The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-05
SOME GALLANT MEN.
fhe Engineer and Fireman and
q Others of the Delayed Train.
SUFFERERS ON PROSPECT HILL.
Pneumonia Follows the Flood Victims Who
\, Eseaped-The Yellow Flag in the Black
Debris as a Guide.

JoHNsTowN, June al notice that tn,
secretary of the SoutnoFork fishing clul
SAID yesterday that the club had not filed it.
indemnity bond as claimed b. citizen Of
hDensberg, and that complaints had never
oeen made about the safety Of the dam by
youngstown citizens. He Is undoubtedly
correct as to the bond, oGt is mislc aiding as
70 the second part of his statements. There
Is no shadow of doubt but that th,. citizens
OF Cambria county have frequently com
planned, and at the time the daul was con
structed very vigorous effort was made to
put a stop to the work. I; .strGet,ie leader
in this movement was rot a citizen of
Johnstown, but he was md is large
mine owner in Cambria COZ atv. as I..iae
aololns the reservoir pro-, rJy. lie II
lated to me SATURDAY. the story OF us
labors in the effort 20 protect the ives and
property of the people in t.at valley. he
was frequently on tnr SPOT, and his own
engineer inspected the WORK. He saws the
embankment was principally of shale and
clay, and tnat straw was used to stop the
leaking OF the water while TIE work was
going on. He called on the sheriff of Cam
bria county, and told him twas his duty to
apply 10 the court for an injunction. The
sheriff promised to give the matter his at
teHaOn, but instead Of going before the
COURT he went to the Cambria Iron company
for consultation. An employee was sent
up to make an inspection, and as
his report was not favorable to the
reservoir work, the sheriff went no further,
but the gentleman referred to said he had
not failed TO make public his protest at the
time and TO renew it frequently. This rec
ommendaton Tor an injunction and prO
test was spoken of by the citizens of Al
toona as a hackneyed subject. Confirma-
ton was certainly had at South Fork,
COnnenaugh, Millviile and Johnstown on
that fatal Friday. The rumored break was
expected tOprevail at these places early in
the day, but the citizens remarked that the
rumOr was familiar incident of the annual
freshets. 1t was the old classic cry of
''wolf, - wolf They gave up their first
floors to the water and retired up stairs to
wait until it should recede as they had
gone often before, scouting at the oft told
STORY Of the breaking of the reservoir. The
reader will note the remarkable conflict
between that shale and clay story
of the mine owner referred to above
and the published statement of Gen
eral Morehood who had charge of
the construction OF that masonery said it
was solid granite and limestone, and was
believed TO be as enduring as the pyramids
y
to coRfrm the alleged use of inferior
mateBstfin its structure.
The number OF passengers on the day
express known to be lost is six. Besides
these there are two bodies missing and I'M
accounted for, but who may yet be alive !
The conductor who was at COnnemaugh on |
the fatal day, claims TO have run through |
the cars and told the passengers to run to |
the mountains. The passengers who sur |
vived are anxious to make the acquaintance |
of thaJcOnduCJOr;t they certainly neither saw |
nor heard him. His intention may have been |
good but the good deed was omitted. When |
the passengers reached the mountain sides |
they found the two conductors there in |
their beautiful white caps: their manner |
asked one why he did not notify the passen- |
gers of the breaking of the dam. He re
piled in some confusion that he had no |
time His companion made report to his |
superior, which report was carried over the |
mountain by a passenger that night, but |
there was nothing in it to indicate that any
LOT the passengers were any of mis- concern.
He reported the loss Of two trains.
In striking contrast with the neglect of
duty5Ihy these conductors it is pleasant to
note Ythe manly conduct of others. First
always tirst-mention should be made of
the locomotive engineer and fireman whose
bravery and devotion were conspicuous.
IIney never neglected 10 give Such warning
las they could in the face Of danger, in some
case $ IN the face Of certain death.
ANNprakeman riding dead head whose
name cannot be recalled, rendered splendid
service in rescuing women and children at
the risk of his own life. Aber, a Pullman
conductor, was efficient and cool headed.
'He, Wood Dyer, cook of the car ''Aragon,"
and John Waughhe, porter of the parlor
Gar, and c. H. Loris, stood manfully by G..
r. Grifiths of the Norwich line in the
rescue of passengers. 1t was Wood Dyer
who stood upon the top of the car Aragon''
with an ak in hand ready TO cut the roof to
prevent the smothering of those within.
We think the better of our race with such
Examples before US.
(Signed) WIN. HENRY SMITH.
(