davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-06-06
Hor ism.

The whole corps OF Western Union Tele-
kraph operators at Johustown was lost on
Friday night Among them we're Mrs o yIe,
she manager, who for ~ venrs has act ~
he receiver Of Associate Press reports. and
Ger daughter Minnie. Also Misses German
tud watkins Il thrse mes enger boys, who
we're unable TO escape from the building.
Mrs. Ozle, who disd at her post, will 60
] 'Wn In history as n heroine o. Tho highest
0Tde +. NOtwthetqnd ng tho repeated nOtih~
'ations which she recsivet 20 get out of
reach ~ the npyr a@hing den yor she stood
by the Instrument with unfiino ling loyalty
and undaunted fearlo sness sending worls Of
warninZ 70 those in dangr ~ the valley be
Tow. When every station IN ths th Of the
soming orient had been warned, she wired
her comaDiou at SJuth Fork.
This Is my last message and shat always
bc remembered ~ her last woris on e1rth.
Tor no That very momsnt ths torrent o1Rrlf-
81 her n bore r from hor post on earth
70 her post of honor IN tho graf hoyo1d
John Silt is tho hero Of the flood in ths
Kiskinioitas Valley, hut his herOism cost
him his life. Hs was the brakeman on the
coal train that the West Penn kai.ro7d %.
ran upon the Coketown bridge 10 stv9. lie
ha brought the cars 20 n stfndBtii whore
and returned safely % shore when the drown
ing cry Of one Of tho victims whiriiuR by
prompted him to carry Cus uprn TIE bridge
he's, light that would enable the spect itIr'
to mako some attempt st rescu-
inR any more pers7ns carrie
along by The hcOL lie r1uoit on The bridge
snd was in tho act o. fas eninZ tie second
u ght 10 one Of ifs gifd %, when the
ri ige plunged down into the raging torrent
IL " thought he was Or Jvn3d at ono +, but
half mile below ie was 20 foa iug uroa
some dntt~wOo on 4 haiiei by the pso ople on
ihesho-c he said ho was John Sd e., and
had gone down into the Zoo With tho Coke.
70 % b i ige. those On the shore c0ult 10
nlhing for him. IN be was rus1ed quickly
od int The darkness by ih3 swift current
His loiy was founl badly bruise in the
roots ~ tree partly grounde i'm Tho bottom
! nd three miles cast Of Salisbury.
A. the upper end of the town on Stony
Gre X you ig, slenderly built man " b.
| gage OF day yesterday iu ferryiug cop q
d FRO. To him, many human being OF
| HOMETOWN owes his life. When tie o<l
came his was the only sS n available and with
J 10 ho succeiet instying az least soventy~hv,
vss lie worked thrtySeight hours yor
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-06-06
NEAR THE SCENE Of THE DIS
As ET.
Tho Loss OF Life Greater Than at
FIRST Reported.


A SPECIAL train which left Derry at 80
with about 1Oj men nboarl to assist in res
euing tho people Hoiling down tho Conc.
mnugh river, arrived at Bolivar, twenty
miles west OF Johnstown, whero tho train
was unable to go any ia tier on account OF
the track being n)oded cast OF that roinr.
Sixteen persons we're seen foating down the
river, men, women AID childr n. The party
succeeded IN rescuing ono oy who stated ne
was from Cambria City, apd that his father
and two brothers wero carried AWAY in the
raging sea and pro, a5ly drowned.
II was heartrendi1g sight tosos helpless
mon and women sweeping by on floating
ogs and debris an the people stlnding on
the shores powerless 10 render them assist
ance. Ropes were thrown to them by res
curers but they always fsll short Of the
work, and the poor, distressed mcrtals we're
swept by doomed 10 csr ain death. he IN,
~ OF tho storm Increased ali evening and
the waters were raising rapid until MD,
night Just before dark people living on the
north baak Of tho Conem1uzb, Opposite Bol.
ivar Junction, noticed al lad clinging TO a log
ttas the force Of the current had carrie
over INTO tho river nearest 70 them, aud
James Curry conceived the idea OF lasso ne
him. A long line wss hastily procured, and
man ran along the bank, ready to throw
bis rude lasso In an opportune moment. Tn,
Moose fell true 10 iis aim, over the oy's head
and uader bis arm', ard tho feat was greeted
by cheers from n huadrel throats, and in
moment the drenched poverty stricken little
fellow was handel 10 th1 bank, and for a
minute was not dlminutive, but real great
big hero.
He gave his name az Edward Houston,
and said the volume Of water struck their
house At o'clock His father a a uncle and
himself managed 10 climb on 70 a mass Of
driftwOod, aud they we're carried out j to
the channel Of the Conemaugh. The raft
struck an obstruction, and bis father and
uncle sank 10 the lotion.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-06-06
THE MENTAL STRAIN.
Many Persons Who Escaped the Flood and
Flames Now Stricken with Brain Fever.

