about
thirty thousand on made ground
and stretched along right at the rivers
verge were the immense iron works OF
the Cambria Iron and Steel company,
who have S,0O0,0OO invested in
their plant.
There are many otherindustrial estab-
lishments on the bank Of the river how
badly damaged cannot beestimated. Atll
o'clock railroad man says the loss OF
life will reach hundreds and possibly
over thousands. The report OF the loss
Of these towns above cannot yet be con-
frmed.
THE PHILADELPHIA END.
A dispatch from Philadelphia says;
Dispatches received up to midnight at
the Office OF The General Manager OF the
Pennsylvania railroad indicate that the
situation Is hourly growing worse. The
effects OF the storm are now being felt
on the middle division Of that road OK.
tending between Harrisburg and Altoo-
ma. Land slides and washouts arc re-
ported all along the line between these
places.
No trains will be sent out west of
Harrisburg until the storm abates and
the extent OF the damage can be ascer-
tanned. A telegram from Pittsburgh
places the location Of the various east
bound trains as follows: The New York
limited safe at Welmore; the Atlantic OK
press, which left Pittsburgh at o'clock
this morning and the sen shore express,
which left Johnstown at IN early hour
this morning, are both laid up at Port
age; the day express from Chicago and
the mail train leaving Pittsburgh at
6;30 this morning are at Conenaugh,
the foot OF the western slope Of the Ale.
gheny mountains.
The Philadelphia express, which
started east from Pittsburgh at $3.50 q,
M, Is at Bolivar Junction. The same
dispatch says: We have had no wire
east OF Conemaugh since noon. Weun.
derstand that Conemaugh town and
YOUNGSTOWN are entirely washed away
and many lives lost. The water Is new
falling.
The New York limited east bound,
which Is now at Wilmoro had u narrow
escape from destruction. The conduC.
tor reports that Immediately after his
train had passed over the bridge which
spans the river at South Pork that struc-
ture was swept away by the rushing
water.
General Manager Pugh said at mid
night that no train would DO allowed TO
proceed until the tracks were cleared
away, and rendered entirely safe for
travel.
TERRIBLE sCENEs
A dispatch from Derry, Pa, says: The
tidal wave struck Bolivar lust after dark
and in five minutes the Conemaugh rose
from 0 to 40 feet and the waters spread
out over the whole country. Soon houses
ueBhn IUhhnB uOWDj anu Cllnglng ,
TO the debris were men, women
and children shieking for aid. A
large number Of citizens al once
gathered on the comfy bridge and they
were reinforced by number from Gar.
field, town on the opposite side Of the
river, They brought q number OF ropes
and these were thrown over into the
boiling waters as persons driited by in
efforts TO save some poor beings.
A BoY's STORY.
For q half hour all efforts we're fruit.
less, until at last when the rescueB
were about giving up oil hope little
boy astride a single roof managed to
catch hold Of one OF the ropes. He
caught II under his left orm and was
thrown violently against an abut.
ment, but managed 10 keen hold and
was successfully pulled out on 10 the
bridge amid the cheers Of the onlookerS.
His nsne was Hessler and his rescuer
was q train hand named Carney, The
htlyle age In 10, AZ midnight vnnr cnr.