The Delta independent., 1889-06-11
A FLOOD OF DEATH.
A Cloud Burst In Pennsylvania Creates
Awful Havoc.

A Cloud Burst In Pennsylvania Creates
Awful Havoc.
Thousands Drowned and Whole
Towns Destroyed.
PrrrsBURG, May 3l.-A flood Of death
swept down the Allegheny mountains this
afternoon and tonight almost the entire
city Of Johnstown Is swimming about in q
rushing angry tide. Dead bodies are float
ing about In every direction and almost
every piece Of movable timber Is carrying
from the doomed city . corpse Of humanity
drifting with the raging wsters God knows
whero.
The disaster overlook Johnstown about
oo'clock this evening. As the train bear
Ing tho Associated Press correspondents
aSAa e.ss~esd tss imports as each stop
grow more appalling. A train Of railway
ofnciais were gathering who had come from
BOLIVAR, the end Of the ps.sable portion Of
ths road westward. They had seen but a
small portion Of the food, but enough to
allow them TO imagine the rest Down
through the Panhandle came the rushing
waters. The wooded heights Of the Allie
Rhenies looked down In solemn wonder at
the scene Of tho most terrible destruction
that ever struck the romantic valley of the
Concmsugh. In the death battle amid
floating boards and timbers were agouized
men, women and children. whose heart
reading shrieks for help hlled with horror
the breasts Of lockers on. The cries were
ofno avail. Carried along at railway speed
on the breast Of the rushing torrent, no
human ingenuity could devise Q means of
rescue. With pallid cheek and hair cling
Ing wet and damp TO her cheek . mother
was seen grasping floating timber while
with her other arm she held her babe.
Tho special train pulled In at Bolivar at
II 30 and tho trainmen were there notified
that further progress was impossible. The
grestcst excitement prevailed at this place
and parties Of citizens are out all the time
endesvoring To save the poor unfortunatcs
that are being hurled To- eternity in the
rushing torrent The tidal wavc struck
Bolivar just after dark and In five minutes
tho Concmaugh rose from six TO forty feet
and the waters spread out over the whole
country and soon houses began floating
down and clinsinR to the debris were
men, women and children shricking for
help.
A largo number Of citizens at oucc gath
ered on the county bridge, and they were
re-coforced By number from Garfield, q
town on The opposite aide. They brought
number OF ropes and these were thrown
over into tho boiling waters as persons
be- txo okA 80 a..
being. For half an hour tho efforts were
fruitless, until At last as the rescucrs were
about giving up all hopes, little boy on
shinsie roof managed 70 catch hold of one
Of the ropes. He caught Il under his left
arm and was thrown violently against the
abutment but managed To keep hold and
was pulled on the bridge amid the cheers
OF the lookers-on. The boys namo u Ed
ward Healer, aecd IL. Al midnight your
correspondent secured an interview with
him His story Of the frightful calamity
b - follows:
"With my father was spending tho day
se my grandfather's house In Cambria City.
In tie house q tho timc were Theodore
Enwsrt and John Kints, Jr., Miss Mary
kints, tho wifc Of John, Jr., Miss Tracy
kintz, Ars. Ribs Smith, John Hirsch and
four children, my father and mysclf
Shortly after o'clock there was o noise
OF roaring waters and screams Of people.
We looked out the door and saw persons
running. Ny father told US TO never mind
- tho watcrs would rise NO further, but VIC
soon saw houses swept away and then ran
up 70 the noors above. Tho house was
three stories and we were at last forced to
the top one. In my fright jumped on
bod. It was an old.fashioncd one with
ncavy posts. The water kept rising and
my bed was soon afoat Gradually 1t was
lifted up. The air In the room grew closc end
the house was moving. Still the bed kept
rising until Il prcsscd the cciling. At last
tho posts pushed on the plaster. 1t yielded
and section Of the roof gave Then sud
denly found myseh on the roof and was
being carried down the stream. After
little this roof commenced 70 part and /
was afraid I was going 70 be drowned, but
Just then another house with shingie roof
hoatcd by and managed TO crawl on It
and noated down, until nearly dead with
cold, was saved. After was free from
the house, l did mot ESQ my father. My
was On tree but he must
havo been drowned ~ tho water was ris-
Ing. John Kinta, Jr, was also on trcc.
Mios Mnry kintz and Mrs. Mary Kintx
saw drown. Miss Smith was also drowned.
John Hirsch was in tree but tho four
children were drowned. The scenes wero
terrible.
"Live bodies and corpscs wcre floating
down with mo and away from mo- would
hear person shrek and then they would
disappear. Along tho limo werc people
who were trying 70 save u, but they could
do nothing and only . few moro wero
This boys story 10 but one incident. 1t
shews what happened 70 one family. God
only known what has happened to tho hun.
drsds who were In the path Of tho running
water. II 10 impossible to got anything
II the way Of news save mcAger "details.
In ordse y uuderstand tho nature Of this
calamity II 10 necessary 10 describe tho To-
cation Of The reservoir ~ Johnstown. Tao
lies about 10 miics northeast OF
Johnstowu, and is the alto Of an old rcscr-
voir which was one Of the feeders OF the
Canal. This shcct Of water
was formerly known - Concmaugh Lako.
u b ffua 10 70 500 fest above the level Of
Johnstpwa, bslng In The mountains. II 10