JoHNSTowN, PA, juno 2.--The intense
excitement Of tho past forty weight hours has
proved too much Tor many Of the sufferers
who escaped death In the flood Many cases
OF nervous prostration, some of very
serious nature, have been reported 10 the at
tending physicians tonight Brain fever has
developed in halt dozen instances, while
some are threatened with pneumonia and
kindred ills. Mrs. John Connolly, OF Nor.
rellsville, who lost her husband and three
children, Is very low and her chances OF re-
covery are meRger. A number of little chill
dren who suffered from exposure are not ex-
pected TO live. These, together with those
who are wounded beyond recovery are ex-
pected to swell the rate At least 100 more.
The devastation is far-reaohing, as IL was
learned tonight that between 100 and 200
persons rho resided in the six-inile- long gan
between South Fork and Woodvalo have
fallen victims to the fury Of the deluge
Scarcely building has been left standing
along this entire route. The loss In property
has been simply terrible, and what makes
IL more so Is the uncertainty OF recovering
one dollar OF insurance. A number OF
buildings, IL is true, was burned up, but that
was In the bridge conHagration after the
other element against which there was no
insurance had almost completely ruined
the structure. Many workmen who had
invested the savings for lifetime in real
estate can now scarcely designate the sites OF
tuciT HOmcs. luc nave gOuet AlI
their household goods ahd wearing
apparel are lost. Scores who were
in comfortable circumstances on last
Memorial Day do not own the clothing they
wear The safes In the banking establish.
ments OF Johnstown remain intact, but
thousands OF dollars in money and large
quantities of valuable jewelry were swept
down the river.
The police reported at II o'clock that n
number of well-dressed but suspicious-look-
ing strangers are wandering through the
ruins They are supposed TO be professional
crooks and close watch Is being kept on
them. Late tonight man was
caught trying to break into n private
residence in Prospect, n hamlet on
the hillside. When discovered he ran to-
ward the river, followed by large crowd
bent on summary vengeance. The burglar
escaped in the darkness.
Mrs. David Lewis, Of Sheridan station,
who WIS la the water for three hours on Fri
day before being rescued, died o-night from
exhaustion.
The question Of rebuilding Is now being
discussed. II is generally conceded that
property In the fiat has greatly fallen Ia
value, and IL an effort at rebuilding is made
tho hill lots will get the preference.
Twenty-Five officers from Pittsburgh and
ten policemen from Allegheny have been
sworn in as special deputies.
Gen. Hastings told me tonight that he
would not order out the Fourteenth IteRi-
ment Since then a rumOr has reached here
that the command named Is now ct Sang
Hollow, az miles away, and that it is
coming here in the morning.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-06-06
a BROKEN DAM BRINGS DEATH.
An Unparalleled Flood I'm tho Cone,
maugh River.

The growing disaster in tho history OF
Western Pennsylvania occurred at Johnstown
about 5 ocloc Fri lay afternoon, which re-
iu'ted in tho uttcr destruction Of tho greater
portion Of the Iron CITY Of the NJ untains,
snd tho death Of an unknown number OF
men, women and childr n--the list may run
into the thousands.
1t Is an unexpected ond uuhearlded deluee
such as has never occurred borore In this
country. The famous dam, over 1909 Of
IN length and IS feet high, brofe. thereby
Ioosing alb dy OF water about three miles long.
neatly a mile In width and about 90 feet IN
depth. This vast body Of wato rushed
down the narrow South Fork into the Cone
maugh, which piss sdirsctly through Johns
town, Is hanks were lined with dwell
ing and business houses, which W ro carried
before the rushing mountain Of water ~
chips before miniature tor ent dashing
along The course Of brook.
Tho report t1at the dam had broken wa.
CONFIRMED by tho immediate appearance
Of tho food. TIE people know ros whittier
tony bscause it was swes espiug the low grounds
from Hill 81 bin. Strong mon we're paralyzsd
with fright and women ran screaming
through tho streets Their children wery
swallowed up before their eyes. an thoy too
were borne down ly tho rclsntless torrlnt
Those who had sought shelter in the upper
stories Of their houses felt them rsiso from
their founda'ion, then toppie and fall There
was NJ escnpe; the horrors of the situation
may be inferred from the appended accounts
obtained from an accasaihle f,,fnfa ,io,,., a.,
courso Of the Conemaugh, which Il now
strown with doad bodies, fragments o. houses
end bris, representing mi lions OF money.
and hundr de anl possibly thousands Of
lives
THE FATAL DAM
The dam ihatlfd 10 this fearful md horri-
he caies rophe was originally tullt By Gen
}. X Aoorhead when The canal was being
cois'ructsd through lhe state. Il va 10
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-06-06
NIGHT SCENES.


JouSsrowS, PA. June A good foot
bridge across the gap between the bridge aud
Johnstown Ia now open. Numbers OF men
have been engaged during the day In level
ing the ground so that wagons .an pass.
The after. night scenes Of distress have COM
menced. Seated among tho ruins Ia all
parts OF the fatal city aud its suburbs are tho
mourning survivors. The entire scene "a
lighted by the great funeral pyre Of which
the bodies OF so many loved ones torn part.
Great clouds OF smoke arise from The burn
ing heap aud Hoat upwards among tho trees
on the mountain sides. Mothers, wives and
daughters arc seated on the surrounding en-
bankmonts forlorn and heart-sorc, gazing
with woc-bcgone countenances on the scene
Of desolation on every Llde, The torches OF
the firemen and tho noble men aud women
VINO have volunteered to aid the afflicted ones
move hither and thither mArkisg the where
abouts OF the missionaries OF love. Pall-
bearers move slowly 20 and fro bearing their
CHASTITY burdens, followed by weeping eyes OF
loving friends.
The Pittsburgh Firo Department Is doing
excellent work, hut still tho great lake OF
flames keeps burning ficrcely. The telegraph
operators are working like beavers and
handling with remarkable promptness tho
hundreds OF messages proflcred them.
Nine hundred tents, which Gov. Foraker
donated, have arrived and are being erected
under direction OF Adjt.-Gen. Axline, of
Ohio. About 100 family tents are already
In position. Their advent was hailed with
delight by the many homeless families
Ministers OF various denominations have
reached here. They will conduct tho funeral
services TO. morrow.
A number Of drunken tramps attempted 10
break into some OF the provision cars lying
near Cambria City tonight, hut wero fired
upon by the train guards. They will give
no quarters to scoundrels of this kind.
Prompt punishment will be carried out by
tho Vigilance Committee. A large number
Of special deputies have been sworn in by the
Sheriff Of Cambria county.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-06-06
Trans Loaded With Passengers Caught in the Swelling Tide
Thrilling Stories of Escape


constitute feeder for this waterway dur
ing dry>seasonA 1t was built across South
Fork. about two miles from the point whore
tbs stream empties into the Conemaugh
river.
The dam was about 1000 feet in length
and IS feet high at tho highest point, and
300 feet thick at the base A suice. way wns
cut through solid rock at one side and sever.
al feet below the top OF the dam, by which
surplus water could escape without running
over the top.
Eome time after the canal had been ADAMS
doned break occurred near the center OF the
dam, whi was gradually incr ased In size
unlil the entire lake was drained. When the
Sportsman Association Of Western PennsyI-
ya"ia concIud d to buy this property an or
ganization was formed which Is known az the
south Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. Its
first work was g. repair the brsak in the
dam The lake thus formed was two miles
and half lon, and nv ernged something
ovcr half milo in width, with varyinR
depth Of from Ave to sixty feet. It was ono
OF tho largest and most beautiful inland bod
les OF water in the State, being located in the
mountains and surrounded by unbroksn for.
ssts and rock,faced hillR
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-06-06
WHERE 1000 rERIsHEO.
Buried in n Great Mass of Debris
and Cremated.

1t Is believed that not less than 900 OF
tho drowne fou d lodgment beneath tho
mass Of debris in the triangle OF ground that
tue Conemau2h cut ont OF tho hank hetween
So river pop ani IN, PsdiisysS anit Rul~
!oad bridge. Th,re WIS thj grsatost
funeral pyrc in h story. The victim, we're
not upon it, tut were parts OF It's horrible
constitution Whole h ,usos we're wished
INTO the ap'x of the triiugls Hencoops.
ystys, sta les, the refugo Of tho gutter, tko
ntents OF sewers, whole lelumber yards, o "a
upon boom o. 10 8 scomposed ths mass. When
the npsetting Il n cook stove ignited tho masf
and th work II cremation began. The
smoke arose In n huge funiel-slinpod clot 4
and at times II chan god 10 tbs rn OF an
hour glass. AT night the fumes would ag.F
W Ibis misty remnIntot mortality.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-06-06
Inc City OF Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and the
Suburban Towns along the South Fork
and the Conemaugh Utterly Destroyed
by the Raging Torrents.
RAILROADS AND BRIDGES SWEPT AWAY
The Most Terribly Fatal Calamity Ever Known
In the United States.
RIVER BANKS STREWN WITH THE !
o rev houses Left Standing Where Were Beautiful AMI
Prosperous Towns and Cities

FIRE ADDED TO THE HORRORS OF THE FLOOD.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-06-06

THE plans for tho enlargement Of the por-
~ Hamburg. Germany have been approved,
The improvements win cost Sl,00oVo
Daily Republican., 1889-06-26

The fourth annual excursion of the
deorge Washington Fishing Club wi !
take place tomorrow, and the committee
vi arr-ngcm n,s has 'pared neither time
nor expense to III Ike 1t toe best and most
enjoyable ever given. Notwithstanding
all That the comgnittee has done there Is
pow, at the lest moment, q ssr,ous hitch
In the muiiuy of some ol the officers,
who positively reiu.3 to serve in the
positions assigned them. rhomas John
son, who had been selected as orator,
oilers the flimsy eXcu that lie cannot
be pres mt, therefore sUme one will have
to &c selected to fill the ace. A. d.
Warner, who was unanimously chosen
as choir master, says that he has been
practicinv, and now finds that be cannot
sing, but IL Is shrewdly suspected that he
does not want 10.
The committee Will, II necessary, spend
all OF tonight TO secure come one TO take
his place. and 1t is but proper to state
that the salaries of these mutinous officers
have been stopped, aud they, or their
sureties, will be required TO return any
that they may draw IN advance for the
purpose OF buying lines or bait. Ae sone
o; those who will attend have expree sed
inions rejecting on the veracity oi the
OF fish caught on the previou' excursions,
court martial will be organized on the
return trip aud they will be severely
dealt with. The rules this year are very
strict, aud If they are disobeJed the
offenders will be d, alt with in a summary
manner No one will be permitted to
swear, unless the man nearest to him
should get more bites and catch more
fish than he does. Any man who upse 4
! a boat, rs was done by certain party on
the last excursion, shall be Iun.shed by
the loss of his fish and thorough duck
ing.
Prohibition will be strictly enforced,
and no spirituous or malt liquors will be
allowed ON board, except upon the pre-
scription OF a regular graduate of me1i-
cine. Every member will be required to
furnish his own lines and hooks, and not
more than three hooks will be permitted
on any one line, for fear of exhaustinR
the supply OF fish before the close OF the
day. CLAIMS for bait will be supplied on
board, but as soft crabs make the bes,
| alt, 1t will be advisable for each one IL
take n supply along. The committee
have made special arrangements TO beat
the record achieved by the so-called
Taurus Club one day last week, and will
have number of trout, weighing over &C
ounces each, near Ship John Light wait
ing to be caught. The boat will leave
King street wharf at $50 tomorrow
morning, and those who are not present
at that hour will be obliged to walk OIL
swim, according to their inclinatlons.
Daily Republican., 1889-06-26

Why not use other peoples brains as
well as your own In order to lessen life
work, and especially so when the coming
hot weather will make life a burden to
those who have to do laborious house
work? The very word "Pearline" sounds
clean and sweet enough to recommend
even poorer article. But "Pearline"
does as clean and as sweet work as its
name implies. Now If there be house
keeper among the thousands of Witness
readers who has hitherto lived SO far be-
meath her privileges as not to have used
"Pearline," surely she will at once pur-
chase a packet aud test what 1t will do
for her. "Pearllne" represents braius.
That is, 1t is the product OF long and hard
processes of thought, investigation and
experiment. You are invited to share the
results. From New York Witness, June
IL, 1880.
Daily Republican., 1889-06-26
The Connty's Public Resort.
COMMUNICATED. |.

" there is ono hing above another that
should be priced by every good citizen it
Is o0d, local self government. Incom-
p tency snd Dishonesty has produced
three commissions In this city, and came
very near producing TWO or three more.
II looks now as II the people may demand
that commission shall take charge OF
their public resort at New Castle, The
popularity of this place has increased the
number OF guests to SUI h an extent that
the accommodations have become iLade-
quate TO The demands OF The guests. The
Lev, Court has given the matter their ut.
Iention ind ara seriously contemplating
making an add .tion 10 the public hotel,
WI ich is to cost tue couI ty some SIS, 900,
when tue county Is already over head and
ears IN debt.
They do not seem inclined to conform
to the exigcncies OF The case.
The proprietor has exercised every
III ans in bis power that would be likely
to contribute to the health and comfort
of his guests, hut he teems to be uI-
equal to the task imposed upon him, and
consequently 1t is said has asked the
l. Wy Court to furnish him with two ild-
ditional janitors to assist In entertaining
the guests.
4
am told, that the business has grown
from an average of eighty TO that OF one
hundred and fifty guests. Wilmington
being Loted place on account of its
large and numerous manufacturing es-
Establishments, brings great number oi
strangers TO this city. Just what they
want no fellow has found out, but MS q
token OF respect the municipal cour,
grants them pass to visit the county re-
sort that they may there accept its hospi.
talty for some 80 or go days. We have
constantly on hand now about seventy Of
that class of gentry. To maintain thes,
seventy gentlemen will cost not less thar
SO, 900 q year.
Now we have about 100 miles OF street.
and alleys in the city of Wilmington
which are generally in DIRTY filthy con
ditiOn. How would II do TO put thes,
seventy guests TO work at clearing VI
and cleansing the streets Of the cityi
think that If there ever was any necessi
ty for d commission there is an excuse
for one now. Some will spy: "Will you
| dlsplace honest, legitimate, tax-payinl
| citizen for n lot of city tramps2" No
we can make overseers out OF the citizen
aud from my observation Of the men
they would be able 20 direct the work
and see that Il is properly done. Wha
is the matter with the Street Commis
sion, who have t.len this matter il
chargel With the force they would thel
have on hand, they - ht get the wOrl
done whether they owned property OIL
the streets or no. TAXPAYER.
Daily Republican., 1889-06-26

On next Friday w. Y. Warner will
hold at his bazaar In this city, one of the
greatest horse sales that has yet taken
place. There will be about 80 head in
the To-, many OF them are finely bred, and
very promising; they come from all parts
OF the country, many of them from the
Eastern Shore, which has become noted
for Its fine stock. There will be sold at
this sale the fastest pacing horse of Its
size In the Uniltd States; It is a steel
gray, years old, only 13 hands high,
never had any trsinlng and can now pace
mile in ESQ or better. II properly
trained will certainly pace In 2.2O or very
close to it. There viii also be the last
pacing horses Sagwa, 2.34 to wagon; Sam
T., 2 4Oi Hero, $50 unframed, will learn
to go in 22O; Busy Bee, In condition can
trot In 2 80; also Paul Clifford and Mar
gerry, pair sent by gentleman from
Eastern Shore; they can pole IN min
utes, Paul can trot In 2.45; they are very
handsome and really desirable tea IN.
Besides these there are several other
horses that can tTot In from 2.40 to 8
minutes Also large number of fine
coach, family, road and business horses.
This will certainly be the sale to attend,
as there is DO doubt many great bargains
will be had.
Daily Republican., 1889-06-26

MOUNT JOY, June 25.-Tb.s was the
most trying of all the day at Donegal
Springs since General Cameron was
stricken down with paralysis. His vi
tality, which surprised every one by its
extraordinary vlg0r, began early In the
day to show signs OF succumbing at last
to the power of death. lie still took no
nourishment. The end was looked forward
to from moment 10 moment. DIR. Bach
man drove over from his house In May
town last night, arriving at Donegal ut
1l.2O. As usual Ex-Attorney General
Wayne McNeagh Joined him. He slept
with seeming comfort, and when daylight
dawned and he woke he appeared to be
IN n degree refreshed. There was no
sign Of any return of strength however.
On the contrary, lie was weaker. Dr.
Bachman lett at SO, aud the vigil of the
sick room was continued by Mrs. Mae
Veagh and Mrs. Hsldemau, his daugh-
ters, and by his granddaughter, Mrs.
Watts. The Generals mind was still
clear, as manifested by mis- observation OF
the people about him and the things that
went on.